US embassy cable - 04HELSINKI1490

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 001490 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/NB AND DRL/IL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/18/2014 
TAGS: ELAB, ECON, PGOV, SOCI, FI, Government Leaders 
SUBJECT: FINNISH FM TUOMIOJA OPINES ON THE EVILS OF 
CAPITALISM 
 
Classified By: POLOFF DAVID ALLEN SCHLAEFER FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
1.  (C)  Finland's Foreign Minister, Erkki Tuomioja (SDP), 
raised eyebrows by posting an essay to his personal website 
alleging a "systematic campaign" by the Finnish mainstream 
media to promote a "rightwing" social and foreign policy 
agenda.  Tuomioja's essay was directed against Finland's 
leading newspaper, the Helsingin Sanomat (HS), and its Chief 
Editor, Janne Virkkunen.  Virkkunen penned an editorial that 
appeared in the HS on November 14 in which he lamented the 
conformity of Finland's "consensus" system of politics and 
praised a new report by the Center for Finnish Business and 
Policy Studies (EVA) entitled "Roadmap to Finland's Future 
Success."  The "Roadmap" report advocates labor market 
reforms and calls for increasing productivity through longer 
working hours in order to meet the challenges of 
globalization as well as Finland's ticking demographic time 
bomb.  Tuomioja, in unusually strong language, accused 
Virkkunen and his newspaper of "feeding porridge to a 
reluctant nation" and telling workers to "work twice as hard 
for half their wages in order for the elite to enjoy greater 
incomes, preferably without the taxman interfering."  The 
website essay sparked the inevitable controversy in the 
Finnish media.  The essay, which originally appeared on the 
site late on the 15th, disappeared the next day.  However, 
the essay reappeared again, apparently unedited, on the 17th. 
 
 
A Trial Balloon? 
---------------- 
 
2.  (C)  Tuomioja is known for shooting from the hip, 
although the essay was somewhat shrill even by his standards. 
 If anything, the Helsingin Sanomat is more often left of 
center on key issues, and the foreign minister's assertion to 
the contrary is probably seen by most Finns as an 
exaggeration bordering on the absurd.  Moreover, Virkkunen's 
offending editorial was relatively measured in tone, stating 
that it was a "healthy sign" that differing opinions on 
globalization and economic issues were being heard, and that 
the Social Democrats should be more open to discussion of 
dissenting views.  The editorial also mentioned a report 
submitted last week by a globalization task force appointed 
by Prime Minister Vanhanen that offered suggestions similar 
to those in the EVA "Roadmap." 
 
 
3.  (C)  Tuomioja has held forth on his website on all manner 
of social, cultural, and political issues in the past, and 
his musings are no strangers to controversy.  However, the 
current piece could be more artifice and design than random 
reaction.  Tuomioja is considering whether to run for the SDP 
chairmanship next summer.  Although Finland's next general 
election is not until 2007, the Foreign Minister may be 
contemplating his chances to become prime minister (should 
the SDP win) or to run for President (should Tarja Halonen 
decline to run again).  Tuomioja and Halonen are the leaders 
of the SDP's left wing.  A recent poll found that Tuomioja 
was the least popular with SDP party members of the major 
contenders for the SDP chair;  however, the same poll found 
that Tuomioja was the most popular contender with the public 
at large.  The odd essay might be a trial balloon of sorts, 
or an attempt to gain yet more popular support so as to be 
able to present himself to the SDP braintrust next summer as 
"the man who can win back the prime ministership."  Finland 
is currently experiencing a major transportation workers 
strike as a dispute over the hiring of part-time bus drivers 
has spread, and Tuomioja's populist rhetoric could be 
designed to tap into what he perceived to be public anger 
over greedy employers exploiting average Finns.  If so, 
judging from the initial public reaction to the essay (and 
the strike), he may have overreached. 
MACK