• Finland's PM Petteri Orpo apologizes for MPs' racist gestures towards East Asian individuals.
• The scandal involves images of parliament members making derogatory squinting gestures.
• The incident has led to negative repercussions for Finnish brands in Asian markets.
• The MPs involved are from the governing populist Finns Party, prompting discussions of sanctions.
• This scandal follows previous controversies associated with the Finns Party's comments on immigrants.

Finland’s Prime Minister, Petteri Orpo, issued a formal apology on Wednesday after widespread criticism emerged over derogatory images shared by members of parliament from the populist Finns Party. These parliamentarians posted pictures making derogatory squinting gestures, widely perceived as racist against East Asians. This behavior has drawn significant backlash, especially following a similar incident involving Miss Finland, Sarah Dzafce, who was stripped of her title for posting a comparable image last month. "I sincerely apologize for the offensive social media posts made by individual MPs," Orpo stated, emphasizing that “these posts do not reflect Finland’s commitment to equality and inclusion,” according to South China Morning Post.

Prime Minister Orpo's apology was directed specifically to the citizens of Japan, China, and South Korea, as reports surfaced indicating that this controversy could jeopardize Finland’s international relations and collaborative efforts, particularly in business. Both public broadcaster Yle and Finnair noted that the backlash could potentially harm ongoing projects and the airline's brand image in Asian markets. Orpo reiterated, “Our message... is that the government takes racism seriously and is committed to combating the issue,” according to Reuters.

The two parliament members involved, Juho Eerola and Kaisa Garedew, presented differing reactions to the incident. Eerola issued an apology while Garedew refused to express regret, claiming she saw no need to apologize. Coincidentally, this scandal comes on the heels of previous controversies surrounding the Finns Party, which has faced criticism for incendiary rhetoric regarding immigration. The parliamentary group is scheduled to meet shortly to ponder potential sanctions against the MPs, escalating scrutiny on the party's conduct amidst growing concerns about its alignment with Finnish values of equality, according to India Times.