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Immigrant Candidates Fare Poorly

Not a single new candidate from a first-generation immigrant background made it to the parliament in this election. However, Jani Toivola of the Green League has become the first person of non-European descent to attain a seat in parliament.

Jani Toivola Aamu-tv:n vieraana.
Image: YLE

The actor and TV presenter was born in Finland to a Finnish mother and Kenyan father. He also becomes one of the few openly gay MPs.

Meanwhile, Elisabeth Nauclér, who was born in Sweden to Swedish-Norwegian parents, has been re-elected as the non-aligned MP from the autonomous Swedish-speaking maritime province of Åland.

Of the new first-generation candidates, only one, Afghan-born Nasima Razmyar from the Social Democratic Party, has gained a deputy position in the Helsinki electoral district. This means she will rise to a parliamentary seat should anyone of her elected party colleagues step down during the legislative term.

The other foreign-background candidates to nearly reach deputy spots also hailed from Helsinki.

Kosovo-born Fatbardhe Hetemaj from the National Coalition Party and Somali-born Zahra Abdulla from the Green League came close, but fell short of the mark in the end.

Sources: YLE