Jyrki Katainen has two children:Saara (born in 2005) and Veera (2009). In addition to Finnish,Katainen speaks English,French and Swedish. Katainen is an accomplished chef.[citation needed]
Political career prior to 2011
Katainen became involved in politics after a brief career in teaching. He was a member of the Siilinjärvi municipal council in his first political position,in 1993. He was elected member of the Finnish Parliament (Eduskunta) from the district of Northern Savonia in 1999,served as the vice-chairman of the party in 2001,and became the leader in 2004.
As the Finance Minister,Katainen noted that Europe's leaders must do more to prepare voters for “exit strategies”and noted that "it is politically difficult but we have no choice. We have to do painful things in the coming years when economies begin to recover."[5]
Prime Minister (2011–2014)
Katainen and Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis on 16 September 2011Katainen and Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt on 29 October 2012
In August 2013 Katainen invited participants representing political parties,interest groups and research institutes to a forum in Heureka science center. The forum was designed to explore the broad structural changes needed to improve Finland's economy over the coming years. In his speech (loosely translated to English) Prime Minister Katainen concluded that 'participants showed curiousness and commitment. I believe the discussions will provide an excellent basis for resolving difficult situations. We now need to take action and to address the structural reforms ahead.' [9]
Finland's economic problems were apparent for many,but the government was forced to delay structural reforms because socialist parties in the six-party cabinet were opposed to the new measures. In September 2013 the six-party cabinet laid out plans for reform. However,Katainen warned that the reforms were not sufficient.[10][11] In November 2012,the government elected not to have Finland to join the team of EU countries that proposed a financial transaction tax. This was a reportedly difficult issue for the six-party government because three of the parties favored the tax.[12]
Katainen's views regarding the demise of Nokia may have been controversial in the international arena,however,the company has long been part of Finland's national fabric,making it difficult to view the issue from alternative perspectives.
As Prime Minister,Katainen encouraged investment in Finland,in part because of the country's excellent education system and political stability. He also encouraged the involvement of universities and higher education institutions in civil society in order to increase the country's competitiveness in the national arena.
According to Katainen's blog there was hope in the future for Finland's economy.[13] For example,he highlighted Google’s investment of about 800 million Euros in Hamina,Russian data center Yandex’s investment in Mäntsälä and Microsoft’s plans for investing about 250 million in Finland. But he noted that Finland was still losing more jobs than those that were being created.
In November 2013,Katainen said "Finland needs more direct foreign investment to accelerate the economy and increase growth and employment. The government approved the strategy for attracting national investment last December. The strategy emphasis the ICT sector,including data centres,as a core area."[14]
European Union
In his position as Prime Minister,Katainen recommended that European leaders rebuild the unity of the European Union because it was undermined by the euro zone debt crisis. Speaking at a Reuters Euro Zone Summit,he noted that mutual resentment between citizens of the northern creditor states and poorer debtor countries may have fuelled euroscepticism and perhaps this may have posed a threat to the 28-nation bloc's unity.[15]
Katainen said calls for more European involvement were unpopular at a time when globalization had made people afraid of losing their jobs and lowering their standard of living.
The enforcement of overhauled budget discipline rules and the creation of a banking union with a single supervisor and a mechanism to wind up failed banks without making taxpayers pay had achieved the main changes needed to stabilize the euro zone.
Asked whether the EU treaty should be changed in the next five years after European Parliament elections in May,Katainen said he was a pragmatist and most of what Europe needed could be achieved by strengthening and extending its internal market.
According to Katainen,the key reforms to pensions,labor markets and education needed to keep European countries competitive with the rest of the world and make its social model affordable were in the hands of national governments.
Katainen called for a single market in clean technology,noting that Finland was producing third-generation non-food biofuels that could not enter some EU countries because regulation had not kept pace with innovation.
To combat eurosceptics in the pan-European election,EU leaders should address issues that are important to voters who support populist political parties.
Regarding the recent situation in Ukraine Katainen noted that Finland would not enforce economic sanctions against Russia.[16] He recommended that leaders and citizens remain level headed regarding the situation in Crimea.[17] According to the Prime Minister,sanctions against Russia may negatively impact the Finnish economy.
