Ilkka Kanerva, the 60-year-old Finnish politician who won Wonkette's heart with his erotic telephone love-notes to a orange-fleshed troll, has been forced to resign his post. The resignation comes after a gossip magazine, Hymy, published two dozen of the messages this weekend, including one that read: "Do you want to do it in some exciting place?"

Kanerva sent text messages to an exotic dancer named Johanna Tukiainen (and her sister, maybe) and nobody cared for a while because the Finns are notoriously oversexed, and who could begrudge a harmless old man some fun? Especially when he produced quotes like this for reporters: "Messages have been sent, but not in the sense of any deep drama of human relationships."

But then the liberal Nordic joy ride came to an end on Tuesday, when Finnish Finance Minister Jyrki Katainen said, "I have arrived at the conclusion that Kanerva no longer enjoys the sort of confidence and general respect that would make possible his staying in the post of minister."

Sad Mr. Kanerva is on "sick leave" and will not be attending the Nato summit this week, boo! However, on the positive side, he has been replaced by a man named Alexander Stubb was once described as "a buck-toothed young man who resembles a cheerful squirrel."

Dirty Old Finn Sends Comical Sex-Texts To Exotic Dancer [Wonkette]

Finnish FM faces sack over texts to erotic dancer [Helsinki Times]

Finnish minister quits over saucy texts [UK Telegraph]

PROFILE: Alex Stubb is too smart to make trouble [Helsingin Sanomat]