Riikka Purra defends Finns Party MPs joining nationalist torch march

Riikka Purra, Finland’s finance minister and leader of the Finns Party, has defended two of her party’s MPs for choosing to participate in the controversial 612 torch march on Independence Day rather than attending the Presidential Palace gala.

MPs Teemu Keskisarja and Sheikki Laakso announced last week that they would forgo the traditional Independence Day reception to attend the 612 event in Helsinki.