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This article (in Finnish) shows which Finnish MPs are against joining NATO. That's not implying they are pro- current Russian government. https://www.hs.fi/po

This article (in Finnish) shows which Finnish MPs are against joining NATO. That's not implying they are pro- current Russian government. https://www.hs.fi/politiikka/art-2000008684257.html https://www.hs.fi/politiikka/art-2000008684257.html

thematrixturtle 4y ago
For readers not versed in Finnish politics, the only party with a majority opposed is Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance), the rebranded former Finnish Communist/Socialist party.
- tovej 4y ago
  Also important to note that the members of the Left Alliance that oppose NATO are primarily skeptical of NATO, not supportive of Russia.
  - rzmmm 4y ago
    This is a critical detail. The Left Alliance and the Green League parties are perhaps the two most skeptical parties towards Russia in Finland.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- kukkeliskuu 4y ago
  This is not a neutral characterization. They are not communists in the sense that they would oppose capitalism. A real communist party exists as well. They are left of US democrats, and major driver seems to be identity politics.
  - thematrixturtle 4y ago
    The Left Alliance is the successor of SKDL, which started out as a thin disguise for the banned Finnish Communist Party after the Soviets arm-twisted the Finnish government into allowing it. Obviously their politics have been diluted since the early days, but older folk recall their heritage well.
    - kukkeliskuu 4y ago
      Downvoting for disagreement? Anyway, it is about definition. For you communism appears to be about heritage. For me, it is about observed behavior. Communism means advocating for communistic world order. Left Alliance is consistently voting pro-market, pro-EU, pro-globalization, anti-government etc., all of which are goals of the economic right, i.e. the opposite of communism. Their former chair-woman (Suvi-Anne Siimes) even moved directly to become Director General of Pharma Industry Finland, and was promoting right-wing coalition party member in 2009 EU elections. Sure, there still exists hard core left wing, even communist members within that party (taistolaiset).
- jltsiren 4y ago
  The original Left Alliance was like that, but the current party has very little to do with that heritage. The younger generation started a slow coup in the late 90s and eventually pivoted the party to a completely new direction. In the process, they lost many of their old supporters. The left-wing conservatives who had traditionally voted communists didn't really feel at home in a party of liberal environmentalists.
  - AnimalMuppet 4y ago
    > The left-wing conservatives who had traditionally voted communists... As a person with US-oriented political definitions, I find that phrase almost impossible to parse. I can put "left-wing" and "traditionally voted communist" together, but in what sense are they "conservatives"? I'm not saying that you're wrong. I'm just saying that I don't understand how the terms are used over there.
    - jltsiren 4y ago
      Economically hard left, socially conservative. There are often no good English terms for political positions that never existed as mainstream options in English-speaking countries.

thematrixturtle 4y ago

For readers not versed in Finnish politics, the only party with a majority opposed is Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance), the rebranded former Finnish Communist/Socialist party.

tovej 4y ago
Also important to note that the members of the Left Alliance that oppose NATO are primarily skeptical of NATO, not supportive of Russia.
- rzmmm 4y ago
  This is a critical detail. The Left Alliance and the Green League parties are perhaps the two most skeptical parties towards Russia in Finland.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
kukkeliskuu 4y ago
This is not a neutral characterization. They are not communists in the sense that they would oppose capitalism. A real communist party exists as well. They are left of US democrats, and major driver seems to be identity politics.
- thematrixturtle 4y ago
  The Left Alliance is the successor of SKDL, which started out as a thin disguise for the banned Finnish Communist Party after the Soviets arm-twisted the Finnish government into allowing it. Obviously their politics have been diluted since the early days, but older folk recall their heritage well.
  - kukkeliskuu 4y ago
    Downvoting for disagreement? Anyway, it is about definition. For you communism appears to be about heritage. For me, it is about observed behavior. Communism means advocating for communistic world order. Left Alliance is consistently voting pro-market, pro-EU, pro-globalization, anti-government etc., all of which are goals of the economic right, i.e. the opposite of communism. Their former chair-woman (Suvi-Anne Siimes) even moved directly to become Director General of Pharma Industry Finland, and was promoting right-wing coalition party member in 2009 EU elections. Sure, there still exists hard core left wing, even communist members within that party (taistolaiset).
jltsiren 4y ago
The original Left Alliance was like that, but the current party has very little to do with that heritage. The younger generation started a slow coup in the late 90s and eventually pivoted the party to a completely new direction. In the process, they lost many of their old supporters. The left-wing conservatives who had traditionally voted communists didn't really feel at home in a party of liberal environmentalists.
- AnimalMuppet 4y ago
  > The left-wing conservatives who had traditionally voted communists... As a person with US-oriented political definitions, I find that phrase almost impossible to parse. I can put "left-wing" and "traditionally voted communist" together, but in what sense are they "conservatives"? I'm not saying that you're wrong. I'm just saying that I don't understand how the terms are used over there.
  - jltsiren 4y ago
    Economically hard left, socially conservative. There are often no good English terms for political positions that never existed as mainstream options in English-speaking countries.