Finland’s prime minister has issued a formal apology to Asian countries after a series of social media posts by lawmakers sparked accusations of racism and drew international backlash.
The controversy centers on images shared by members of the Finns Party, a junior partner in Finland’s governing coalition, depicting individuals pulling back their eyes in a gesture widely regarded as offensive toward East Asian people.
The incident has intensified scrutiny of the government, which has faced previous criticism over racist remarks linked to members of the same party.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo released statements through Finnish embassies in Japan, China, and South Korea, offering an apology and distancing the government from the actions of individual lawmakers.
"These posts do not reflect Finland's values of equality and inclusion," Orpo said.
"Our message in Finland and to all our friends abroad is that the government takes racism seriously and is committed to combatting the issue," he added.
Orpo’s office emphasized that the behavior of the MPs did not represent Finland’s official position.
The apology followed reports that the images had triggered negative reactions in Asian markets.
Finnair, Finland’s national airline, said the widely reported posts had led to a backlash affecting its brand, while public broadcaster Yle reported that a Finnish production company paused collaborative projects in Japan.
The controversy began earlier this month when Miss Finland title holder Sarah Dzafce appeared in a social media post making a similar gesture, accompanied by a caption referencing a Chinese person.
Dzafce later apologized, stating she did not intend to offend, but was stripped of her title by the Miss Finland organization, which said it acted in line with its values.
In response, two Finnish MPs and one European Parliament member from the Finns Party shared similar images online.
Their reactions have varied, with one MP apologizing, another declining to comment further, and others disputing the need for an apology.
The Finns Party is scheduled to address the matter at a parliamentary group meeting, where potential sanctions may be discussed.
The incident has renewed debate over racism within Finnish politics, an issue that has challenged the coalition government since it took office in 2023.