Timo Harakka
Timo Harakka | |
|---|---|
| File:Hallituksen tiedotustilaisuus valmiuslain käyttöönotosta ja rajavalvonnasta 17.3.2020 (49669027028) (cropped).jpg Harakka in 2020 | |
| Minister of Transport and Communications | |
| In office 10 December 2019 – 20 June 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Sanna Marin |
| Preceded by | Sanna Marin |
| Succeeded by | Lulu Ranne |
| Minister of Labour | |
| In office 6 June 2019 – 10 December 2019 | |
| Prime Minister | Antti Rinne |
| Preceded by | Jari Lindström |
| Succeeded by | Tuula Haatainen |
| Member of the Finnish Parliament | |
| Assumed office 22 April 2015 | |
| Constituency | Helsinki |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Timo Olavi Harakka 31 December 1962 Helsinki, Finland |
| Party | Social Democratic |
| Spouse | Anu Laitila |
| Education | Master of Arts |
| Alma mater | Helsinki Theatre Academy |
| Profession | Journalist, author |
| Website | timoharakka |
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Timo Olavi Harakka (born 31 December 1962) is a Finnish politician. Since April 2015, he has been representative of electoral district of Uusimaa (2015-2023) and electoral district of Helsinki (2023-) in the Parliament of Finland as a Social Democrat.[1]
In June 2019, Harakka was appointed Minister of Employment in the Rinne Cabinet.[2] He served in the position until the collapse of the cabinet in December 2019, after which he joined the subsequent Marin Cabinet as Minister of Transport and Communications.[3]
Early life and education
[edit | edit source]Harakka was born in Helsinki but raised at Äänekoski. Both his parents were deaf and therefore his first language is Finnish sign language. He worked as a journalist for several years and was the Editor-in-chief of Jyväskylän Ylioppilaslehti, magazine of the students' union of the University of Jyväskylä, and Managing editor of Ylioppilaslehti, magazine of the University of Helsinki. He was the Editor of Vihreä Lanka, magazine linked with the Green League, and later columnist for all major news outlets of Finland, including Helsingin Sanomat, Suomen Kuvalehti and Talouselämä. Since 1997 Harakka worked as journalist and producer for the national broadcasting company Yle and hosted television programmes called Musta laatikko, Pressiklubi, and 10 kirjaa.[4] In 2005 he graduated from the Helsinki Theatre Academy with a master of arts in theatre and drama.[5]
Political career
[edit | edit source]In the 2014 European Parliament election Harakka received 22,839 votes and was elected substitute member of the European Parliament for the Social Democratic Party.[6] In the 2015 Finnish parliamentary election he received 5,497 votes from Uusimaa and was elected to the Parliament.[7] He subsequently served the Finance and budget spokesperson of the parliamentary group and member of the Grand Committee of the Parliament.[1] On 15 December 2016 Harakka announced his candidacy for the leadership of Social Democratic Party.[8] He was defeated by the incumbent party leader Antti Rinne in the election on 4 February 2017.[9]
On 6 June 2019, Harakka was appointed Minister of Employment. Early in his tenure, when Finland held the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2019, he chaired the meetings of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council.[10]
During his tenure as the Minister of Transport and Communications, he was deeply involved in European Union data legislation. While still in office, he wrote the acclaimed book "Data Capitalism in the World of Crises" (available in English at Official website).
Political positions
[edit | edit source]Harakka is well known for colourful initiatives and statements. He has described Boris Johnson's decision 2019 to prorogue parliament as "incredible", and compared it to "banning saunas in Finland".[11]
Honors
[edit | edit source]- File:FIN Order of the White Rose Commander BAR.svg Order of the White Rose of Finland (Finland, 2022)[12]
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ a b Timo Harakka Parliament of Finland (in English). Retrieved 4 January 2017.
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- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Kuka? Timo Harakka's website (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ Timo Harakka Parliament of Finland (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ Candidates elected Ministry of Justice of Finland (in English). Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ Candidates elected Ministry of Justice of Finland (in English). Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ Backbench MP launches bid for SDP leadership Yle News (in English). 15 December 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ Rinne wins SDP chair position Yle News on 4 February 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ Tarmo Virki (10 December 2019), Finland seeks to teach 50 million Europeans basics on AI Reuters.
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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External links
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- 1962 births
- Living people
- Politicians from Helsinki
- Green League politicians
- Social Democratic Party of Finland politicians
- Ministers of labour of Finland
- Ministers of transport and public works of Finland
- Members of the Parliament of Finland (2015–2019)
- Members of the Parliament of Finland (2019–2023)
- Members of the Parliament of Finland (2023–2027)