Minister survives no-confidence motion over alleged inapt behaviours to women

Minister of Economic Affairs Wille Rydman, also a lawmaker of the radical rightist Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) on Monday survived a no-confidence motion brought against him in the parliament by three opposition parties.

The Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP), Vihreä liitto (Finnish Green League) and Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance) brought the motion against Rydman following a news report published by a leading Finnish language daily Helsingin Sanomat in 2022 regarding alleged harassment of young women by him.

The minister won the motion by 92 votes to 76 with 28 lawmakers remaining absent and three abstained.

The news report also said that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also probed into the allegations.

Police conducted three preliminary investigations into the allegations and the prosecutor's office dropped cases due to lack of sufficient evidences.

The National Prosecutor Office, in December 2022 said the NBI's probe showed that there is no ground to support the suspect as guilty.

The then Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) lawmaker, Rydman resigned from the parliamentary group of the party following allegations of inappropriate behavious to women in June 2022.

Rydman, joined the Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) in January 2023.

He became the Minister of Economic Affairs replacing his party colleague Vilhelm Junnila in July 2023.