Conservatives Collapse in Finland Elections: A Q&A with Joni Askola
Geopolitical analyst Joni Askola offers his hot take on the results of Sunday's elections in Finland
***Please take out a membership to support the light of truth.***
I received this message from an ally in Finland yesterday:
“Good news from Finland. Almost all the vatniks and conspiracy theorists fell out in the regional and local elections. Some of them were elected in the 2021 elections during the pandemic, e.g. QAnon influenced.”
So I reached out to geopolitical analyst Joni Askola to get his hot take. Here is that interview:
Heidi Cuda: Can you update Bette readers on Sunday’s elections?
Joni Askola: Finland headed to the polls on Sunday to elect thousands of councillors across various local and regional bodies. For the first time ever, the municipal and county elections took place simultaneously. The Social Democrats, led by Antti Lindtman and previously by Sanna Marin, achieved a significant victory, pushing the National Coalition Party of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo into second place. Despite this, the National Coalition Party performed relatively well, especially considering the poor results of its biggest government partner, the far-right Finns Party.
Heidi Cuda: How do the latest results compare to the last round?
Joni Askola: The Finns Party saw a dramatic decline in support compared to the last municipal election, nearly halving its vote from four years ago. They also lost around 3% in the county elections. The party's leadership attributed these results to their participation in the government and the tough decisions they had to make, combined with the tendency of their voters to participate more in national elections. While these factors may be partially true, the high score of the National Coalition Party, their governing partner, limits the validity of this excuse. Comparing the results to previous municipal and county elections, the Finns Party's decreased support indicates that it is also not solely about the type of election.
Heidi Cuda: Why the collapse?
Joni Askola: Overall, there are many potential reasons for the Finns Party's collapse in these elections. The National Coalition Party's strategy of involving the Finns Party in the government to mitigate their populism seems to be effective for now. In these elections, the Finns Party suffered from a combination of being in government during tough economic times, making cuts perceived as unfair by a large part of the population, poor communication about their actions, and several small scandals. These factors highlight the challenges of governing compared to being in opposition.
Heidi Cuda: Do these results give you any indication on a forecast for the national stage?
Joni Askola: It is worth noting that these are local elections, and foreign policy should not significantly influence voters' decisions. However, the support some members of the Finns Party have shown for Donald Trump likely did not enhance the party's credibility among voters in a country where a large majority does not support Trump's policies. Although the Finns Party includes some useful idiots who help Russia by polarizing the Finnish population, the party itself is not pro-Russian, despite some members having questionable views on foreign policy.
Heidi Cuda: Sharing a border and long history with Russia makes it likely to be rebuked if any pro-Russian sentiment is visible… are there any metrics that bear that out?
Joni Askola: The few fringe pro-Russian parties that managed to secure 1.4% of the votes in the 2022 county election only received 0.4% this time. Overall, these elections demonstrated that the Finnish population is more resistant to populism, propaganda, and conspiracy theories than many other European populations. This resilience can likely be attributed to a combination of a good education system, high trust in public institutions, and YLE, the Finnish public broadcasting company, which the far-right frequently attacks. These elections were clearly a victory for liberal and democratic voices in Europe, and we should celebrate such outcomes in these complex times. However, it is important to remember that these are only Finnish municipal and county elections and not indicative of a broader trend.
Heidi Cuda: Thank you, Joni. This is very valuable information for the Bette Dangerous community.
Author’s note: The same source who informed me about the news from Finland also informed me that the Kremlin is attacking Polish politics, having already chosen a candidate being promoted by enemy combatant Jack Posobiec.
Always look further over the waves.—Heidi Siegmund Cuda for Bette Dangerous
****
Learn more about Joni Askola here:
Joni Askola is a Finnish PhD candidate, geopolitical analyst, and activist who has lived in various locations, including Russia. He works to combat Russian disinformation, fight against authoritarianism, and defend democracies, both online and through fundraising efforts for Ukraine with an organization called Help99. To support Joni's fundraising for the war effort in Ukraine, go here. You will find his YouTube show here.
You can find his threads on the following socials:
****
Related:
****
****
Bette Dangerous is a reader-funded magazine. Thank you to all monthly, annual, and founding members.
I expose the corruption of billionaire fascists, while relying on memberships for support.
Thank you in advance for considering the following:
Share my reporting with allies
Buying my ebooks
A private link to an annual membership discount for older adults, those on fixed incomes or drawing disability, as well as activists and members of the media is available upon request at bettedangerous/gmail. 🥹
More info about Bette Dangerous - This magazine is written by Heidi Siegmund Cuda, an Emmy-award winning investigative reporter/producer, author, and veteran music and nightlife columnist. She is the cohost of RADICALIZED Truth Survives, an investigative show about disinformation and is part of the Byline Media team. Thank you for your support of independent investigative journalism.
🤍
Begin each day with a grateful heart.
🤍