Pori politician Antti Pekola requests resignation from church council amid anti-LGBTQ backlash

A local politician from Pori, Antti Pekola, who has sparked outrage with his anti-LGBTQ comments, has requested to resign from the church council. The matter will be addressed at the council’s meeting on Wednesday. In September, Pekola urged adherence to a biblical command regarding the death penalty for homosexuals in a local newspaper’s text message forum.

Following the backlash, the 81-year-old Pekola stepped down from his party, the National Coalition Party, and from various official positions tied to the party. He previously held roles as an alternate member of the facilities committee in the Satakunta welfare area and as vice-chair of the veterans’ affairs advisory committee in Pori.

Despite initially intending to fulfill his church-related duties until the end of his term, Pekola submitted his resignation request to the Pori church council on October 21. His comments about homosexuals faced widespread condemnation. Pekola stated that he was speaking in metaphors and did not directly advocate for capital punishment for homosexuality.