Olli Rehn — the governor of the Bank of Finland, a former European commissioner and a contender to be his country’s next president — has apologized after joking about being albino.
Rehn apologized on social media for equating having gray hair “with a hereditary disease” and added that he had also apologized to the Finnish Albinism Association.
Rehn made the remark during a panel discussion on Wednesday, Finnish tabloid newspaper Iltalehti reported.
During the talk, moderator Tapio Nurminen asked Rehn if he planned to change his style during the presidential campaign because of a perceived lack of charisma.
“Yes, I’m not gray, I’m an albino,” replied Rehn, who does not have albinism, referring to the color of his hair. “It’s a completely different matter. And if grayness refers to reliability, judgment and composure, then I don’t think those are bad qualities at all for the president of the Republic of Finland.”
The comment angered Sirpa Bamberg, chair of the Finnish Albinism Association, who called Rehn’s remark “inappropriate.”
“You should familiarize yourself with what the word ‘albino’ means before making jokes about it,” Bamberg told Iltalehti.
On Thursday, Rehn said Bamberg’s reaction was justified. Bamberg later reportedly confirmed Rehn’s apology to the association.
This isn’t the first time Rehn has tried to make a joke about albinism, a genetic disorder that causes a deficiency of melanin (as melanin plays a role in the development and function of the eyes, people with albinism have vision problems).
In a June interview with Ilta-Sanomat, Finland’s second-largest newspaper, Rehn made the same remark.
“I’m not gray, I’m albino,” he told the newspaper. “My grandfather was already white-haired in his forties, and it may have taken me a little longer. If someone likes gray, then gray also has different shades. It is also considered the color of reliability and moderation, which are not necessarily bad qualities for the president of the Republic of Finland.”
Rehn is the governor of the Bank of Finland and a member of the governing council of the European Central Bank. He has held several posts in the European Commission and was a vice president of the European Parliament. Rehn was the European commissioner for economic and monetary affairs during Greece’s debt crisis.
He announced earlier this year that he intended to run to be Finnish president, saying he would take a leave of absence from the central bank and from his place on the ECB’s governing council.
The first round of Finland’s presidential election will take place on January 28 next year. A runoff between the top two contenders will be held on February 11 if none of the candidates wins more than 50 percent of votes in the first round.
Rehn’s opponents include former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, ex-Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto (the current favorite) and former Finns Party leader Jussi Halla-aho.
