Helsinki: Finland’s Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva has been forced out of his job after a scandal involving 200 text messages sent to a stripper.

Kanerva initially denied the allegations before some were published in national newspapers and magazines.

He said at first they were related to his 60th birthday party preparations.

Kanerva's conservative National Coalition Party, a key force in Finland's centre-right government, said it aims to appoint his successor on Tuesday.