Finland PM apologises to Asian nations after MPs post racist gestures backing stripped Miss Finland

HELSINKI: Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo issued a formal apology on 17 December 2025 to citizens of Japan, China and South Korea following outrage over racist images shared online by Finnish lawmakers.

The apology came after several parliamentarians posted photographs of themselves pulling back the corners of their eyes, a gesture widely recognised as derogatory towards East Asian people.

The MPs involved are members of the populist Finns Party, which forms part of Finland’s four-party right-wing coalition government led by Orpo’s National Coalition Party.

Embassy statements stress Finland’s commitment to equality and inclusion

According to statements released on the social media accounts of Finnish embassies in Japan, China and South Korea, Orpo expressed regret for the actions of the individual MPs.

“I offer my sincere apologies for the recent offensive social media posts done by individual MPs,” Orpo was quoted as saying.

“These posts do not reflect Finland’s values of equality and inclusion,” the statement said, adding that “racism and discrimination have no place in Finnish society”.

The Prime Minister further stressed that the government takes racism seriously and remains committed to combating discrimination at home and abroad.

Miss Finland title revoked over image deemed offensive to Asians

The controversy emerged after the revocation of the 2025 Miss Finland title from Sarah Dzafce, who had appeared in a social media image pulling back her eyes in a gesture seen as mocking Asians.

The image, posted in November, appeared on a friend’s account and was captioned “eating with a Chinese person”, according to widely reported accounts.

 Dzafce, who is not of Asian origin, later issued a public apology on Instagram, stating the image had “caused ill will in many people”.

“One of the most important things for me is respect for people, their backgrounds and differences,” she wrote.

The apology, written in Finnish, nevertheless drew criticism from some commentators, who described it as insufficient or insincere.

 

The Miss Finland organisation announced on 11 December 2025 that her crown had been revoked, citing its core values of respect, equality, responsibility, and human dignity.

In a detailed statement, the organisation said the title of Miss Finland represents Finland internationally and carries a high level of responsibility.

It emphasised that the decision was not about Dzafce’s personal worth, but about accountability in a role of national and international representation.

The organisation apologised for the harm caused, particularly to the Asian community, and reiterated that racism is never acceptable in any form.

 

 

Finns Party lawmakers defend former beauty queen, widening backlash

Following the revocation, lawmakers from the Finns Party posted similar images of themselves online in what they said was support for Dzafce.

Those involved included MPs Kaisa Garedew and Juho Eerola, as well as European Parliament member Sebastian Tynkkynen.

The move intensified public outrage and prompted criticism both domestically and internationally.

Public broadcaster Yle reported that a Finnish television production company had paused collaborative projects in Japan due to the controversy.

Finland’s national carrier Finnair said the widely circulated images had negatively affected its brand, particularly in Asian markets where it conducts significant long-haul business.

The three politicians responded differently as criticism mounted.

Eerola told Reuters he had apologised for his post and declined to comment further.

Tynkkynen said the gesture was not intended to hurt anyone’s feelings, according to media reports.

Garedew, however, told local media she did not believe she needed to apologise for her actions.

Latest scandal adds strain to Orpo’s fragile coalition government

The episode has added to mounting pressure on Orpo’s government, which has faced repeated controversies linked to statements and conduct by members of the Finns Party since taking office in 2023.

Already shortly after the government was formed, it survived a no-confidence vote triggered by racist online posts and remarks made by several Finns Party ministers.

In August, another Finns Party MP drew criticism after claiming immigrants were turning Finland into “a pigsty”.

Orpo has repeatedly sought to distance the government from such comments, while maintaining the stability of the coalition.