Mari Kiviniemi
Encyclopedia
Mari Johanna Kiviniemi (born 27 September 1968) is a Finnish
politician
and former Prime Minister of Finland
. On 22 June 2010, as the new leader of the Centre Party
, she was elected Prime Minister of Finland
by the Finnish Parliament following the resignation of Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen
. Prior to her appointment as Prime Minister, Kiviniemi was Minister of Public Administration and Local Government in the Council of State of Finland from 2007 to 2010. Previously she was the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development from 2005 to 2006. Her political party is the Centre Party
. In June 2010, she was elected chair of the Centre Party.
, Finland
. She grew up in rural Southern Ostrobothnia
, the daughter of a chicken farmer, and went to school in Jalasjärvi
. As a teenager during high school, she spent a year as an exchange student in Germany. She enrolled in the University of Helsinki
in 1988 to study economics and married Juha Mikael Louhivuori, a businessman, in 1996. They have two children, Hanna and Antti. In addition to her native Finnish, she speaks Swedish, German and English.
She lists her hobbies as listening to classical music (she plays the piano and flute), running, skiing and in-line roller blading. The family has a summer cottage on lake Vanajavesi
.
Kiviniemi is a career politician, and first ran as a candidate for Member of Parliament in 1991, garnering less than 5,000 votes, while serving as the Secretary General of the Centre Party Student Union. The year after completing the work for her Master's degree in Social Sciences, she ran again in the 1995 general elections, this time winning a seat from the Southern Ostrobothnia district with 9,350 votes.
Kiviniemi is also a member of the Helsinki city council, in addition to her work in national politics. She has been on the city council since 2005.
in 2004, and was twice appointed by him to serve as a Cabinet minister: first in September 2005 on a temporary basis when the incumbent went on maternity leave for six months; and then on a full-time basis in April 2007.
On 22 January 2010, one month after Prime Minister Vanhanen announced he would be stepping down as leader (chair) of the Centre Party at its June 2010 convention, Kiviniemi announced her candidacy for the vacancy. Her campaign was formally launched in April.
Delegates to the Centre Party Convention met in Lahti
to elect a new leader on 2010. Kiviniemi won the second-round run-off, defeating Mauri Pekkarinen
by a vote of 1,357 to 1,035. Prime Minister Vanhanen met with President Tarja Halonen
on Friday and asked her for permission to resign as Prime Minister. Kiviniemi's new post was approved by Parliament on 22 June 2010, with a vote of 115 in favour, 56 against and 29 MPs abstaining or absent. Her election made her Finland's second female prime minister, after Anneli Jäätteenmäki
in 2003.
saw the rise of the True Finns
party, who gained 34 seats at the expense of all but one of the other parliamentary parties. Kiviniemi's Centre Party were hardest hit, losing 16 of the 51 seats they had previously held and falling from being the largest party to the fourth largest. Kiviniemi initially declared that her party would not seek to be part of the next government, but later accepted an invitation by Jyrki Katainen
to join coalition negotiations. Those negotiations broke down, however, and after six other parties announced they had come to an agreement, she presented her government's resignation to the President and was officially succeeded by Katainen as Prime Minister on the 22 June 2011. The Centre Party went into opposition, with Kiviniemi continuing as its chairwoman.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and former Prime Minister of Finland
Prime Minister of Finland
The Prime Minister is the Head of Government of Finland. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President, who is the Head of State. The current Prime Minister is Jyrki Katainen of the National Coalition Party.-Overview:...
. On 22 June 2010, as the new leader of the Centre Party
Centre Party (Finland)
The Centre Party is a centrist and Nordic agrarian political party in Finland. It is one of the four largest political parties in the country, along with the Social Democratic Party , the National Coalition Party and the True Finns , and currently has 35 seats in the Finnish Parliament...
, she was elected Prime Minister of Finland
Prime Minister of Finland
The Prime Minister is the Head of Government of Finland. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President, who is the Head of State. The current Prime Minister is Jyrki Katainen of the National Coalition Party.-Overview:...
by the Finnish Parliament following the resignation of Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen
Matti Vanhanen
Matti Taneli Vanhanen is a Finnish politician. He is a former Prime Minister of Finland and a former Chairman of the Centre Party. In the second half of 2006 he was President of the European Council. In his earlier career he was a journalist...
. Prior to her appointment as Prime Minister, Kiviniemi was Minister of Public Administration and Local Government in the Council of State of Finland from 2007 to 2010. Previously she was the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development from 2005 to 2006. Her political party is the Centre Party
Centre Party (Finland)
The Centre Party is a centrist and Nordic agrarian political party in Finland. It is one of the four largest political parties in the country, along with the Social Democratic Party , the National Coalition Party and the True Finns , and currently has 35 seats in the Finnish Parliament...
. In June 2010, she was elected chair of the Centre Party.
