"I will not apologize to anyone," Helme said on Monday afternoon. "What I have to say to the Finns is that I value their contribution to the War of Independence, I value their welfare state and so on."

The minister also said that the government bears responsibility, and that he bears responsibility as well.

"But I will not apologize," he continued. "It is very likely that the government will collapse."

Last Tuesday, the Eduskunta approved Sanna Marin, deputy chairperson of the Finnish Social Democratic Party (SDP), prime minister in a 99-70 vote, making the 34-year-old Finland's youngest sitting head of government.

Marin was elected prime minister designate following the resignation of Antti Rinne after losing the trust of his coalition partners over matters connected to the general postal strike after just six months in office. The five parties that make up the coalition government of Finland remain unchanged.

In a radio interview on Sunday, Helme called into question the competence of Marin and the new Finnish government.

Among other things, the EKRE chairman and minister said that a shop girl had become the prime minister of Finland.

Marin has previously said that she worked as a shop assistant in a supermarket when she was younger.

Helme made the comments about the new prime minister and government of Finland during a broadcast on a private radio station affiliated with EKRE.

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