Finland’s new finance minister apologizes for racist comments in 2008 blog post

HELSINKI (AP) — The finance minister in Finland’s new four-party governing coalition has apologized for racist comments she made in a blog post 15 years ago. The 2008 writings of Riikka Purra resurfaced on social media platforms after she assumed her Cabinet post in late June. Purra is the leader of the populist Finns Party and also serves as deputy prime minister in the center-right government. Her post on a site frequented by right-wing supporters of anti-immigration policies included racial and anti-immigrant slurs, and threats of violence against migrants. She said on Wednesday, “There is nothing to defend about the comments I wrote 15 years ago as a private person on a forum of like-minded people.”