An email published on Twitter has caused a stir since it implied that Finns Party Minister Wille Rydman. I got in touch with Alex Rühle to confirm if what he wrote is true.
Alex Rühe is the Nordic correspondent of Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Below is the original email published Wednesday:
“Dear all,
The sentences quoted on Twitter come from a private, confidential email which I wrote to a source in Finnland. This email was not intended for publication. However, the source forwarded this email without my knowledge to the person, who calls herself on Twitter @PistolSolja and whom I don’t know.
She in turn published the sentences – again without my knowledge or consent.
I chose my words in this private mail because I was irritated by Wille Rydman’s repeated accusation of frivolous and false reporting.
In my mail I incorrectly gave the impression that Mr. Rydman had written me an email personally. In fact it had been written by his assistant in response to questions I had sent Rydman in preparation of my last text about the political situation in Finnland for the Süddeutsche Zeitung. I have never claimed that Rydman threatened me nor do I feel threatened or scared by Wille Rydman or his assistant.
Sincerely,
Alex Rühle
For further reading: The daily has covered (in German) numerous scandals of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government:
- A right [wing government] in shambles (31.7.2023)
- Finance minister’s inflammatory texts surfaced again (17.7.2023)
- Racism debate: Finnish government in trouble (14.7.2023)
- Government gets into trouble (14.7.2023)
- And she [Riikka Purra] has no regrets (13.7.2023)
- If they gave me [Riikka Purra] a gun (11.7.2023)
- The next right-wing populist (Wille Rydman) (11.7.2023)
- The cabinet of horrors (4.7.2023)
- Very embarrassing to say the least (30.6.2023)
- Arsonists in the government (26.6.2023)
- Finnish parliament speaker used to be a far-right blogger (21.6.2023)
- New Finnish Government in Office – Farewell to Sanna Marin (20.6.2023)
Even if part of the email was refuted by Rühle above, it does not take away the danger that the media is facing at the hands of the Finns Party. We saw this right after Helsingin Sanomat published Rydman’s racist emails.
It is odd that when we debate these things in society, we forget the main fact: a minister writing racist stuff and if this is becoming of a person in such a high position.
