According to Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP), all members of the government are committed to the anti-racism campaign, which he launched alone on Tuesday.
The premier made the comment on the Yle current-affairs programme Ykkösaamu on Saturday, when asked about mixed messages on the subject from Finns Party chair and deputy prime minister Riikka Purra.
Finance minister Purra said on Tuesday that the party had not committed to the campaign. She said later that the party would however be involved.
Many researchers have seen this as an example of "dog whistle" dual messaging, but when asked about that, Orpo did not answer directly.
His response was: "I don't lead the Finns Party; I can't be watching over everyone."
Finns Party parliamentary group chair Jani Mäkelä, meanwhile, has expressed doubts about the necessity of the campaign.
Orpo said that there is racism in Finland, which takes forms such as "bullying, discrimination, violence and a lack of hiring".
In his view, racism hidden in societal structures is the most difficult form to root out.
"A person's background should not have an effect on whether they get a job or what field young people of foreign background are encouraged to train in, for example," he said.
Diversity training for ministers
One of the recommendations of the government's campaign is diversity and equality training at workplaces. The government will also arrange such sessions for itself.
"Government ministers will be trained in equality issues," Orpo said. He said that the issue will be discussed at the cabinet's next evening session, which also includes the four governing parties’ parliamentary group chairs.
"We have to talk about racism. But at the same time, we have big challenges in society. It would be important that the agreed matters be taken care of and put forward," Orpo said somewhat cryptically on Ykkösaamu.
Budget battle next week
Next week, the government will discuss the Finance Ministry's proposal for next year's budget.
According to the proposal, next year the state will incur a debt of 12.2 billion euros, although working toward a balanced budget has been one of the cabinet’s central pledges.
Why isn’t the rate of indebtedness declining, then?
"We’re still awaiting economic growth; we’re still in recession," Orpo replied, adding that "the situation is difficult".
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