Petition calling for Purra´s resignation garners 122170 signatures

A petition urging Finance Minister Riikka Purra to submit resignation immediately for her racist, violent and anti-immigrant remarks, garnered 122170 signatures till late Friday night.

A citizen named Aaro Tamminen launched the petition on July 12 following discovery of the remarks made by Purra, also Chairperson of the radical rightist Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party), the second largest component of the four-party alliance government.

"We consider that Purra is not competent to act as a member of the government in any form. We also consider that Purra has not taken responsibility for her actions and the only even remotely correct action is an immediate resignation," said the petition.

Tamminen on Friday handed the petition over the lawmakers of the opposition parties on the steps on the parliament.

Earlier, the opposition parties on July 14 sent an email to the Speaker of the parliament demanding resumption of parliament session suspending the ongoing recess to discuss the positions of the ministers and the ability of the government.

Speaker Jussi Halla-aho on July 15 rejected the opposition parties’ demand to reconvene the parliament session suspending the ongoing summer recess.

Purra came under fire following widespread controversy raised over racial, apparently violent and anti-immigrant comments made in guise of an identity of ´riikka´ in 2008 on a blog hosted by former Chairperson of her party Jussi Halla-aho, also Speaker of the present parliament.

On July 11, Purra admitted that she made the controversial remarks on the Scripta blog 15 years ago in guise of a username "riikka" and apologised for the racial, violent and anti-immigrant comments.

Petteri Orpo-led four-party right-wing alliance government took office on June 20.

Earlier on June 30, another Perussuomalaiset leader and Minister of Economic Affairs Vilhelm Junnila decided to resign following the controversy raised over his links to far-right groups.

Another leader and Interior Minister Mari Rantanen faced strong criticism for her social media post related to far-right ideology and immigration.

Speaker of the parliament and former Perussuomalaiset Chairperson Jussi Halla-aho, who hosted the Scripta blog was convicted of inciting hatred against an ethnic group in 2012.