Freedom Alliance (Finland)

Freedom Alliance
Vapauden liitto (Finnish)
AbbreviationVL
ChairpersonOssi Tiihonen
SecretaryLasse Paananen
Vice-ChairpeopleHeli Rämäkkö
Niko A. Kauko
Pekka Timonen
FoundedFebruary 2022 (2022-02)[1]
Split fromPower Belongs to the People
HeadquartersAntinkatu 3D, 00100 Helsinki
IdeologyNational conservatism
Localism
Euroscepticism
Paasikivi-Kekkonen doctrine
Direct democracy
Political positionRight-wing to far-right
Colours  Yellow
  White[2]
Eduskunta
0 / 200
European Parliament
0 / 15
Municipalities
17 / 8,859
County seats
6 / 1,379
Website
vapaudenliitto.fi Edit this at Wikidata

The Freedom Alliance (Finnish: Vapauden Liitto, VL),[3][4] is a national conservative registered political party in Finland.[5] The party was founded by Ossi Tiihonen after splitting from the Power Belongs to the People (VKK) party in February 2022.[6] They met the 5,000 signatures requirement for registering as a political party in one day on 19 April 2022, and were officially registered on 6 May 2022.[7][8]

Background

The Freedom Alliance was founded by influential members of the Power Belongs to the People (VKK) party, who left due to Ano Turtiainen's leadership and support of the Russian Federation and Vladimir Putin,[9] as well as citing his authoritarian leadership and the religious views of the party.[10]

Ossi Tiihonen, founder of the Freedom Alliance, is a regional councilor for Lohja and was a member of the Finns Party before joining the VKK.[10] Cia Grönborg, former party secretary, and Heli Rämäkkö, a previous vice-chairwoman, were also both influential members of the VKK and have worked as regional councilors for Espoo and Seinäjoki, respectively. They left the VKK due to perceived authoritarianism and lack of freedom to criticize the party leadership under Ano Turtiainen.[10] In return, Turtiainen accused the splitters of being self-interested.[10]

Ideology

Foreign Policy

The Freedom Alliance advocates for Finland to leave the European Union and condemns the EU as being anti-democratic, globalist and elitist.[11] They are also against NATO and the United States, proclaiming that cooperation with the U.S. has turned Finland into a satellite state.[12][13] The party is opposed to transatlanticism, instead advocating for the return of the Paasikivi–Kekkonen doctrine.[14] Despite opposition to the European Union, they support European and international cooperation.[15]

The party harbours conspirational ideology, including denying the existence of climate change, with claims that the European Union is "force-feeding harmful green ideology, which the Finnish MEPs cast their green plagues on the Finnish people".[16] They are against what they describe as the "neoliberal New World Order", and that the "EU-virus" is promoting mass immigration, gender diversity, and "men who give birth".[17][18]

The Freedom Alliance is against sanctions on the Russian Federation for their invasion of Ukraine, stating them to be "hypocritical, illogical and emotional".[19] The party believes that Ukraine is a client state of the United States, and that Ukraine is oppressing its Russian-speaking population, suppressing freedom of speech and limiting citizens' political power.[20][21]

Political programs

The Freedom Alliance describes itself as a individualist and localist party.[22] The party is in favour of what it describes as "bringing back" freedom of speech, and the promotes classical liberalism in relation to society, stating the need for policies such as freedom of movement, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, right to ownership of property, freedom of enterprise, freedom of religion, freedom of political association, freedom to choose public healthcare providers and bodily integrity. The party also supports the right to privacy, opposing the proposal of a "European Digital Identity".[15] Their policies for healthcareinclude free health check-ups for unemployed jobseekers and investment into services for the elderly and caregivers.[15] The party promotes direct democracy after ensuring education regarding state affairs and with particular emphasis on the Constitution of Finland.[23]

The party supports abolishing mandatory Swedish language education in schools, citing freedom of choice in language learning. They propose that Finland is in fact a trilingual country, including Saami alongside the existing national languages, Finnish and Swedish, and that people are entitled to services in all three languages.[24]

