Sauli Niinistö
Sauli Väinämö Niinistö (born 24 August 1948) is the 12th and current President of Finland.
Sauli Niinistö | |
---|---|
12th President of Finland | |
Assumed office 1 March 2012 | |
Prime Minister | Jyrki Katainen Alexander Stubb Juha Sipilä Antti Rinne Sanna Marin Petteri Orpo |
Preceded by | Tarja Halonen |
Speaker of the Finnish Parliament | |
In office 24 April 2007 – 27 April 2011 | |
Preceded by | Timo Kalli |
Succeeded by | Ben Zyskowicz |
Minister of Finance | |
In office 2 February 1996 – 16 April 2003 | |
Prime Minister | Paavo Lipponen |
Preceded by | Iiro Viinanen |
Succeeded by | Antti Kalliomäki |
Deputy Prime Minister of Finland | |
In office 13 April 1995 – 30 August 2001 | |
Prime Minister | Paavo Lipponen |
Preceded by | Pertti Salolainen |
Succeeded by | Ville Itälä |
Minister of Justice | |
In office 13 April 1995 – 1 February 1996 | |
Prime Minister | Paavo Lipponen |
Preceded by | Anneli Jäätteenmäki |
Succeeded by | Kari Häkämies |
Personal details | |
Born | Salo, Finland | 24 August 1948
Political party | National Coalition Party |
Spouse(s) | Marja-Leena Niinistö (1974–1995; her death) Jenni Haukio (2009–present) |
Residence | Mäntyniemi, Helsinki |
Alma mater | University of Turku |
Website | Official website |
Military service | |
Branch/service | Finnish Navy |
Rank | Captain |
A lawyer by education, Niinistö was Minister of Finance from 1996 to 2003 and the National Coalition Party candidate in the 2006 presidential election. He served as the Speaker of the Parliament of Finland from 2007 to 2011 and has been the Honorary President of the European People's Party (EPP) since 2002.
Niinistö was the National Coalition Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election, beating Pekka Haavisto of the Green League with 62.6% of the vote in the decisive second round. Niinistö assumed office on 1 March 2012, and is the first president from the National Coalition Party since Juho Kusti Paasikivi, who left office in 1956.
Niinistö served on the municipal council of Salo from 1977 to 1992 and was elected a Member of the Finnish Parliament (Eduskunta) from the district of Finland Proper in 1987. In 1994 he was chosen to lead the National Coalition Party as the party chairman
Niinistö's first wife Marja-Leena Niinistö died in a car accident in 1995. Niinistö married his second wife Jenni Haukio (born 1977) in January 2009.
Sauli Niinistö Media
Niinistö in the 2006 Finnish presidential election
President Sauli Niinistö leaves Parliament after receiving his presidency with outgoing President Tarja Halonen in January 2012.
Niinistö with Russian President Vladimir Putin in August 2019
Niinistö meeting US President Donald Trump in October 2019
Niinistö and Prime Minister Sanna Marin at the press conference announcing Finland's intent to apply to NATO in May 2022.
Niinistö with US President Joe Biden in March 2023
Niinistö with Slovenian President Robert Golob in July 2023
Niinistö and his wife Jenni Haukio
Niinistö on the 80th anniversary of the start of the Winter War in November 2019