True Finns

Young russian man Dimitri (shown in the Youtube video) don't know how to vote, so reporter suggests him The True Finns. Dimitri feels that he's finally found a political party he can vote for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lGPdxvVbgg

The True Finns' manifesto indicates they have much in common with right-wing populist parties elsewhere in Europe.

They believe that a low birth rate is not solved by immigration, as that results in problems and foreigners do not fit into Finnish culture. Instead, young women should study less and spend more time giving birth to pure Finnish children. That is like a faint echo of Nazi ideology.

If the True Finns do as well as expected the rival parties may opt for the traditional strategy of integration, but this time it is likely to backfire, because the economic climate has changed.

Finland suffered when the Soviet economy collapsed, because the USSR was a major export market for Finnish goods.

But in 1995 Finland joined the EU and Nokia developed into a globally successful mobile phone manufacturer. Finland joined the eurozone wholeheartedly in 2002.

But for many Finns today EU membership is no longer sexy - not when it involves bailing out countries like Greece, the Republic of Ireland and Portugal.

Other companies have caught up with Nokia and even the traditional "green gold" of Finland - timber - has lost its lustre. One paper and pulp mill after another has closed and many workers have been fired.

If the True Finns join the next coalition Finland will turn in some degree towards stronger nationalism and protectionism.