Finland’s foreign minister lost his post Tuesday over a text message scandal involving an erotic dancer, party officials said Tuesday.

Ilkka Kanerva _ who reportedly sent some 200 cell phone text message to the dancer _ cannot remain as foreign minister, the chairman of his conservative National Coalition Party said.

“He no longer enjoys the trust and general respect which would make it possible for him to continue,” said Finance Minister Jyrki Katainen, the party chairman.

The conservative party _ which has eight members in the four-party coalition government, including the Foreign Ministry post, was to meet later Tuesday to decide on a successor for Kanerva.

Katainen told the Verkkouutiset Web news that he made the decision to ask Kanerva to step down “with a heavy heart” after a lengthy discussion with Kanerva late Monday.

“This was the heaviest decision I have had to make as the chairman of the party,” Katainen was quoted as saying. “Ike (Kanerva) is my friend and he has performed his duties as foreign minister in an exemplary way.”

Kanerva initially denied magazine reports that he sent about 200 messages by cell phone to dancer Johanna Tukiainen. But last week he apologized publicly, acknowledging that he had sent some messages yet insisting they were all work-related.

According to Tukiainen, Kanerva asked what she was wearing under her evening dress.

Although Kanerva apparently broke no laws and his longtime partner accepted his apology, the 60-year-old foreign minister’s judgment and credibility were widely questioned, particularly as he had been involved in a similar scandal in 2005 when he was a deputy speaker of Parliament.

He had been foreign minister since last year.