Vice-President of the European Commission
Katainen resigned as the chairman of Finland's National Coalition Party and as the Finnish prime minister in June 2014 and was elected as European Commissioner on 16 July 2014. He was later confirmed as vice-president-designate for jobs,growth,investment and competitiveness in the European Commission. Katainen's new responsibilities as vice-president are to formulate recommendations to ensure that member states' economies are on a path of sustainable of growth and job creation,to supervise the Union's common currency (the euro) and to produce the commission's regular economic forecasts and economic indicators.[18]
According to Swedish social democrat Marita Ulvskog,"Katainen's strength is that he comes from a Nordic country,and he understands the importance of strong social partners in the labor market. We cannot solve the (Euro) crisis without social dialogue,and he understands this."[19] Katainen has been assigned the task of finding €300 billion to invest in the growth and economy of the European Union.
In a 2015 interview,[20] the former prime minister of Finland quickly pointed out that "investment is truly a golden thread that weaves together everything that we do –we need to invest in our people,in our partnerships and in our planet". This means not only "giving people the skills they need for the 21st century economy",but also promoting "mobility inside and outside the union,in a way that supports economic growth and social cohesion,protects against external threats and contributes to international development".
After leaving politics,Katainen was appointed president of SITRA for a term of five years.[23][24] In June 2023,Katainen was named head of the financial group Nordea's public affairs unit.[25]
Esko Tapani Aho is a Finnish politician who was prime minister of Finland from 1991 to 1995.
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Siilinjärvi is a municipality of Finland. It is located in Northern Savonia,20 kilometres (12 mi) north of the city of Kuopio,which largely surrounds Siilinjärvi. Another neighbour municipality with Kuopio is Lapinlahti. The name,in Finnish,apparently translates literally as "Hedgehog's Lake",although its etymology actually stems from a Sámi word meaning "winter dwelling". Lakes are essential part of the geography of Siilinjärvi. There are 123 lakes,and the biggest of them are Kallavesi and Juurusvesi–Akonvesi. Water area is 106.85 km2,which is 21% of the whole area of Siilinjärvi.
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Parliamentary elections were held in Finland on 17 April 2011 after the termination of the previous parliamentary term. Advance voting,which included voting by Finnish expatriates,was held between 6 and 12 April with a turnout of 31.2%.
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Juha Petri Sipilä is a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland from 2015 to 2019. A relative newcomer to politics,he has a successful background in business. He was the leader of the Centre Party from 2012 to 2019. After leading the Centre party to victory in the 2015 general election,Sipiläformed a centre-right coalition and was appointed prime minister by the Finnish Parliament on 29 May 2015. On 8 March 2019,Sipilästated his intention to resign as prime minister,citing difficulties in reforming Finland's health care system. President Sauli Niinistöasked him to continue with a caretaker government until a new government coalition was appointed on 6 June 2019 and was ultimately succeeded by Antti Rinne.
Parliamentary elections were held in Finland on 19 April 2015,with advance voting taking place from 8 to 14 April. The 200 members of the Parliament of Finland were elected with the proportional D'Hondt method.
The Stubb Cabinet was the 73rd Government of Finland,which stepped into office on 24 June 2014. It succeeded Jyrki Katainen's cabinet. The cabinet's prime minister was Alexander Stubb.
Following the 2011 election,a new government was negotiated between the leading parties of the Finnish parliament.
The cabinet of Juha Sipilä was the 74th government of Finland,from 2015 to 2019. It was formed following the parliamentary election of 2015 and formally appointed by President Sauli Niinistöon 29 May 2015. From June 2017,the cabinet consisted of a coalition formed by the Centre Party,Blue Reform and the National Coalition Party. The cabinet's Prime Minister was Juha Sipilä.
↑ Zetterberg, Seppo; etal., eds. (2003). Suomen historian pikkujättiläinen[A Small Giant of the Finnish History] (in Finnish). Helsinki: Werner Söderström Publishing Ltd.
↑ "Katainen villitsi kokoomusväen". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Sanoma News. 17 April 2011.
↑ "Uusi hallitus nimitettiin". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Sanoma News. 22 June 2011.
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