Finnish government minister says foreign media ‘spreading false claims’ raises credibility concerns

The newly-appointed Minister of Economic Affairs in Finland, Wille Rydman, has stirred controversy by accusing foreign media outlets of disseminating "false claims" about the country's government. Critics have labeled his remarks as a conspiracy theory, highlighting concerns about his credibility.

In an interview with public broadcaster Yle on July 17, Minister Rydman asserted that certain individuals were intentionally spreading misleading information to foreign media outlets, aiming to discredit the Finnish government. He cautioned the Finnish media to exercise caution when reporting news about the country, questioning the role of international media in their coverage.

In a separate television interview, Rydman specifically mentioned the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, alleging that false claims were being provided by "various researchers and social media activists, including journalists."

However, Minister Rydman's credibility has been called into question due to his own controversial past. He assumed his role after the previous minister resigned following revelations by Euronews and other media outlets that he had attended a 2019 event organized by neo-Nazis. The former minister had also controversially advocated for mass abortions for African women as a response to the climate crisis.

Recently, media outlets exposed the leader of the Finns Party, Deputy Prime Minister Riikka Purra, as the author of racist and violent blog posts. She subsequently issued an apology for her past actions. In response, the leaders of the four parties comprising Finland's right-wing coalition government released a statement denouncing racism.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's office swiftly distanced itself from Minister Rydman's televised remarks, emphasizing that they represented his personal views and not those of the government.

Rydman and his press team were given an opportunity to comment on these allegations but did not respond to requests.

The reaction within Finland has been largely critical of Rydman's claims. Professor Martin Scheinin, an expert in international law and human rights, characterized Rydman's statements as a conspiracy theory and urged him to take responsibility for his words. Atte Harjanne, a Green Party MP, accused government ministers of promoting conspiracy theories and emphasized that the international media had rightly taken notice of Finland's turbulent political landscape.

Johanna Vuorelma, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, drew attention to the tumultuous four years of the Trump administration in the United States. She highlighted the attacks on free media, hostility towards experts, normalization of conspiracy thinking, downplaying of racist speech, and the hindrance of climate action during that period. Vuorelma cautioned Finland to learn from this era and avoid similar pitfalls.