Last month the leader of the Finns Party in Lieksa, Esko Saastamoinen, had said that the room his councilors used for meetings was no longer good enough because a working group on Somali issues had been given permission to meet there.
His request brought condemnation from across the political spectrum, sparked a police investigation and cost Saastamoinen his position as leader of the Lieksa Finns party. He was replaced by deputy chair Esa Räty.
On Monday Lieksa’s council considered the request, which was made in writing several days after Saastamoinen’s comments first raised a furore. It was rejected by a majority of the assembled representatives.
Only two councillors voted in favour of the measure. Both were from the Finns party and one is under investigation for incitement of ethnic hatred.