Finns Party vice-chair and Member of Parliament Riikka Purra has announced her intention to run for leadership of the party.
“I feel a strong and deep sense of duty and if so many Finns Party members are willing to trust me, I will put forward my candidacy,” Purra said of her decision to throw her hat into the ring.
The leadership race has been triggered by Jussi Halla-aho‘s announcement last month that he does not intend to seek re-election to the post of Finns Party chair at the party’s annual meeting in Seinäjoki in August.
“It is rare that people step aside voluntarily, but sometimes they do,” Purra said, adding that Halla-aho’s announcement was not a complete surprise as he had said from the outset when he took over the party chair that he did not intend to stay in the role as long as his predecessor Timo Soini.
At a press conference on Thursday morning announcing her intention to run, Purra said she wouldn’t change much about the party’s current policies but would like to focus more on economic issues. She also address the party’s stance on “harmful” immigration.
“We want to limit immigration that is detrimental to Finland, the kind that causes expenses or other significant problems,” Purra said. “We [the Finns Party] will never participate in a government where we would not be able to significantly change Finnish immigration policy.”
Purra will be challenged by at least two more candidates for the party leadership, Pirkanmaa MP Sakari Puisto and lesser-known party member, Ossi Tiihonen.
Ville Tavio, chair of the party’s parliamentary group, also expressed his interest in the role but only on the grounds that Purra did not run.
Purra was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Uusimaa district in 2019.
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