Paavo Erkki Arhinmäki (born 13 December 1976, in Helsinki) is a Finnish politician and Helsinki Deputy Mayor for Culture and Leisure since 2021. He was a member of the Finnish Parliament from 2007 til 2021 representing the Left Alliance, a party whose leader he was from 2009 until 2016.
Paavo Arhinmäki | |
|---|---|
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| Minister of Culture and Sport | |
| In office 22 June 2011 – 4 April 2014 | |
| Prime Minister | Jyrki Katainen |
| Preceded by | Stefan Wallin |
| Succeeded by | Pia Viitanen |
| Member of the Finnish Parliament | |
| In office 21 March 2007 – 2021 | |
| Constituency | Helsinki |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 December 1976 Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland |
| Political party | Left Alliance |
Early life edit
Career edit
He was first elected to the Finnish Parliament in the 2007 election and re-elected in 2011. Arhinmäki has been a member of the City Council of Helsinki since 2001. He led the Left Youth in 2001–2005. He proposed a halt to nuclear power projects in Finland in the wake of the Great Hanshin earthquake.
After the 2011 election, the Left Alliance became a partner in the six-party grand coalition cabinet led by Jyrki Katainen. Being a football enthusiast, Arhinmäki became Minister for Culture and Sport and the party gained another ministerial portfolio as well. The decision to join the government created a split in the party, leading to the expulsion of two MPs from the parliamentary group. Later Arhinmäki became the subject of media criticism after a drinking binge at the Sochi Winter Olympics in February 2014.[2] In 2014 Left Alliance left the cabinet over a dispute on a package of spending cuts and tax rises.[3]
In 2012 Arhinmäki was a Left Alliance candidate in the Finnish Presidential Elections, finishing 6th with 5.5% of the total votes in the first round of voting.
In April 2016, Arhinmäki announced that he wouldn't seek another term as the party leader.[4] On 11 June 2016, he was followed by Li Andersson.[5]
In 2023, Arhinmäki, now the deputy mayor of Helsinki, was caught with another person painting graffiti that included the words "world domination and great career moves" in English on the walls of a train underpass in eastern Helsinki on Midsummer Eve. He subsequently apologized and was fined 2,520 euros by a court in January 2024.[6]
References edit
- ^ Sviggum, Silje Kathrine (28 June 2023). "Finsk politiker fersket da han laget ulovlig graffiti". VG (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 18 August 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- ^ "Arhinmäki apologises for his conduct: "Party got out of hand"". Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
- ^ "Left Alliance leaves government". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
- ^ "Puheenjohtajuuden jättävä Arhinmäki Ylellä: Enemmän aikaa perheelle". Iltalehti. 30 April 2016. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ "Li Andersson kruunattiin virallisesti puheenjohtajaksi". Iltalehti. 11 June 2016. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
- ^ "Graffiti escapade costs Helsinki deputy mayor €2,500". Yle. 26 January 2024. Archived from the original on 30 January 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
External links edit
- Parliament of Finland: Paavo Arhinmäki (in Finnish)
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