Finnish Foreign Minister replaced over a scandal

[Tiriol]

Meanwhile, in Finland...

MEP ALEXANDER STUBB TO REPLACE ILKKA KANERVA AS FOREIGN MINISTER
Party leader Katainen moved to tears over decision - Kanerva takes sick leave.

The National Coalition Party has decided to name Alexander Stubb, a Member of the European Parliament, as Finland's new Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The party's chairman, Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen, said on Tuesday morning that Ilkka Kanerva cannot stay on as Foreign Minister after the gossip magazine Hymy published text messages that he had sent to dancer Johanna Tukiainen.
Katainen said that he came to his decision "with a heavy heart"; breaking the news to journalists in Parliament caused his eyes to well up.
"This has been difficult for Ilkka. It is also the most difficult decision of my career as chairman. Ike is my friend, and he has done a wonderful job as Foreign Minister", Katainen says.

Katainen asked Stubb to take the Foreign Minister's post on Monday evening. "When your country calls, the answer is unequivocally yes", Stubb said.

The messages published on Tuesday in this week's edition of Hymy are flirtatious and suggestive. Kanerva ponders the possibility of having dinner together in one of them, but there were no overt references to sex.
There are hints of touching, Tukiainen's appearance, and her clothing in about a dozen of the messages. The magazine quotes 24 SMS messages, devoting three spreads to its scoop.
Helsingin Sanomat got access to the messages on Monday, the day before they were published.

The messages were sent by Kanerva between late January and early March. During that time he travelled, both in his ministerial capacity, and as representative of the country holding the chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, in a number of countries, including Norway, Serbia, Kosovo, the United States, Brussels, The Netherlands, and the South Caucasus.
The most overtly suggestive message may have been one that concluded: "How would it be to touch you with my fingers in a night club".
One message concludes with the question "Have you kept your garden in shape?"
At one point, Kanerva appears to have understood the sensitivity of his position, and expressed concern at the possibility that the messages might come out in public: "...how can you make sure that there won't be any stories in the press? It's impossible" Kanerva texted in January.

Jyrki Katainen says in the online publication Verkkouutiset that he had a thorough discussion with Kanerva on Monday evening.
"In connection with this discussion, I got a clear overall picture of the situation. There is no individual factor behind my decision - it is a whole, which includes a lack of discretion in his private life, statements that have caused consternation, and a weakening of the capacity for action after the collapse of overall credibility."

Katainen conceded that many had expressed reservations about Kanerva as the party's ministers were being named.
"I had a discussion with him in connection with the appointment, and went through the misgivings, and said that during his time as minister I do not want to end up in a situation like before. He promised me that. He was not able to keep this promise", Katainen said.

Outgoing Foreign Minister Kanerva does not plan to appear in public on Tuesday over the text message furore. Kanerva's press aide Juha Kirstilä said that he would not be giving any interviews.
The Foreign Ministry said that Kanerva has taken sick leave. This means that he will also not take part in the NATO summit which begins in Romania on Wednesday.
On Monday Kanerva insisted that he was fully fit, both physically and mentally. During a meeting with the Swedish and Norwegian foreign ministers he said that he got strength from encouraging messages from the public. He said that on Monday he had received about 100 e-mail messages expressing support.

The announcement of Stubb's appointment to the Foreign Minister's post came on his 40th birthday.
Katainen said that at its meeting Tuesday morning, the Parliamentary group of the National Coalition Party described Stubb as surprising and courageous, adding that "he puts a smile on one's face".
Stubb is widely regarded as a competent figure, and is known to be a firm advocate of Finnish NATO membership.

In the past he has served as an aide to Romano Prodi, the previous head of the European Commission, as well as in the Finnish government's EU Secretariat and Finland's permanent representation to the European Union.
Stubb has been a Member of the European Parliament since June 2004. He is married to a British-born lawyer, and the family have two young children.
His seat in the European Parliament will be taken by Finland's former Minister of the Environment Sirpa Pietikäinen.
The new Minister for Foreign Affairs will be formally sworn in on Friday.

[K. A. Pital]

What the hell?

Why is that of any importance if he has sex or flirts with her?

[Edi]

What the hell?

Why is that of any importance if he has sex or flirts with her?

Not the first time this sort of thing has happened. More like fifth or sixth time, though the other times were years ago, back in the 1990s. Kanerva has always been a womanizer and he's been a national laughingstock for years. The Finnish political scene is very much still a Good Old Boys' Club where all kinds of shit has been allowed to fly and there have been few repercussions for indiscretions. That's slowly changing and getting Kanerva fired is a part of that.

