Swedish expert analyses body language of Finnish politicians - or lack of it
Matti Vanhanen
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Jyrki Katainen
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Jutta Urpilainen
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Timo Soini
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“How can Finns be analysed? They have turned lack of expression into an art form”, says Swedish body language expert Henrik Fexeus after watching a video showing Finnish party leaders in television interviews during an election campaign.
Fexeus does not understand Finnish, nor is he familiar with Finnish politics. Still, his observations based on body language alone seem surprisingly accurate. The unemotional Matti Vanhanen (Centre), the energetic Jyrki Katainen (National Coalition Party), and the Social Democratic leader Jutta Urpilainen, who flirts with her audience, and Timo Soini (True Finns), who likes to make carefully prepared comments to the audience, are familiar characterisations to Finns.
Fexeus feels that Swedish politicians express contempt and disagreement more openly.
“These people are all friends with each other.”
That’s nice to know. It seems that Finnish politicians are not as quarrelsome as we had thought.
Fexeus makes another observation: in Finland, journalists have a powerful role, and they control the debates. He makes note of the “collective humiliations” at the beginning of the TV debate that he was shown, where the party leaders were given tasks such as assembling a mobile telephone or riding a bicycle. The interviewees are put in their right place right away.
At the beginning of the debate, the politicians have uncomfortable and bewildered expressions on their faces: “What are we doing here?”
In both Finland and Sweden, the body language of politicians is full of both slips and mute inexpressiveness. Fexeus says that politicians should try to do better.
“Your message is not only more understandable, but it is also more credible if you use the possibilities available to you.”
Fexeus urges viewers to be critical. Body language reveals hidden intentions. How can a person recognise a liar.
“One good method is to make note if a conflicting and uncomfortable feeling arises in one’s self. Then it is a good idea to turn the sound off the TV and concentrate exclusively on what one sees. It is likely that the conflict arose from the different messages put forward by the body and the words”, Fexeus says.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 2.10.2008 - TODAY |
 Swedish expert analyses body language of Finnish politicians - or lack of it |
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