Timo Harakka
{{Short description|Finnish politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Timo Harakka
| image = Hallituksen tiedotustilaisuus valmiuslain käyttöönotosta ja rajavalvonnasta 17.3.2020 (49669027028) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Harakka in 2020
| office = Minister of Transport and Communications
| primeminister = Sanna Marin
| term_start = 10 December 2019
| term_end = 20 June 2023
| predecessor = Sanna Marin
| successor = Lulu Ranne
| office1 = Minister of Labour
| term_start1 = {{start date|2019|06|06|df=y}}
| term_end1 = {{start date|2019|12|10|df=y}}
| primeminister1 = Antti Rinne
| predecessor1 = Jari Lindström
| successor1 = Tuula Haatainen
| office2 = Member of the Finnish Parliament
| term_start2 = {{start date|2015|4|22|df=y}}
| term_end2 =
| constituency2 = Uusimaa
| birth_name = Timo Olavi Harakka
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|12|31|df=y}}
| birth_place = Helsinki, Finland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Social Democratic
| spouse = Anu Laitila
| education = Master of Arts
| alma_mater = Helsinki Theatre Academy
| profession = Journalist, author
| website = {{URL|timoharakka.fi}}
}}
Timo Olavi Harakka (born 31 December 1962) is a Finnish politician. Since April 2015, he has represented the electoral district of Uusimaa in the Parliament of Finland as a Social Democrat.[https://www.eduskunta.fi/EN/kansanedustajat/Pages/1326.aspx Timo Harakka] Parliament of Finland (in English). Retrieved 4 January 2017.
In June 2019, Harakka was appointed Minister of Employment in the Rinne Cabinet.{{cite web|url=https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/rinne/ministers |title=Government of Prime Minister Antti Rinne |publisher=Finnish Government |accessdate=9 June 2019}} He served in the position until the collapse of the cabinet in December 2019, after which he joined the subsequent Marin Cabinet as Minister of Transport and Communications.{{cite web |title=Tässä ovat Marinin hallituksen ministerit – joukko äänikuningattaria, pikapaluun tekijä, maailman nuorin pääministeri |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11108950 |publisher=Yle |language= Finnish |accessdate=11 December 2019 |date=9 December 2019}}
Early life and education
Harakka was born in Helsinki. Both parents his were deaf and therefore his first language is Finnish sign language. He worked as a journalist for several years and has been editor-in-chief of both Jyväskylän Ylioppilaslehti, magazine of the students' union of the University of Jyväskylä, and Vihreä Lanka, magazine linked with the Green League. Since 1997 Harakka worked for Yle and hosted television programs called Musta laatikko, Pressiklubi, and 10 kirjaa.[http://www.timoharakka.fi/1044-2/ Kuka?] Timo Harakka's website (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 January 2017. In 2005 he graduated from the Helsinki Theatre Academy with a master of arts in theatre and drama.[https://www.eduskunta.fi/FI/kansanedustajat/Sivut/1326.aspx Timo Harakka] Parliament of Finland (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 January 2017.
Political career
In the 2014 European Parliament election Harakka received 22,839 votes and was elected substitute member of the European Parliament for the Social Democratic Party.[http://tulospalvelu.vaalit.fi/EPV2014/en/kokomaaval.html Candidates elected] Ministry of Justice of Finland (in English). Retrieved 4 January 2017. In the 2015 Finnish parliamentary election he received 5,497 votes from Uusimaa and was elected to the Parliament.[http://tulospalvelu.vaalit.fi/E-2015/en/val02.html Candidates elected] Ministry of Justice of Finland (in English). Retrieved 4 January 2017. He subsequently served the Finance and budget spokesperson of the parliamentary group and member of the Grand Committee of the Parliament. On 15 December 2016 Harakka announced his candidacy for the leadership of Social Democratic Party.[http://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/backbench_mp_launches_bid_for_sdp_leadership/9355319 Backbench MP launches bid for SDP leadership] Yle News (in English). 15 December 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2017. He was defeated by the incumbent party leader Antti Rinne in the election on 4 February 2017.[http://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/rinne_wins_sdp_chair_position/9442524 Rinne wins SDP chair position] Yle News on 4 February 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
On 6 June 2019, Harakka was appointed Minister of Employment. Early in his tenure, when Finland held the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2019, he chaired the meetings of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council.Tarmo Virki (10 December 2019), [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-finland-education-ai/finland-seeks-to-teach-50-million-europeans-basics-on-ai-idUSKBN1YE1B6 Finland seeks to teach 50 million Europeans basics on AI] Reuters.
Political positions
Harakka is well known for colourful initiatives and statements. He has described Boris Johnson's decision 2019 to prorogue parliament as "incredible", and compared it to "banning saunas in Finland".{{cite web |last1=Östling |first1=Bengt |title=Timo Harakka’s challenge: to increase employment in Finland |url=http://www.nordiclabourjournal.org/artikler/portrett/portait-2019/article.2019-09-09.1066369810 |website=Nordic Labour Journal |access-date=6 September 2021 |date=12 September 2019}}
Honors
- 55x55px Order of the White Rose of Finland (Finland, 2022){{Cite web |title=Medaljregn inför självständighetsdagen – Sanna Marin, Pekka Haavisto och Björn Wahlroos får utmärkelser |url=https://www.hbl.fi/artikel/6b702618-dc34-46c1-9bf5-38d55efd2176 |access-date=2023-01-12 |website=Hufvudstadsbladet |language=sv}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official|http://timoharakka.fi}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Sanna Marin}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Transport and Communications|years=2019–2023}}
{{s-aft|after=Lulu Ranne}}
{{s-bef|before= Jari Lindström}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Labour|years=2019}}
{{s-aft|after=Tuula Haatainen}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harakka, Timo}}
Category:Politicians from Helsinki
Category:Green League politicians
Category:Social Democratic Party of Finland politicians
Category:Ministers of labour of Finland
Category:Ministers of transport and public works of Finland
Category:Members of the Parliament of Finland (2015–2019)