Finns Party mastermind defends long-term goal to leave the EU.

#Finland should aim to leave the #European #Union in the long term, but #Russia's invasion of #Ukraine means European unity should be the priority for now, the far-right Finns Party's Jussi Halla-aho said ahead of a party congress on Saturday.

Halla-aho, author of the anti-immigration party's "Fixit" policy that envisioned an #EU exit in 2019, is expected to be nominated during the congress as its candidate for a presidential election due in January 2024.

Opinion polls show the hardline former party leader is unlikely to win the presidency, but his views are influential within the Finns Party, which is part of the right-wing government that took office in June.

"It is justified that we aim to leave the EU in the long term," Halla-aho told Reuters, citing "a democratic deficit" in which the EU limits member states' sovereignty.

"But at the same time, of course, we recognise that in the prevailing world situation, a fragmented Western Europe would be much weaker against the threat of totalitarian countries," he said. The True Finns Party backed the country joining #NATO this year.

🔗 https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/finns-party-mastermind-defends-long-term-goal-exit-eu-2023-08-12/