Racism a key topic in presidential debate at Järvenpää school

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The issue of racism took centre stage at a televised debate of Finland’s eight presidential candidates held at the Järvenpää Upper Secondary School on Thursday evening.
      Finns Party candidate Timo Soini was called upon to give his views on some of the opinions put forward by Members of Parliament of his party.
      Other candidates had honed their arguments, taking purposeful aim at Soini. Especially Swedish People’s Party candidate Eva Biaudet and the Left Alliance’s Paavo Arhinmäki were seen to have perfected their debate tactics.
     
There was a clear difference in views among the candidates over whether or not there had been an increase in racism in Finland. Soini and Christian Democratic candidate Sari Essayah insisted that xenophobia has not increased. Soini quoted statistics on the number of crimes classified as having been racially motivated.
      Green League candidate Pekka Haavisto insisted that there has been an increase in manifestations of racist attitudes in Finland.
      “It used to be that people would keep their rumblings to themselves, but now many foreigners are hearing more insults on buses, trams, and trains”, Haavisto said.
     
The Centre Party’s Paavo Väyrynen praised the debate over racism, and he leaned toward the view that racism has not increased in Finland.
      In a vote held after the racism discussion among school pupils listening attending the debate, Haavisto’s performance got the highest marks.
     
The most intense attack against Soini came from Social Democratic candidate Paavo Lipponen, who said that he had entered the presidential election campaign specifically to oppose racism.
      Lipponen said that True Finns MPs Jussi Niinistö and Jussi Halla-aho were hiding behind Soini’s back.
      “Even if you were supported by 50 per cent, I would oppose this kind of politics. We need to put a stop to this.”
     
Also calling for decorum on the part of Members of Parliament was National Coalition Party candidate Sauli Niinistö, who said that the tone of public debate should be kept respectful.
      “Members of Parliament act by showing examples, but so do journalists. We also have columnists who are skilled in skirting the limits.”
     
The first round of Finland’s presidential elections will be held on Sunday, January 22nd. If no candidate gets a majority of the votes, a runoff will be held among the two highest-scoring candidates on February 5th.


See also:
  HS interview: President Halonen urges Finns to dare defend victims of racism (15.11.2011)
  Prime Minister, President, and True Finns politicians react to results of HS poll (14.11.2011)
  Poll: Majority of Finns see Finland as racist country (14.11.2011)

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