Dissident Perussuomalaiset to be named Blue Reform

The breakaway Members of Parliament from the Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) on Monday announced their new name to be "Sininen tulevaisuus" in Finnish and Swedish, but adopted "Blue Reform" as their official English name.

Blue as a colour is connected with patriotic attitudes in Finland. The country's flag depicts a blue cross on a white background. But it was not clear why the message of the name in English underlines reform while the name in domestic languages underlines the future.

Last week, the populist Perussuomalaiset parliamentary group broke up as at least 20 MPs seceded. They included all the party's ministers in the government led by the centrist prime minister Juha Sipilä.

At this stage, 20 MPs have formed a registered association. It will become a political party following the collection of the required 5,000 signatures in support of being eligible to be registered as a political party.

The group told media on Monday they want to reform Finland and in the process respect the "human dignity of everyone". It also underlined the independence of states as actors on the international scene.

The series of events began earlier this month, when right wing radical Jussi Halla-aho was elected as the chairman of the Perussuomalaiset.

Last week, the two leading parties of the ruling coalition, the Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party) and the he Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP), concluded they could not work together with the Perussuomalaiset as the party led by Halla-aho would change its ideology.

Prime minister Sipilä was on his way to the presidential summer residence to submit a formal resignation when he cancelled the plan at the last minute following the break-up of the previous Perussuomalaiset group.

The secessionists, together with the centrists and conservatives, remain in the ruling coalition, while the original Perussuomalaiset became opposition.

Political analysts in Finland have said the secessionist grouping made it possible for the government to continue. But in a parliamentary debate on Monday, the current opposition parties criticized strongly the way the government continued without resigning.