Finnish finance minister Riikka Purra has apologized after she made racist comments in 2008 that were recently discovered online.
The leader of the far-right Finns Party said her old comments were "stupid" and that she was sorry for the harm they had caused.
"I apologise for the stupid comments I made 15 years ago on social media and the harm and upset they understandably caused, I am not a perfect person, I have made mistakes," Purra said in a series of tweets on Tuesday.
"Taken out of context and judged in the present, some of the texts seem even worse. I do not accept violence, racism or discrimination of any kind," she added.
One post captured in the digital archive website "Wayback Machine" under the username "Riikka" used racist language and made anti-immigrant slurs to describe multiculturalism in Spain.
Purra's Finns Party won second place in April's elections, finishing behind Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's National Coalition Party, before forming a coalition.
In reaction to the discovery of Purra's posts, Orpo said his government works for equality and non-discrimination and that there is "zero tolerance" for racism in government work.
"The Government and each of its ministers denounce racism and all forms of extremism and in their work commit to actively combating racism both in Finland and internationally," Orpo said in a statement co-signed by leaders of the four ruling parties National Coalition Party, Finns Party, Swedish People's Party and Christian Democrats about human rights in the Nordic nation.
Purra went on to say the work of her party is not based on "extremism, racism or discrimination," but on the interests of Finland and Finns.
"Our immigration policy is legitimate and legal and there is nothing wrong or suspicious about it," Purra added on Twitter.
Purra concluded her statement on Twitter by saying that she hopes the government will now "finally be able to concentrate on the real issues," adding that "this country really needs it."
