Several politicians have been wearing the same gold-colored badge on their chests recently. One of them is Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. We asked the experts what it means. Petteri Orpo answered by text message what the sign is about.
Petteri Orpo wore his National Defense Course Association pin at a press conference where it was told about the Ukrainian drones that strayed into Finland at the Government Palace on March 31. Jenni Gästgivar
Prime minister Petteri Orpon (kok) and a few other MPs, for example Antti Lindtman (sd) and Mika Karin (sd) has recently been found to be wearing a national defense course badge on the chest of his suit. The badge is awarded to members of the National Defense Course Association. Those who have completed the national defense course can become members of the association.
It is known that almost all MPs take the national defense course. However, not everyone carries its symbol on their chest.
What do you want to communicate with the sign?
Prime Minister Orpo answered Iltalehti’s question with a text message.
– In Finland, we have always taken care of both our national defense and, more broadly, society’s preparedness and resilience to crises. By using a pin, I want to show my appreciation for the Finnish overall safety model. National defense courses play a key role in overall security thinking across administrative boundaries, across public, private and third sector boundaries. This is Finland’s strength. Pinssi also reminds me of how foreign and security policy development costs challenge us decision makers every day.
Orpo characterizes himself as a reserve captain with a strong national defense spirit. He says that he attended the tank reserve officer course number 193 and in 2020 he participated in the national defense course, which was also number 193.
In the spring of 2024, in his speech at the spring meeting of the National Defense Course Association, Orpo mentioned that the relationships formed during the course are meaningful to him.
– The friendships made on the course go a long way, and so do the lessons, Orpo said Root peopleaccording to the magazine.
The National Defense Course Association’s badge for those who have completed the national national defense course is made of gold-colored metal and depicts an oak wreath and crossed swords of different shapes. Iltalehti archive
“Belongs to the spirit of the times”
Symbol researcher and information writer Liisa Väisänen sees the carrying of the brand as a phenomenon intertwined with the world situation. He says that the oak leaf wreath depicted on the pin has traditionally depicted military honor and national dignity in Europe. The sword and saber familiar from the coat of arms of Finland also make it a nationalistic symbol.
– I would say that it belongs to the spirit of the times in the sense that nationalism is on the rise everywhere, especially in Europe. Then, of course, there is the war in Ukraine and the uncertain situation, says Väisänen.
Uncertain times can make you add a sign to your chest.
– If I had taken the course myself, it might be that I would remember to put a pin on my chest more easily than I did ten years ago, when there was nothing to worry about, reflects the insignia expert and non-fiction writer Jani Tiainen.
Only invited participants can attend the National National Defense Course. They are typically, for example, politicians, business leaders and other key personnel in various sectors.
– Of course, pins and badges work ritually for them. You have been chosen and you have gone through a common experience and then you get such a mark. From that you can understand that if you want to take a critical approach to it, then it becomes proof that you are initiated into some elite network.
Antti Lindtman wore his pin while participating in the seminar on 24.3. Outi Järvinen
Tiainen also sees that the badge is worn because it signals that the wearer has been invited to a course that not everyone has access to.
– It may be that, as a general rule, the visitor is proud of having completed the course. It says that you want to show the will to defend the country, but also that you have been chosen among the few and chosen to take that course.
Silent connection
According to Väisänen, the sign sends a strong non-verbal message that those who have taken the course not only have a high status in society, but also a silent connection to each other.
– I could imagine that they want to convey to the public that you can trust us in crisis situations. I am part of a group that understands security thinking.
Väisänen reminds that in addition to rising nationalism, confrontation is increasing everywhere. The atmosphere can also raise criticism.
– The use of such signs in this time easily leads to a critical interpretation that they are some sort of elite network. Then we can read that they are talking about informal influence and insiders, and that is no longer a nice thing. When they now use a pin, they make the network, which may have been more invisible before, really visible.
MP Mika Kari told Helsingin Sanomat that he has been using the pin ever since Russia invaded Ukraine. Anniina Nikander
According to Väisänen, when a sign is seen a lot in public, the meaning changes from a personal memory to a public message.
– Then the relevant question for Finns is whether this guy really represents himself and possibly his own party as a politician, or does he actually represent some network? When the invisible elite is suddenly terribly visually recognizable, I understand that there is a lot of buzz about it in Finland at the moment, says Väisänen, who lives in Spain.
He told about the national defense course and badges first Helsingin Sanomat.
