A former member of the Finnish Parliament, Jukka Mäkynen, and his subsequent parliamentary assistant, Mikko Talso, are on trial at the District Court of Ostrobothnia. The prosecutor alleges they committed defamation by making disparaging public statements about Mäkynen's former aide. The case centers on social media posts that labeled the victim as lazy, a liar, and a bully, and falsely claimed he slept until midday and had poor work ethic. Both defendants deny the charges. The prosecutor is seeking a minimum sentence of 50 day-fines for each, while the plaintiff is demanding 5,000 euros in damages for harm to his professional reputation and job prospects.
Jukka Mäkynen served one term as a Member of Parliament for the Finns Party from 2019 to 2023 and currently sits on the Vaasa city council. The case highlights the professional and legal risks for political figures who engage in public personal disputes. The plaintiff's statement to the court argues the false claims spread widely on platforms like Facebook, X, and local media channels, severely impacting his career. He noted that employers routinely check social media during hiring, making such public allegations particularly damaging.
This trial is not an isolated incident for the individuals involved. Mikko Talso, who later worked as an aide to Social Affairs and Health Minister Kaisa Juuso, also from the Finns Party, resigned earlier this year after another controversial social media post gained national attention. In that instance, Talso wrote on Facebook that no one dies of hunger in Finland due to social security and called those waiting for benefits 'losers' who were too lazy to get up from their chairs. He later apologized for those remarks.
The legal proceedings follow a prior investigation into suspected defamation by Mäkynen against the same plaintiff, which the prosecutor limited in 2022. The plaintiff contends the disparaging commentary continued and worsened afterward. The case underscores a tension between free speech and professional responsibility in the digital age, especially for public servants and their staff. Finnish defamation law can carry penalties of fines or imprisonment for up to two years, depending on the severity and medium of the offense.
For international observers, this case offers a window into the standards of conduct expected within Finland's political culture, known for consensus and collegiality. The Eduskunta, Finland's parliament, has formal guidelines for the conduct of MPs and their staff, though enforcement often relies on political and social pressure rather than legal action. This public trial suggests a plaintiff felt those mechanisms failed, forcing a judicial resolution. The outcome could set a precedent for how Finnish courts handle online harassment and reputation damage within political circles, potentially influencing future behavior and the tone of public political discourse.