How Finnish Politicians are Undermining Press Freedom

MPs from the ruling coalition, particularly those from the Finns Party and the National Coalition Party, have spent the past two days aggressively targeting Ida Erämaa. Erämaa is a journalist for the Finnish tabloid Iltalehti and has recently written about the links between Finns Party MPs and the far right, as well as their desire to limit press freedom.

These MPs target journalists with the intention of sending a clear message: construct a negative narrative about us, and you will be drowned in hate mail. They target journalists for smearing because intimidation, smear campaigns and death threats work.

As is typical, their campaign against the journalist does not focus on critiquing her work, but rather on attacking her persona, with the clear intention of stifling her voice. This has nothing to do with constructive media criticism.

These campaigns directed against the media primarily aim to silence journalists or diminish the credibility of a media outlet. Those participating rarely address any factual errors in the reporting. Instead, they often prefer to launch personal attacks on the journalist, frequently making insinuations or allegations about their political leanings.

Among the contributors to the offensive against the Iltalehti journalist were National Coalition Party MP Tere Sammallahti and Finns Party MPs Wille Rydman and Sebastian Tynkkynen.

‘Ida Erämaa, a journalist who continuously writes extremely anti-Finns Party articles for Iltalehti, is active on TikTok. According to her, several of our ministers have a “Nazi background.” In this alternative reality, our journalists live. It’s no wonder that their stories are the way they are,’ writes MP Wille Rydman.

‘I was surprised when a manic and totally biased narrative about the Finns Party and the right-wing government started to emerge from Iltalehti. Behind the political journalism was the same new name: Ida Erämaa. I went through her TikTok and it turned out that she is an extreme intersectional green-leftist, who also works as a lifestyle and makeup influencer. It is now her pen that is producing political articles for Iltalehti for the public to digest. I will not give interviews to this activist. Welcome to politics on the same line to try to get elected. Journalism, on the other hand, is communicating information and is credible only as long as it is not used as a shield to push your own agenda. Oh, and one more thing: the writing of this lady should not be criticised or journalism is under threat. Right,’ writes MP Sebastian Tynkkynen.

Sammallahti’s tweet, instead of pinpointing factual errors or even identifying specific news articles, broadly alludes to the ‘rumours’ and ‘lies’ disseminated by various media outlets. This serves as a prime example of how attacks against the media cultivate a climate of distrust towards the press.

‘IS is spreading lies about ministers’ voting decisions, Yle is putting words into the interior minister’s mouth, an IL reporter is spreading rumours about ministers’ Nazi backgrounds, and a member of parliament is kicked out of festivals for political reasons. It’s crazy and it’s getting crazier. Right-wing government, stay strong,’ writes MP Tere Sammallahti.

A common strategy employed to undermine media credibility involves refuting claims that were never actually presented in the reporting. This proves effective because only a few individuals take the time to locate and scrutinize the original piece.

Erämaa is not the sole target of these tactics. Earlier in the last week, Euronews editor David Mac Dougall was subjected to similar tactics after he reported on Economy Minister Junnila’s links with neo-Nazi ideology.

‘The journalist is a familiar figure. One who hasn’t really become known for seeking an objective approach to politics,’ writes Eemil Nuuttila.

Eemil Nuuttila, an economic policy specialist from the National Coalition Party, and Juho Romakkaniemi, the CEO of the Central Chamber of Commerce, attempted to undermine Mac Dougall’s credibility by insinuating bias in his political leanings. Romakkaniemi went a step further, accusing Mac Dougall of sustained political agitation.

‘Yes. It’s worth checking out David Mac Dougall’s tweets from the last five years. There’s no mistaking the guy’s political orientation and agitation. Tuomo, you are no match for him!’ writes Juho Romakkaniemi.

Neither seemed perturbed by the fact that other major media outlets and news agencies, including Reuters, Le Monde, and Süddeutsche Zeitung, had reported the same facts concerning Minister Junnila’s affiliations.

Minister Junnila resigned last Friday over Nazi references and extremist remarks, after serving for a mere ten days as a government minister. In response, Romakkaniemi halted his campaign against Mac Dougall and instead tweeted in support of Junnila’s resignation. This was a flagrant demonstration that his focus was never on identifying factual inaccuracies in Mac Dougall’s reporting.

Those campaigning against the media aim to silence journalists and erode public trust in the press. This critical moment tests the media’s resilience in countering threats to its freedom and the security of its workforce.

Publishers must act to protect their journalists, and the media must expose the detrimental tactics used against the press. Press organisations, including the Coalition for Women in Journalism and the Union of Journalists in Finland, have already condemned the attack on Ida Erämaa.

MPs Wille Rydman, Sebastian Tynkkynen and Tere Sammallahti. (Photos: Pirjo Tuominen / Compic / Eduskunta)