Image: Jussi Nukari / Lehtikuva

Finns Party leaders have given Teuvo Hakkarainen a serious reprimand after he admitted inappropriate behaviour towards a fellow MP while drunk. He had forcefully kissed Veera Ruoho, a National Coalition Party legislator, against her will at parliament during a break from his party's Christmas party.

Hakkarainen has also resigned as the party's second vice-chair.

The party's parliamentary group said in a statement that it does not accept any kind of sexual or other harassment, and that intoxication is no excuse.

The group's statement says that Hakkarainen himself told the party himself about what he'd done, and that a warning would not have been sufficient punishment for his actions.

He was therefore reprimanded, with the party warning that if he repeats his misdemeanour he will face a permanent or temporary expulsion from the party's parliamentary group.

The group also said it was recommending that Hakkarainen stay sober in future. Parliament's head of security said that it had suggested the victim in the case report the matter to police, and said that the authorities might take action independently of any complaint.

MP Veera Ruoho told Yle on Tuesday afternoon that she intends to file a criminal complaint against Teuvo Hakkarainen.