The Racism Debate in Finland: Finns Party Member Questions 'Afghan Muslim' as Minister

A new row over racism has erupted in Finnish national politics. Finns Party Member of Parliament Mauri Peltokangas asked on social media how many people want an “Afghan Muslim” as a minister in an SDP-led government. The Social Democrats’ Muslim and Afghanistan-born vice chair Nasima Razmyar has interpreted the question as directed at her. Peltokangas denies this, while Prime Minister Petteri Orpo calls the statement inappropriate.

It was in a Facebook post that Mauri Peltokangas, MP for the governing Finns Party and chair of the Parliament’s Administrative Committee, asked his followers how many would like to see an “Afghan Muslim” as Finland’s interior or foreign minister in the next parliamentary term.

Peltokangas went further to claim that the Social Democrats not only want to fill Finland with “Islamists,” but would also “quota in a Muslim” as minister if the party wins the parliamentary election in 2027. “Would a potential Muslim Social Democrat promote the interests of the native Finnish population?” he also asked.

No name was mentioned in the Facebook post. But SDP vice chair and MP Nasima Razmyar took it personally.

Razmyar: Everyone knows who he means

Razmyar was born in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, and is Muslim. She is also the only MP with Afghan background. She therefore believes there is no doubt whom Peltokangas is referring to.

– It is obvious that he is referring to me, even though he claims he was speaking generally. Everyone who can read understands, she has told Svenska Yle.

She describes the statement as extremely sad and accuses the Finns Party of not hiding the fact that there is open racism within the party. In an interview with Ilta-Sanomat, she goes even further, calling the remarks “extremely repugnant.”

She particularly reacts to Peltokangas mentioning Islamists in the same line of reasoning. Razmyar points out that she is a liberal and has participated in Pride, among other things. She says she has received support from both her own party leadership and politicians in the governing parties, but not any apology from the Finns Party.

Peltokangas denies: Was not referring to anyone

Peltokangas simultaneously firmly denies that the post was about Razmyar. He also rejects criticism that mentioning someone’s nationality and religion would be racist.

– I did not refer to anyone, he told Iltalehti.

When Ilta-Sanomat asked him how that explanation fits with the fact that Razmyar is Parliament’s only member with Afghan background, he stuck to his version. According to Peltokangas, it is others who have made the connection to a particular person.

Peltokangas has stated that he is considering reporting to police politicians who have publicly accused him of racism or of attacking Razmyar. According to him, critics have attributed things to his Facebook post that are not actually stated there. He also says he has received a large number of threats following the controversy.

Accusations of racism meet the issue at hand

Several politicians have labeled Peltokangas’s statements as racist. The criticism is mainly focused on him highlighting a potential minister’s Afghan background and Muslim faith, and at the same time asking if a Muslim Social Democrat would represent the native Finnish people’s interests.

At the same time, the two facts underlying the formulation “Afghan Muslim” are, in themselves, correct as applied to Razmyar—she was born in Kabul and is Muslim. Describing her birth country and religion is not, in itself, an incorrect statement. Peltokangas denies both the interpretation that mentioning this is racist and that the text specifically concerned Razmyar.

Orpo: Completely inappropriate

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (National Coalition) has also commented on the controversy. He is critical of what Peltokangas wrote and considers it inappropriate.

– I think Peltokangas’s post was inappropriate. It is not fitting for a Member of Parliament, Orpo told Yle.

At the same time, the prime minister emphasizes that Peltokangas is a single member of parliament and not a minister.

– Neither I nor any other minister can watch over all individual MPs. Everyone must themselves consider which language they use and everyone needs to speak and act appropriately.

Orpo believes the Finns Party’s parliamentary group primarily needs to handle the matter. If the government parties are still not satisfied afterwards, the issue can be taken further.

Several other National Coalition members have also reacted. Minister for the Environment and Climate Sari Multala goes so far as to call the post “repugnant” and argues that a politician’s competence should not be judged based on ethnic background or religion.

National Coalition vice chair Karoliina Partanen has demanded that the Finns Party leadership intervene. Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen has emphasized legitimate political differences between the government and SDP on migration and border policy, but that criticism should focus on substantive issues and not become inappropriate personal attacks.

SDP demands consequences

SDP chair Antti Lindtman describes the post, despite Peltokangas’s denial, as a direct attack on Razmyar and demands both Orpo and Finns Party leader Riikka Purra to respond.

– Purra and Orpo must make it clear that this kind of behavior does not belong in Finland, Lindtman has said.

He has not specified what sanctions Peltokangas should face, but argues that the absence of consequences would signal silent acceptance. SDP MP Johan Kvarnström has also called for concrete consequences, while Dimitri Qvintus, chair of the Finland Swedish Social Democrats, has labeled the post “racist garbage.”

Criticism also comes from within the government. The Swedish Parliamentary Group’s chair Otto Andersson (SFP) describes Peltokangas’s statements with strong words as “inappropriate, repugnant and racist.” National Coalition parliamentary group chair Jukka Kopra considers the writing “completely inappropriate” for a member of parliament.

Finns Party wants to wait

However, Finns Party parliamentary group chair Jani Mäkelä believes that the debate has become overblown. They want to handle the matter calmly and not rush,

– I would stick to a “hold your horses” approach. Parliament is on session break and the parliamentary group will not address the matter before the next meeting, he told Ilta-Sanomat.

The group is expected to meet at the end of August, ahead of the autumn’s parliamentary session. Mäkelä does not want to directly condemn Peltokangas. He says politicians should express themselves so that the discussion is about the issue itself, not about wording.

But he adds, in contrast to critics, that a politician’s background and motivations can actually be legitimate topics for discussing values and loyalties. As a comparison, Mäkelä has pointed out that the media have also asked how Christian faith affects Christian Democratic politicians’ positions. That did not provoke the same outrage.

Government’s anti-racism mechanism put to the test

This affair simultaneously becomes a test for the so-called four-party government’s sanctions mechanism against racism, created in autumn 2025 after previous conflicts over racist remarks. Despite the name, the mechanism contains no automatic penalties.

The process means that the concerned party’s parliamentary group should first address the matter. If the other governing parties are not satisfied with the result, it can then be brought to the group leaders of the four government parties and, if needed, to the party chairs. The ultimate political consequence is that trust between government parties could break down and trigger a government crisis.

So far, the Peltokangas case remains at the first stage. The National Coalition, SFP and Christian Democrats are waiting for the Finns Party’s parliamentary group to address the matter. No concrete demand for a specific disciplinary sanction has yet been made by coalition partners.

Thus, the battle is likely to continue when parliament returns from summer recess—both concerning Peltokangas’s statements and where the line is drawn between political criticism, discussion of religion and background, and racist rhetoric.