Life and career
Kiviniemi was born in SeinäjokiSeinäjoki
Seinäjoki is a city located in Southern Ostrobothnia, Finland. Seinäjoki originated around the Östermyra bruk iron and gunpowder factories founded in 1798. Seinäjoki became a municipality in 1868, market town in 1931 and town in 1960...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. She grew up in rural Southern Ostrobothnia
Southern Ostrobothnia
Southern Ostrobothnia is one of the 20 regions of Finland.Seinäjoki is the regional centre and by far the largest city in the area.- Historical provinces :For History, Geography and Culture see: Ostrobothnia- Municipalities :...
, the daughter of a chicken farmer, and went to school in Jalasjärvi
Jalasjärvi
Jalasjärvi is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia region. The population of Jalasjärvi is and the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water...
. As a teenager during high school, she spent a year as an exchange student in Germany. She enrolled in the University of Helsinki
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but was founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as The Royal Academy of Turku, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available...
in 1988 to study economics and married Juha Mikael Louhivuori, a businessman, in 1996. They have two children, Hanna and Antti. In addition to her native Finnish, she speaks Swedish, German and English.
She lists her hobbies as listening to classical music (she plays the piano and flute), running, skiing and in-line roller blading. The family has a summer cottage on lake Vanajavesi
Vanajavesi
Vanajavesi is a lake in Finland. It is part of the Kokemäenjoki basin. The lake gathers waters from a wide area in the regions of Pirkanmaa, Tavastia Proper and parts of the Päijänne Tavastia region.-Settlements:...
.
Kiviniemi is a career politician, and first ran as a candidate for Member of Parliament in 1991, garnering less than 5,000 votes, while serving as the Secretary General of the Centre Party Student Union. The year after completing the work for her Master's degree in Social Sciences, she ran again in the 1995 general elections, this time winning a seat from the Southern Ostrobothnia district with 9,350 votes.
Kiviniemi is also a member of the Helsinki city council, in addition to her work in national politics. She has been on the city council since 2005.
Leader of Centre Party
In 2003, Kiviniemi was elected to a leadership position within the Centre Party, serving as vice-chairman (one of three) until June 2008, when she was voted off at that summer's party convention. She became a special advisor to Prime Minister Matti VanhanenMatti Vanhanen
Matti Taneli Vanhanen is a Finnish politician. He is a former Prime Minister of Finland and a former Chairman of the Centre Party. In the second half of 2006 he was President of the European Council. In his earlier career he was a journalist...
in 2004, and was twice appointed by him to serve as a Cabinet minister: first in September 2005 on a temporary basis when the incumbent went on maternity leave for six months; and then on a full-time basis in April 2007.
On 22 January 2010, one month after Prime Minister Vanhanen announced he would be stepping down as leader (chair) of the Centre Party at its June 2010 convention, Kiviniemi announced her candidacy for the vacancy. Her campaign was formally launched in April.
Delegates to the Centre Party Convention met in Lahti
Lahti
Lahti is a city and municipality in Finland.Lahti is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region. It is situated on a bay at the southern end of lake Vesijärvi about north-east of the capital Helsinki...
to elect a new leader on 2010. Kiviniemi won the second-round run-off, defeating Mauri Pekkarinen
Mauri Pekkarinen
Reijo Mauri Matias Pekkarinen is a Finnish politician. He is the Centre Party of Finland deputy and secretary, and former Minister of Economic Affairs in the Finnish government...
by a vote of 1,357 to 1,035. Prime Minister Vanhanen met with President Tarja Halonen
Tarja Halonen
Tarja Kaarina Halonen is the incumbent President of Finland. The first female to hold the office, Halonen had previously been a member of the parliament from 1979 to 2000 when she resigned after her election to the presidency...
on Friday and asked her for permission to resign as Prime Minister. Kiviniemi's new post was approved by Parliament on 22 June 2010, with a vote of 115 in favour, 56 against and 29 MPs abstaining or absent. Her election made her Finland's second female prime minister, after Anneli Jäätteenmäki
Anneli Jäätteenmäki
Anneli Tuulikki Jäätteenmäki, Master of Laws was the first female Prime Minister of Finland, in office from 17 April 2003 to 24 June 2003....
in 2003.
2011 general election
The 2011 general electionFinnish parliamentary election, 2011
An election to the Eduskunta was held 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%....
saw the rise of the True Finns
True Finns
True Finns or The Finns is a populist and nationalist political party in Finland, founded in 1995 following the dissolution of the Finnish Rural Party. The head of the movement is Timo Soini. In the 2011 Finnish parliamentary election, The party won 19.1% of votes, becoming the third largest party...
party, who gained 34 seats at the expense of all but one of the other parliamentary parties. Kiviniemi's Centre Party were hardest hit, losing 16 of the 51 seats they had previously held and falling from being the largest party to the fourth largest. Kiviniemi initially declared that her party would not seek to be part of the next government, but later accepted an invitation by Jyrki Katainen
Jyrki Katainen
Jyrki Tapani Katainen is the Prime Minister of Finland and chairman of the country's largest party, the National Coalition Party.-Career:...
to join coalition negotiations. Those negotiations broke down, however, and after six other parties announced they had come to an agreement, she presented her government's resignation to the President and was officially succeeded by Katainen as Prime Minister on the 22 June 2011. The Centre Party went into opposition, with Kiviniemi continuing as its chairwoman.