On Wednesday, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo publicly apologized for offensive remarks made by some members of parliament on social media. While the statement, posted by Finland’s embassies in the Chinese mainland, the Republic of Korea and Japan in three languages, did not name specific targets, Orpo stressed that such comments run counter to Finland’s core values of equality and inclusion.
"Our message in Finland and to all our friends abroad is that the government takes racism seriously and is committed to combatting the issue," Orpo said, underscoring the administration’s determination to address hate speech.
The apology comes after a controversy earlier this year when Sarah Dzafce, the 2025 Miss Finland winner, was accused of mocking and stereotyping Asians online. The Miss Finland organization stripped her of her title, and shortly after, two MPs and one European Parliament member from the far-right Finns Party shared similar offensive images.
Orpo leads a four-party coalition government, which includes the Finns Party alongside his pro-business National Coalition Party. Leaders from all governing parties discussed the incident and jointly condemned the lawmakers’ behavior as insulting and inappropriate.
As Finland navigates this challenging moment, many hope it will spark a deeper conversation about respect, diversity and solidarity—values that young audiences across the globe champion. 🌍✨
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Finnish PM apologizes for lawmakers' remarks offensive to Asians
cgtn.com
