Racism, intolerance ‘escalating’ in Finland: Council of Europe

 | 
09/09/2019

Racist and abusive language is “commonplace” online in Finland and is on the rise in political discourse, a report by the Council of Europe warned on Tuesday (Sept 10). Although the Nordic nation frequently tops international comparisons regarding happiness, gender equality and quality of life, the population has the lowest share of foreign-born residents in western Europe, at 6.6 per cent, and anti-immigrant sentiment is widespread. The hardline Finns Party, which campaigns on a platform of staunch opposition to asylum, has been the second-largest party in the past two general elections. “Racist and intolerant hate speech in public discourse is escalating; the main targets are asylum seekers and Muslims,” the council’s Commission against Racism and Intolerance said in the report. Meanwhile, online “expressions of racism and xenophobia containing anti-immigrant rhetoric as well as targeting persons of African descent, LGBT persons and the Jewish community are commonplace, as is abusive language when referring to Roma”, the authors said.

Regions: ,

Share this:

Latest Global News

Added on: 03/28/2024
03/27/2024
Nine men were sentenced to death by a Houthi court in Yemen in a mass trial based on “dubious” charges of sodomy, a human …
Added on: 03/28/2024
03/27/2024
Thailand is set to become the first Southeast Asian nation to recognise equal marriage after politicians passed a same-sex marriage bill. The lower house of …
Added on: 03/28/2024
03/27/2024
In what looks like a deliberate bid to redirect intense public scrutiny away from grave allegations implicating her in a seemingly multibillion-shilling corruption scandal, …

Explore LGBTQ+ Issues

Other News from ,

Added on: 03/27/2024
Azerbaijan’s LGBTQI+ community was rocked by the news of yet another murder of a trans woman whose body was found on March 12 on …
Added on: 03/26/2024
Britain’s National Health Service has responded to public pressure by banning puberty blockers for minors, but there is still a long way to go …
Added on: 03/26/2024
Georgia’s ruling party on Monday introduced a bill curtailing LGBT rights, a move seen by opponents as an attempt to boost its popularity ahead …