18+ 
Election in Finland: No to NATO!
16.04.2019
On Sunday 14th April the election for the Finnish parliament took place which brought interesting results from a geopolitical perspective.
The three biggest parties to emerge from the vote were the Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP), the Finns Party and the National Coalition Party (NCP).
While the NCP holds typical modern western liberal, pro-EU and Atlanticist views the two other parties went into the election with a different agenda.
Although there are differences between the ideology of the SDP and the Finns Party it is more interesting to see where they agree than disagree.
The Finns Party promote a position of economic socialism, social conservatism and ethno-nationalism; being sceptic towards the EU, Globalism and immigration.
The SDP holds to traditional socialist values, is pro-EU while also being sceptical regarding immigration. A core area where the two parties disagree is regarding the rights of homosexuals to marry and adopt children – The Finns Party being against and the SDP being for.
The most interesting thing though is their shared stand regarding Finland and NATO. Both the Finns Party and the SDP are against their country becoming members of NATO. The SDP does support the Partnership for Peace (PfP) initiative, of which Russia is also a member, which aims to coordinate military training and exercises between NATO and non-NATO members. Several countries which have joined the PfP have later become full members of NATO.
According to a recent poll it was establish that only a third of Finnish people would back their country’s membership of NATO (Yle: 13th August 2018) and Finland’s President, Sauli Niinistö, has made it clear that if steps should be taken towards membership it will require a national plebiscite.
The Finnish people have by their vote made it clear that they primarily support political parties not favourable towards NATO membership. Since Finland shares a border with Russia it is crucial to secure that the USA cannot use Finland as yet another outpost in the Atlanticist attempt to surround the Eurasian Heartland with military bases. Let us hope, however the future Finnish parliament coalition will look, that parties firmly for neutrality and positive diplomacy will be the dominant voices. Who knows? Maybe the SDP and Finns Party will be able join forces and secure a majority which will be able to hold the Atlanticist forces at bay. We must certainly hope for an outcome promoting the “dialog of civilizations” and not the mutually destructive “clash”.
Sources:
“Poll: One-third would back Finland’s Nato membership on President’s sayso” Yle. Yle Uutiset, 13th August 2018. Web. Apr 15, 2019. https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/poll_one-third_would_back_finlands_nato_membership_on_presidents_say-so/10349952