Furthermore, it is not just whether he sent text messages to Ms Tukiainen or not. He did, and he did it with his work phone (i.e. on taxpayer dime) and at least a part of those messages were sent when he was at work or on trips to various summits or meetings. He then tried to cover it up and deny everything when it was fairly clear from the start that he was outright lying. It became a question of his personal credibility and his fitness to represent Finland in such a prestigious public office. Say what you will, but the job of a foreign minister is in addition to its substance also a PR job and with this kind of shit hanging over him, not a good thing. It's not just about the text messages and him having a crush on a girl young enough to be his daughter, but about his misuse of tools provided by the government to do his job. I could not care less about whether he has a crush on some dancer/model or if he cheats on his wife, but the other behavior and issues involved in this and the pointless coverup attempt are another matter.

The article does a fairly good job of summarizing the story, but the particulars are more complicated. Some of the translations are also not accurate in terms of meaning. What looks rather innocuous when translated to English is a pretty damned sight less so and far more suggestive in Finnish even without outright references to sex and genitalia. The quote from Mr. Katainen about it being a matter of the whole package deal is quite accurate.

Kanerva is one of a class of people we call "poliittinen broileri", meaning they aren't qualified to do shit in a normal work environment and keep getting all kinds of appointments just because they are part of the establishment. It's about time this one had its head chopped off. And he just happens to be a member of the party I voted for too. He should have had the sense to resign when this shitstorm started brewing because everyone in this country knew what was going to happen when this crap was dug up into daylight, but he alwats was a moron. Good fucking riddance.

[K. A. Pital]

He did, and he did it with his work phone (i.e. on taxpayer dime) and at least a part of those messages were sent when he was at work or on trips to various summits or meetings.

Ah, I see. He abused his status, in worktime, used said worktime and working tools for personal purpose. That's indeed something to look into.

If he's just an unqualified jock and this is a good time to get his ass fired, so be it. I thought there was more than just text messages, because firing someone for just flirting would be overboard.

[Tiriol]

He did, and he did it with his work phone (i.e. on taxpayer dime) and at least a part of those messages were sent when he was at work or on trips to various summits or meetings.

Ah, I see. He abused his status, in worktime, used said worktime and working tools for personal purpose. That's indeed something to look into.

If he's just an unqualified jock and this is a good time to get his ass fired, so be it. I thought there was more than just text messages, because firing someone for just flirting would be overboard.

As Edi said, this wasn't the first time and he had promised the party leader, Jyrki Katainen, over a year ago that his [Kanerva's] known womanizing habits wouldn't become a public problem either for the cabinet or for the party. Furthermore to be a Minister one has to be of honest and reliable character according to the law of the land and it could be argued that Kanerva has proven himself to be of neither quality.

Stubb seems to be rather good replacement, in other news: he is well-adjusted to deal with international matters, can speak fluently and coherently in several different languages (while many other cabinet members' language skills are rather lacking) and he at least has some political youthness in him. He hasn't been subjected to any scandals I'm aware of and is of rather fresh air when compared to several other politicians.

[Edi]

If he's just an unqualified jock and this is a good time to get his ass fired, so be it. I thought there was more than just text messages, because firing someone for just flirting would be overboard.

You have NO idea of the irony overload of this statement, Stas.

Kanerva is literally a jock. He can actually be a smart person when he doesn't let his bad habits trip him up and he's actually been involved in the sports world for decades, running sports associations and being in various leadership roles as well as being a member of the Finnish Olympic Committee and IIRC he also had a position on the International Olympic Committee at one point. The sports world is one place where he is qualified to do things and if not for his penchant for dragging himself through the mudpit, there would be no problem with the foreign minister position either, but this last incident was the straw that broke the camel's back wrt the cabinet.

As far as Kanerva's replacement, Alexander Stubb, he's going to be a real breath of fresh air. The guy is more competent by himself than half the rest of the cabinet put together. Speaks at least four languages fluently, probably five and knows the EU inside and out. He's young (for a heavyweight politician, just turned 40), cosmopolitan, smart, charismatic and competent and so far as I know, no big skeletons in the closet. He's a great choice.

[K. A. Pital]

Kanerva is literally a jock.

Haha. Irony indeed. Let him go back to sports then, I bet sports people get along just fine with ladies.