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Finland's anti-EU group protest.
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Fi...+of+EU+NATO+USA+and+immigration/1135224181740
Helsingin Sanomat International Edition
Finns increasingly critical of EU, NATO, USA, and immigration
(summary)
January 9, 2007
By Tanja Aitamurto
Irresistible Finnish phenomena include at least HIM, Lordi, the world's most educated children, and a president who looks like Conan O'Brien. The most recent evidence of the appeal of the Finns came when the world-famous travel guide, Lonely Planet, put Finland on its list of 30 rising destinations for 2007.
However, the Finns are not reciprocating. The EU Presidency was held for six months by Europe's most anti-EU nation. The Finns also tend to take a very negative view of the NATO alliance, the United States, and immigration.
It almost sounds as if Finland would never have become westernised.
A public debate is beginning at the Metso library in Tampere on immigration, and cooperation among police forces in different parts of the EU. Perhaps this discussion might provide an answer to the anti-EU attitudes in Finland!
Laura Kolbe, a professor of European history, does not offer the Finns absolution. "The Finns are perhaps a bit arrogantly self-sufficient. We are accustomed to making it on our own, and we do not want to need anyone even now", Kolbe said.
According to a fresh Eurobarometer survey, 39 per cent of Finns feel that the EU is a good thing. In the whole EU, pro-EU sentiment is significantly higher - 53 per cent.
Finns set themselves apart from other small EU members: majorities in both Ireland and Luxembourg take a positive view of the EU.
"The image of Finland involves a David vs. Goliath setup, in which Finland, a small country, fights against a large enemy. Sweden let us down, the Western powers let us down. The best strength that Finland has is in the steadfast skills of the Finnish soldier. Finns have always built their own success story", Kolbe analyses.
Laura Kolbe appears to have found an explanation to both Finnish anti-EU sentiment. Instead of selfishness, could it be rooted in the high priority placed on self-sufficiency?
Best to call Karmela Liebkind, a professor social psychology, to ask about Finnish attitudes toward foreigners. Liebkind also feels that getting by on one's own is so important for Finns.
Prejudices(common sense) also arise from the fact that Finns are not accustomed to interacting with outsiders. The proportion of foreign residents to the native population is among the smallest in Western Europe.
"So when ten Somalis are standing at Helsinki's railway station, we feel threatened", Liebkind points out.
Social Democratic MP Johannes Koskinen says that those who are promoting greater integration in the EU have been talking about a common criminal code for the EU.
"The Union has expanded too quickly, and too far. Finns are wondering what this will lead to. We want to be careful", she says.
"Now Finnish boys are to be sent to fight wars in different places. It is frightening. New things are always frightening".
"Mistrust, fear, and caution are understandable for a small nation", says Jussi Hanhimäki, a researcher into international relations, by telephone from Switzerland. He has lived outside of Finland for about 20 years.
Staying outside alliances, and going it alone have been success stories for Finland, Hanhimäki says. The eastern neighbour is a former great power that might have crushed Finland. The western neighbour once also wanted to control Finland. During the Cold War, Finland stayed away from disputes, and that is when NATO was established.
"It is a political setup which does not fit into the tradition of Finnish neutrality", Hanhimäki explains.
So neutrality is rooted in us?
"Yes, and quite deeply", says Professor Tarja Väyrynen of the Tampere Peace Research Institute of the University of Tampere. Väyrynen sees it, being non-aligned is so deeply rooted in the Finns that if Finland were to ally itself militarily, part of the Finns' self-image would be shattered.
So NATO is incompatible with our views of our neutrality, but why do Finns also shun the United States? After all, NATO is not the same as the USA!
"Nor are Finns enamoured with a country that has a truly great amount of power. The same is applicable if some large company has a monopoly position. People easily oppose that as well", Ojanen says. In her view, Finnish opposition to NATO is partly attributable to the fact that the alliance is led by the United States.
Anti-NATO sentiment is understandable in a way, because by opposing NATO it is possible to oppose becoming allied. But we are already a part of the EU! Isn't it silly to oppose something that we are already part of?
"No. On the contrary, it can show courage", says Risto Alapuro, Professor of Sociology at the University of Helsinki.
He feels that anti-EU sentiment can be a part of a change in the political culture, in which Finns dare differ from the political leadership. Following the lead of political leaders is no longer self-evident, as it was during the time of President Urho Kekkonen.
So it turns out that we are neither arrogant nor cowardly - we're courageous and independent!
"They promised us much more. They said that the EU would be a utopia. Now people are disappointed".
Researcher Hanna Ojanen would understand the two friends. One possible reason for the Finnish attitudes could simply be that realism toward the EU has increased. More and more EU regulations now affect our lives.
But do Finns really have any reason to be disappointed with the EU? The economy is growing, unemployment is decreasing, and more children are being born than before... We no longer have to convince anyone that we are part of the West.
But Finns are not raptured by material well-being. Mika Mannermaa, a researcher on future studies at the Turku School of Economics, notes that Finns still have fresh memories of the recession of the 1990s.
So the Finnish reluctance is neither greedy selfishness or individualistic courage, but rather an understandable concern about the future - a fear that jobs will be exported to India, or given to immigrants.
Skara Brae,
madkins