Suvi-Anne Siimes
Encyclopedia
Sini Maaria Suvi-Anne Siimes (born 1 June 1963, Helsinki
) is a former chair of the Finnish Left Alliance
. She quit the party in 2006 because she did not want to support the party's former taistoists
(orthodox pro-Soviet communists).
Before her political career she had several short teaching posts in University of Helsinki
and Kauppakorkeakoulu and she was planning a scientist / researcher career in economic sciences
Her political career started in local politics in Pohja
(a small town in South-Western Finland)
She was chairperson of the Finnish Left Alliance
1998–2006 and was a member of the Finnish Parliament (Eduskunta) from 1999 to 2007. She served as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a delegate for Finland in the Nordic Council
. In the two Cabinets of Paavo Lipponen
(1995–2003), Siimes served as the Coordinate Minister for Culture (1998–1999) and as the Minister of Finance (1999–2003). From 1995 to 2000, she was a deputy member of the European Union
Committee on Regional Development
.
In March 2006 she resigned from the Left Alliance, stating she didn't want to support the election of former taistoists like Jaakko Laakso to the Parliament of Finland in the next elections 2007 and that she could not continue in politics after she had not succeeded in making Left Alliance (VAS) a modern leftist political party with modern European attitudes and practices.
In her book (Politiikan julkisivu) published after she left politics in March 2007 she tells in detail what made her to quit her very successful political career (in election 1999 over 16,000 personal votes and 2003 over 17,000 votes, a number that showed that she was one of the most popular politicians in Finnish political life 1999–2003)
In the 2009 European elections, Siimes endorsed Risto Penttilä
, a National Coalition Party candidate.
Siimes is now working as Director General of Pharma Industry Finland.
She was appointed Chairman of the Board of Veikkaus (the Finnish National Lottery) on 16.03.2011.
Siimes has a licentiate
(advanced degree) in economics
.
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
) is a former chair of the Finnish Left Alliance
Left Alliance (Finland)
The Left Alliance is a left-wing political party in Finland. It was founded on the basis of the Finnish People's Democratic League and the Communist Party of Finland in 1990....
. She quit the party in 2006 because she did not want to support the party's former taistoists
Taistolaisuus
Taistoism was an orthodox pro-Soviet tendency in the mostly Eurocommunist Finnish communist movement in 1970s and 1980s. The Taistoists were an interior opposition group in the Communist Party of Finland. They were named after their leader Taisto Sinisalo whose first name means "a battle", "a...
(orthodox pro-Soviet communists).
Before her political career she had several short teaching posts in 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...
and Kauppakorkeakoulu and she was planning a scientist / researcher career in economic sciences
Her political career started in local politics in Pohja
Pohja
Pohja is a former municipality of Finland. It was consolidated with Ekenäs and Karis to form the new town of Raseborg in 2009.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and is part of the Uusimaa region. The municipality had a population of 4,936 and covered a land area of...
(a small town in South-Western Finland)
She was chairperson of the Finnish Left Alliance
Left Alliance (Finland)
The Left Alliance is a left-wing political party in Finland. It was founded on the basis of the Finnish People's Democratic League and the Communist Party of Finland in 1990....
1998–2006 and was a member of the Finnish Parliament (Eduskunta) from 1999 to 2007. She served as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a delegate for Finland in the Nordic Council
Nordic Council
The Nordic Council is a geo-political, inter-parliamentary forum for co-operation between the Nordic countries. It was established following World War II and its first concrete result was the introduction in 1952 of a common labour market and free movement across borders without passports for the...
. In the two Cabinets of Paavo Lipponen
Paavo Lipponen
Paavo Tapio Lipponen is a Finnish politician and former reporter. He was Prime Minister of Finland from 1995 to 2003, and Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Finland from 1993 to 2005...
(1995–2003), Siimes served as the Coordinate Minister for Culture (1998–1999) and as the Minister of Finance (1999–2003). From 1995 to 2000, she was a deputy member of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
Committee on Regional Development
Committee on Regional Development
The Committee on Regional Development is a committee within the European Parliament.-External links:*...
.
In March 2006 she resigned from the Left Alliance, stating she didn't want to support the election of former taistoists like Jaakko Laakso to the Parliament of Finland in the next elections 2007 and that she could not continue in politics after she had not succeeded in making Left Alliance (VAS) a modern leftist political party with modern European attitudes and practices.
In her book (Politiikan julkisivu) published after she left politics in March 2007 she tells in detail what made her to quit her very successful political career (in election 1999 over 16,000 personal votes and 2003 over 17,000 votes, a number that showed that she was one of the most popular politicians in Finnish political life 1999–2003)
In the 2009 European elections, Siimes endorsed Risto Penttilä
Risto Penttilä
Risto Erkki Juhani Penttilä is a policy expert, former member of the Finnish parliament, Director of the Finnish Business and Policy Forum and Secretary General of European Business Leaders’ Convention....
, a National Coalition Party candidate.
Siimes is now working as Director General of Pharma Industry Finland.
She was appointed Chairman of the Board of Veikkaus (the Finnish National Lottery) on 16.03.2011.
Siimes has a licentiate
Licentiate
Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
(advanced degree) in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
.
Publications
- Amerikan päiväkirja ja muita kirjoituksia (2000)
- Politiikan piilokuvat (2002)
- Politiikan julkisivu (2007)