Criticism was voiced by Finland’s president Sauli Niinistö, who deemed it inappropriate for a minister simply switch from being an official to a private civilian on trips to other countries. “In some situations, a minister can perhaps be considered to be a private individual in their free time, but expressing opinions is another matter,” Niinistö was quoted as saying (cf. financial paper Talouselämä, June 2nd, 2018). “It isn’t just a private person’s act if a minister takes a stand on a subject that is relevant and debated in the country they are visiting”.
Subsequently, on August 12th, 2018, the evening newscast aired by the national state TV network YLE reported on Soini, being rebuffed by prime minister Juha Sipilä, who was quoted as making clear that his minister’s position on abortion was his own opinion, in no way reflecting that of the government, let alone the majority of Finnish people.
Moreover, Soini had also come under fire when he criticized the outcome of an Irish referendum, in which the majority of voters supported repealing anti-abortion laws, and for congratulating Argentine lawmakers for voting down a pro-abortion motion there.
At the church he attended for Mass in Ottawa, he spotted a flyer for an anti-abortion vigil, to be held the following evening. "I participated in a night vigil that started at 9pm. I was off-duty when the event was held. It's absolutely clear that everyone has the right to an opinion and the freedom of religion," Soini told the daily Helsingin Sanomat (30 May 2018)
In fact, Soini at the time said he attended the rally as a private individual, rather than as foreign minister, noting that he had held the same conviction for the past 30 years, all the while as an active politician. “In Ottawa, one night I attended an evening vigil by the Pro-Life movement. It was an outdoor event, not in church”, Soini wrote about the event in his blog. “The event preceded a major pro-life march in Ottawa the next day”. He also noted that people would likely be more tolerant of his participation if the session had taken place behind closed doors, adding that tolerance seemed to decrease when events went public.
Speaking to Yle Puhe on May 31st, 2018, he said that the criticism he received was about limiting the right to freedom of speech and of voicing an opinion. “I’m more concerned that in Europe and the rest of the world, we try to use freedom of speech and of opinion so that some things can be discussed, while others may not,” he explained.
In his opinion freedom of religion is interpreted to mean that anti-abortion views are permitted in internal discussions within the church behind closed doors, but they should not be debated in public in a democratic society. This development is very dangerous, he was quoted as saying, and obviously his position on the Irish referendum outcome would be the same regardless of the country involved.
Later he also reiterated and defended his opposition against abortion in his blog, saying “how odd it is that someone would have to defend the right to defend life”. He added that human life is sacred from the womb to the grave and that he has always opposed the culture of death, whether it meant abortion or euthanasia. “It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that I hold this position. And I’m not ashamed of it, nor will I ever be,” he rebutted.
Probably all the more “outrageous” for Finland’s pro-abortion political establishment was the fact that, as reported in the daily catering for the Swedish-speaking minority Hufvudstadsbladet (2 June 2018) and Reuters (4 June 2018), in the pro-life event in Ottawa minister Soini was together his state secretary Samuli Virtanen, who tweeted a photograph of himself and Soini participating in the National March for Life candlelight vigils and group prayers for the souls of aborted fetuses.
The barrage of criticisms, not only from opposition politicians but also government officials of the ruling coalition, were based on the usual stuff, from assurances that “Soini's take didn't represent Finland's line” to Soini showing “a lack of discretion by participating in a pro-life rally during an official visit” and the celebration of abortion as an "example of responsible equality and human rights policy making” with no intent on compromising this principle.
As a result, ultimately the Swedish People’s Party, Social Democrats, Left Alliance and the Green League proposed a no-confidence motion against the minister, whereas for his part the above complaints against him led to the Chancellor for Justice investigating the issue. Albeit admitting that it was "problematic" that the Foreign Minister had expressed a view contrary to Finland's official position on abortion, he had to acknowledge that he had broken no laws.
“Still, does anyone imagine that Soini would land in such hot water if he had attended a vigil for action on climate change? Or one in favor of abortion rights?”, asked Commentary Magazine (see https://www.commentarymagazine.com/politics-ideas/politicians-need-free-speech-timo-soini/). “So, the outrage is issue-specific and, to be precise, worldview-specific. In Nordic countries, especially, the political culture is consensus-based to a fault, and the consensus is that the outcome of the 1960s sexual revolution will never be up for debate. Next door in Sweden, midwives are blacklisted from the profession for espousing anti-abortion views. Ditto for Norwegian doctors who refuse to dispense IUDs and abortifacients on conscience grounds”.
In another response to his critics, Timo Soini was quoted by the UK-based Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) as saying that "sometimes you have to have the courage to be a one-man majority" (see https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/finnish-minister-attacked-with-overcomes-no-confidence-vote). And “his courage in speaking out for the unborn in a Parliament even more hostile than our own, is certainly inspiring”, concluded the SPUC.
