Finland’s biggest opposition party plans to seek a vote of no confidence in Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio (Finns) due to his recent decision to stop Finland joining a gender-equality alliance for the rebuilding of Ukraine.
The leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) parliamentary group, Tytti Tuppurainen, confirmed in a social media post on Friday afternoon that her party plans to submit a motion of no confidence in Tavio.
Earlier on Friday, commercial broadcaster MTV reported Tavio’s decision that Finland will not participate in the equality coalition related to the reconstruction of Ukraine. The alliance’s aims include promoting the rights of gender and sexual minorities.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) said on Friday that he was aware of Tavio's decision, but appeared to accept it while adding that participation "would have been in line with the government's policies".
This is the latest social issue to cause a significant split within the four-party Orpo administration, pitting the more liberal NCP and Swedish People’s Party against the more traditionalist Finns Party and Christian Democrats.
MPs from the four parties have been on opposing sides of other issues such as euthanasia and so-called "conversion therapy" targeting members of sexual and gender minorities. The NCP and SPP are the only coalition partners to formally join the government's own anti-racism campaign.
Tuppurainen served as Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering in the previous left-leaning cabinet led by PM Sanna Marin (SDP). Other politicians from the opposition SDP and Greens also decried Tavio’s decision on Friday.
The SDP is the third largest party in Parliament, but leads the latest Yle political support survey.
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