The party seeks to end work-based immigration, but allow humanitarian immigrants and asylum seekers only. The party supports a mass deportation of illegal immigrants and re-examining the application of all previously approved refugees.[25] They also oppose affirmative action, and desire to "rationalize" violation of religious peace existing laws, as well as remove racial incitement from the criminal code.[15]

The Freedom Alliance's economicpolicies are mainly Eurosceptic. They support the reinstatement of the markka as Finland's currency to promote national economic growth[26] promote self-sufficiency and to maintain the welfare state, which they claim is incompatible with the European Union. They also support independent free trade separate from the European Union. The party also proposes lowering value-added tax (VAT) to 15 percent, lower taxation of domestic food and food production, the expansion of mining jobs, self-sufficiency in relation to agriculture and energy and renewal of the pension insurance system. [15]

Controversy

The Freedom Alliance has been denounced as pro-Russian,[27][28] though they have rejected the label.[29] The party's support for the candidacy of Juha Korhonen has been highly controversial, as Korhonen is known to be a supporter of the Nordic Resistance Movement,[30][31][32] a Finnish domestic terrorist group.[33] Junes Lokka, a candidate in the European Parliament elections and a town councillor for the Freedom Alliance, has been sentenced twice for ethnic incitement,[34] and is known to have attended Nordic Resistance Movement events.[35]

Election results

The party ran in the 2023 parliamentary election in an electoral alliance with the Crystal Party and Finnish People First,[36] but won no seats.[37] They supported the candidacy of Saara Huhtasaari in the 2024 Finnish presidential election,[38] but she was unable to garner enough support for registration. They also nominated candidates for the 2024 European Parliament election,[39] notably Teuvo Hakkarainen,[40] a politician previously expelled from the Finns Party due to his affiliation with the Freedom Alliance.[41][42]

Parliament of Finland

Election Votes % Seats +/- Government
2023 27,526 0.89%
0 / 200
 New Extra-parliamentary

