Chairperson Riikka Purra spoke at the Finns Party congress in Lahti on 14 June 2025. Photo: Vesa Moilanen / Lehtikuva
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Riikka Purra has secured another term as leader of the Finns Party, defeating Arto Luukkanen by a wide margin at the party congress in Lahti on Saturday. Purra received 730 votes out of 876 cast, while Luukkanen received 126.
Following her re-election, Purra declared her intent to strengthen the party’s position and claimed the Finns Party would “save this country”. She attributed recent dips in party support to economic challenges and reaffirmed her commitment to opposing immigration policies she described as threats to Finnish society.
In her address, Purra said Finnish identity was under pressure from “mass immigration” from developing countries. She linked demographic changes to strain on public services and claimed they would undermine the country’s welfare state.
A separate controversy emerged during her speech when Purra criticised a government draft listing occupations exempt from certain residence permit restrictions. She mocked an earlier version of the list that included “shoe shiners” among shortage occupations, saying, “That case is stuck in my mind, that we’ve come to this.”
Purra confirmed that her party successfully ensured the removal of such entries from the final document. While she did not specify the exact proposal, Helsingin Sanomat obtained a preliminary version of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment’s draft. It listed roles such as leaflet distributors and shoe shiners, alongside other low-skilled occupations.
The draft, guided by National Coalition Party ministers Matias Marttinen and Arto Satonen, was later revised. The final version included health professionals, firefighters, and funeral service workers, omitting less skilled roles.
The regulation allows foreign workers in Finland to seek new employment outside their original permit sector if they become unemployed. After nine months of work in Finland, applicants are also exempt from labour market testing when applying for a new permit.
Purra used the episode to bolster her argument that Finland’s immigration policy needed tighter control and greater clarity. “We’re not the world’s social office, hospital, or school,” she said.
Meanwhile in Vaasa, the Swedish People’s Party held its own congress, with chair Anders Adlercreutz directly challenging the Finns Party’s rhetoric. “Our problem is not too many immigrants. Our problem is too many racists,” he told delegates.
The contrasting messages from the two party congresses underscored the divide in Finnish politics. While Purra continued to push for stricter immigration control, Adlercreutz defended Finland’s multicultural direction and criticised reductionist narratives.
The Finns Party congress also reappointed Harri Vuorenpää as party secretary. Vuorenpää accepted responsibility for recent electoral setbacks and promised renewed focus ahead of the next parliamentary elections.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
