Patriotic People's Movement (Finland)

The Finnish Patriotic People's Movement, "Isänmaallinen kansanliike" (usually abbreviated to IKL), was the successor to the nationalist and anti-communist Lapua Movement. It was founded in 5 June, 1932 by Herman Gummerus and Erkki Räikkönen, and dissolved 23 September, 1944, as a direct consequence of the agreed armistice in the Continuation War. Their ideology similar to its predecessor, except that IKL participated in elections — with limited success.

The IKL uniform was a black shirt with blue tie, inspired by the Italian and German fascists. Ideologically, IKL was ardently nationalist and anti-Communist, its leaders being influenced by nationalist activism and fascism. Many of its leaders were priests or participants of the mainly Ostrobothnian Pietist movement called "Herännäisyys." Its manifested purpose was to be the Christian-moral conscience of the parliament.

The youth organization of IKL was called "Sinimustat," which had its ideological roots in the continental fascist youth organizations. It was led by Elias Simojoki, a fanatical and a charismatic priest with fascist sympathies.

IKL participated in parliamentary elections. In 1933 it was in alliance with the conservative National Coalition Party "(Kokoomus)", and got 14 seats out of 200. Kokoomus collapsed from 42 to 18 seats. After the collapse, Paasikivi was elected chairman of "Kokoomus." He weeded out the most outspoken IKL sympathizers from the party. IKL kept its 14 seats in the elections of 1936 and shrank to 8 seats in 1939. In 1938 Urho Kekkonen, then Minister of the Interior, attempted to ban IKL; but the local court in Helsinki lifted the ban.

The Winter War, and particularly the Moscow Peace, were seen by IKL and its sympathizers as the ultimate proof of the parliamentary government's failed foreign policy. After the Winter War, Finland's foreign policy was drastically changed, by and large to correspond with that of IKL, and IKL was even included in the Cabinet where all parties of the parliament were present at December 1940. After the initial enthusiasm of the Continuation War in 1941 waned during the first winter, IKL wasn't included in Edwin Linkomies' cabinet in spring 1943.

In the aftermath of the Continuation War, IKL was banned, on the insistence of the Soviet Union, four days after the armistice between Finland and the Soviet Union was signed 19 September, 1944.

It is interesting to note that the leading anti-IKL characters on the political right later became presidents of Finland, Paasikivi in 1946–1956 and Kekkonen in 1956–1982.

IKL was re-established under the name "Isänmaallinen Kansallis-Liitto" in 1993, but it is politically insignificant.

See also

* Politics of Finland
* History of Finland

References