Minister faces motion of no-confidence over handling refugee quota

Interior Minister Mari Rantanen is facing a no-confidence motion in the parliament over the handing of refugee quota process where the minister reportedly instructed the ministry officials to prefer refugees from Christian-majority countries.

Oppositions Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance) and Vihreä liitto (Finnish Green League) lawmakers Minja Koskela and Fatim Diarra submitted the motion to the parliament during a plenary session on Thursday.

Earlier on the day, Vasemmistoliitto leader Koskela expressed no-confidence against Rantanen, also a lawmaker of the radical rightist Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) when the parliament was discussing the government's annual report of 2023 and Diarra of Vihreä liitto extended support to Koskela.

The discussion was disrupted and processing of the annual report was suspended, which prompted the parliament to decide to vote on the no-confidence motion later.

Earlier, the four-party alliance government led by Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) on Thursday decided that Finland will receive 500 refugees under the refugee quota in 2025.

The decision signified a reversal in the policy as local media reported in the autumn that Interior Minister Mari Rantanen had instructed the ministry officials to prepare the draft reducing quota refugees from Muslim-majority countries, while increasing the quota for Christian-majority nations.

The Non-Discrimination Ombudsman decided to investigate into the matter sensing that the move would likely be discriminatory on religious grounds.

The government will respond to the interpellation in a plenary session within 15 days.

After receiving the reply to the interpellation, the Parliament will hold a debate on the issue and proceed to a no-confidence motion against the minister.