Jan Vapaavuori

{{short description|Finnish politician}}

{{Infobox Officeholder

|name = Jan Vapaavuori

|image = Jan Vapaavuori pormestari (cropped).jpg

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|4|3|df=y}}

|birth_place = Helsinki, Finland

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = National Coalition Party

|alma_mater = University of Helsinki
Hanken School of Economics

|order = 1st

|office = Mayor of Helsinki

|term_start = 1 June 2017

|term_end = 2 August 2021

|predecessor = Jussi Pajunen

|successor = Juhana Vartiainen

|office1 = Minister of Economic Affairs

|primeminister1 = Jyrki Katainen
Alexander Stubb

|term_start1 = 16 November 2012

|term_end1 = 29 May 2015

|predecessor1 = Jyri Häkämies

|successor1 = Olli Rehn

|office2 = Minister of Housing

|primeminister2 = Matti Vanhanen
Mari Kiviniemi

|term_start2 = 19 April 2007

|term_end2 = 22 June 2011

|predecessor2 = Anneli Taina

|successor2 = Krista Kiuru

}}

Jan Pellervo Vapaavuori (born 3 April 1965) is a Finnish politician, the former Minister of Economic Affairs, and the former mayor of Helsinki. Vapaavuori was Minister of Housing and Minister of Nordic Cooperation in Matti Vanhanen's second cabinet and Mari Kiviniemi's cabinet. He was a candidate for the head of his party (the centre-right{{cite web|title=The Democratic Society|url=http://www.demsoc.org/2014/03/03/national-coalition-party-kok/|website=National Coalition Party (KOK)|date=3 March 2014|accessdate=18 July 2017|archive-date=19 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171119161556/http://www.demsoc.org/2014/03/03/national-coalition-party-kok/|url-status=dead}} National Coalition Party) in the June 2014 election, and as part of that the likeliest interim Prime Minister of Finland. However he eventually failed to make the eventual head-to-head round within the Coalition Party, which saw Alexander Stubb defeat Paula Risikko.[http://www.kokoomus.fi/uutiset/puheenjohtajakeskustelu-turvallisuudesta-livena/ Leadership campaign discussion live!][http://www.kokoomus.fi/uutiset/alexander-stubb-kansallisen-kokoomuksen-puheenjohtajaksi/ Alexander Stubb to be the Chairman of the Coalition Party].

Vapaavuori has been a Helsinki City Council member since 1997. He has been a member of the Parliament since 2003, from the constituency of Helsinki, and he represents the National Coalition Party.[http://www.vn.fi/hallitus/jasenet/asuntoministeri/henkilotiedot/en.jsp Personal details - Minister of Housing Jan Vapaavuori]{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Finnish Government From 2011 to 2012 he was the chairman of the party's parliamentary group.{{Cite web |url=http://web.eduskunta.fi/Resource.phx/eduskuntaryhmat/eduskuntaryhma-kok01/index.htx?subpage=jasenet&te=kok01 |title=Kansallisen kokoomuksen eduskuntaryhmä | Eduskunta |access-date=2012-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140505220408/http://web.eduskunta.fi/Resource.phx/eduskuntaryhmat/eduskuntaryhma-kok01/index.htx?subpage=jasenet&te=kok01 |archive-date=2014-05-05 |url-status=dead }} Vapaavuori was elected Mayor of Helsinki in 2017. His term started on 1 June 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.hel.fi/www/uutiset/en/kaupunginkanslia/advance-voting-starts|title=National Coalition Party and Greens win elections, Jan Vapaavuori to be Mayor|publisher=City of Helsinki|date=10 April 2017|accessdate=15 April 2017}} In November 2020 Vapaavuori announced that he will not be seeking re-election and plans to retire from politics.{{Cite web|date=2020-11-08|title=HS-haastattelu {{!}} Jan Vapaavuori ei haekaan jatkokautta Helsingin pormestarina ja kertoo nyt HS:lle, miksi päätyi yllätyspäätökseensä|url=https://www.hs.fi/sunnuntai/art-2000007348301.html|access-date=2021-04-20|website=Helsingin Sanomat|language=fi}}

Vapaavuori acquired a law degree from University of Helsinki in 1989. He continued his studies in Helsinki, Uppsala, The Hague and Hanken School of Economics as well. He has worked in the National Union of University Students in Finland.

Vapaavuori was born into a bilingual family: his father, Panu, is a Finnish jurist and mother, Gun, was a Swedish teacher.{{cite web |url=http://www.city.fi/yhteiskunta/jan+vapaavuori+rotosherra/2061 |title=Jan Vapaavuori – Rötösherra |website=City |date=18 August 2006 |access-date=December 7, 2016 |language=Finnish}} He is married to Outi Laitinen-Vapaavuori, a doctor of veterinary medicine.{{Cite web |url=http://www.vn.fi/hallitus/jasenet/asuntoministeri/en.jsp |title=Finnish Council of State - Jan Vapaavuori |access-date=2009-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081116061113/http://www.vn.fi/hallitus/jasenet/asuntoministeri/en.jsp |archive-date=2008-11-16 |url-status=dead }}