Municipal elections

Election Councillors Votes %
2025 0 5,490 0.2

European Parliament

Election Votes % Seats +/– EP Group
2024 16,717 0.91 (#9)
0 / 15
 New –

References

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "Vapauden liitto syntyy". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). 2022-02-27. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  2. ↑ "Logo ja graafiset ohjeet | Vapauden liitto". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  3. ↑ "Säännöt | Vapauden liitto". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  4. ↑ "Puolueiden nimet ja lyhenteet". Kielitoimiston ohjepankki. Kotimaisten kielten keskus. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 2024-06-19.
  5. ↑ "The impact of the Russia–Ukraine war on right-wing populism in Finland - ECPS". 2023-03-05. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  6. ↑ "VKK:n rivit rakoilevat: Ano Turtiaisen Venäjä-puheet, autoritaarinen johtajuus ja uskonnolliset kannanotot ajavat pois puolueesta". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2022-04-11. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
  7. ↑ "Vapauden liitto -puoluehanke sai puoluerekisteriin tarvittavat kannatusilmoitukset". Yle Uutiset. April 19, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Puoluerekisteri.fi". puoluerekisteri.fi.
  9. ↑ Nikula, Jouni (April 15, 2022). "Puoluejohtaja Ano Turtiaisen Venäjä-myötäily on aiheuttanut hermoilua VKK:ssa – Keskipohjalaiset VKK-vaikuttajat kiistävät rivien rakoilun: "Meihin on liittynyt perussuomalaisten valtuutettuja viime viikkoina", sanoo veteliläinen Jarno Vähäkainu". KPK.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "VKK:n rivit rakoilevat: Ano Turtiaisen Venäjä-puheet, autoritaarinen johtajuus ja uskonnolliset kannanotot ajavat pois puolueesta". Yle Uutiset. April 11, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Pelasta Suomi globalistien kynsistä". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). 2023-03-23. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  12. ↑ "NATOKUUME SAI SUOMI-NEIDON JÄRJILTÄÄN". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  13. ↑ "DCA-sopimuksella Suomi-neidosta tehtiin USA:n marionetti". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). 2023-12-22. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  14. ↑ "Vapauden liitto ajaa perinteistä puolueettomuuspolitiikkaa". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). 2023-11-12. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 "Puolueohjelma | Vapauden liitto". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  16. ↑ "Irti vihreästä vääristymästä". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  17. ↑ "SUOMI ON VAARASSA KUOLLA EUROOPAN MUKANA". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). 2024-04-30. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  18. ↑ "Matti Simola 108". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). 2023-02-19. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  19. ↑ "Ajatuksiani pakotepolitiikasta". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). 2022-05-07. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  20. ↑ "Historian kalleimmat kakut jaettiin Ukrainassa". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). 2024-03-11. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  21. ↑ Tiihonen, Kirjoittaja Ossi (2022-03-02). "Ei Venäjää Ukrainaan, ei Natoa Suomeen". Ossi Tiihonen (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  22. ↑ Toimitus (2024-03-11). "Vapauden liitto määritteli itsensä lokalistipuolueeksi - Ossi Tiihonen jatkaa puheenjohtajana". Vastaan Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  23. ↑ "Puolueohjelma | Vapauden liitto". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  24. ↑ "Puolueohjelma | Vapauden liitto". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  25. ↑ "Puolueohjelma | Vapauden liitto". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-09-28.
  26. ↑ "Smaller parties fail to make parliamentary breakthrough". News. 2023-04-03. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
  27. ↑ "Suomalainen äärioikeisto on jakautunut kolmeen eri ryhmään – yksi niistä toivoo vallitsevan järjestelmän romahdusta". Voima. 28 July 2024.
  28. ↑ "Syvän päädyn pienpuoluekenttä meni uusiksi – näillä salaliitoilla pärjäsi nyt vaaleissa parhaiten". Demokraatti. 27 July 2024.
  29. ↑ "Ajatuksiani pakotepolitiikasta". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). 2022-05-07. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  30. ↑ "Valheenpaljastaja: Internetiin on kaikessa hiljaisuudessa syntynyt Youtuben kaltainen kotimainen kanava, jossa levitetään salaliittoteorioita – tällainen on Tokentube". yle.fi (in Finnish). 2 November 2021. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  31. ↑ Seura (2021-11-14). "Seura tutki: Millaisten saarnaajien ääntä rokotevastustajat ja salaliitto-uskovaiset kuuntelevat?". Seura.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  32. ↑ HS, Laura Halminen (2019-12-21). "Valemedia MV-lehden puuhamiehet perustivat "Toimittajaliiton", jonka taustalla on Venäjä-yhteyksistään tunnettu Johan Bäckman". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  33. ↑ "Åbo hovrätt upplöser Nordiska motståndsrörelsen i Finland: "Jätteviktig milstolpe"". svenska.yle.fi (in Swedish). 28 September 2018. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  34. ↑ "Junes Lokan kiihotustuomio kansanryhmää vastaan pysyi ennallaan hovioikeudessa". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  35. ↑ "Junes Lokalle sakot kiihottamisesta kansanryhmää vastaan". Kaleva (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-08-05.
  36. ↑ "Siikajoelta ehdokas eduskuntavaaleihin – Vapauden liitto, Suomen Kansa Ensin ja Kristallipuolue jättivät täyden yhteislistan eduskuntavaaliehdokkaista Oulun vaalipiirissä". Siikajokilaakso (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  37. ↑ "19 kansanedustajaehdokasta nimetty". 5 May 2022.
  38. ↑ "Presidentinvaalit". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  39. ↑ "Europarlamenttivaalit 2024". Vapauden liitto r.p. (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  40. ↑ "USU: Teuvo Hakkarainen ehdolle EU-vaaleihin vapauden liiton listalta: "Ei minusta tullut kokoomuksen beaglea"". mtvuutiset.fi (in Finnish). 2024-04-30. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  41. ↑ "USU: Teuvo Hakkarainen vaihtoi puoluetta". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  42. ↑ "PS erotti Hakkaraisen ja Vornasen puolueesta – Hakkarainen: "En tiedä, mitä olen tehnyt"". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2024-05-25.
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