12 000 people took the streets of Helsinki on 22 August, under the slogan “Joukkovoima” (Peoples power – Fuerza colectiva) against government austerity measures .
The Finnish government consisting of Center Party, the National Coalition party and the Party of the True Finns will decide this fall about extreme cuttings, hitting all citizens leaving the rich untouchable. Cuttings like 300 million on development cooperation, 210 million on education, 78 million on healthcare etc…
Good news is that now this Finnish situation has created for long time unseen protests and joint collaboration in the society. NGOs and red-green parties have taken joint action against racism and now against the austerity politics and structural thinking that hides behind the populist racist actions.
Significant in this demonstration was that it was a joint demonstration of a large scale of different groups: syndicalists, day care workers, the retired, unemployed, students, feminists, peace organizations, development and 3rd World organizations, anarchists and communists etc.
The three theses of the demo were
1. Against austerity politics in Finland, Europe and the rest of the world
2. An adequate livelihood for everyone
3. Human and basic rights for everyone
Now these initiatives are taken to local level and working groups will prepare more anti-austerity actions all over the country especially during the budget negotiations on 8 and 9 September.