Off the wire
• 3rd Ld-Writehru: U.S. State Department reverses visa cancellations as judge suspends travel ban  • 2nd Ld: U.S. State Department reverses visa cancellations as judge suspends travel ban  • Somali police defuse bomb targeting allied forces  • 1st Ld: U.S. State Department reverses visa cancellations as judge suspends travel ban  • High winds cause Celta- Madrid game to be cancelled  • Urgent: U.S. State Department reverses visa cancellations as judge suspends travel ban  • UAE soldier killed in military training  • 1st LD Writethru: Philippines' Duterte scraps peace talks with communist rebels  • Iran's IRGC tests new missiles in air defense drills: report  • China punishes 7 automakers for green subsidy breaches  
You are here: 　 Home

Social democrats could stop tide of populism: Finnish SDP chairman

Xinhua, February 5, 2017 Adjust font size:

Finnish Social Democratic Party's chairman Antti Rinne said on Saturday that social democratic values are the best asset in curbing populism in Europe.

He said even though people are paying attention to the harsh language used by U.S. President Donald Trump, it has to be acknowledged the key to his success was a pledge to bring more jobs and a change to the people.

Rinne said the Finnish social democrats have been able to increase their popular support recently, and thus offer an alternative to populism.

Rinne, a former trade unionist, was re-elected as the SDP chairman on Saturday at the party convention in Lahti, southern Finland. Rinne secured majority of votes in the first round against two contenders.

The convention on Saturday witnessed an ideological clash within the party over issues including the possibility of restoring free university studies for non-EU students in Finland.

Some speakers from the party floor criticized the leadership of favouring "Trump type isolationist practices" as it had endorsed the introduction of tuition fees. Endit