Sauli Niinistö

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Sauli Niinistö (2016) Signature of Sauli Niinistö

Sauli Väinämö Niinistö [ ˈsɑu̯li 'væi̯næmœ' niːnistœ ] (born August 24, 1948 in Salo , Varsinais-Suomi ) is a Finnish politician of the conservative National Collection Party and since March 1, 2012 the twelfth President of the Republic of Finland . His second term began on February 1, 2018.

From 1995 to 2003 Niinistö held various government offices in Lipponen I and II , including that of Deputy Prime Minister . In the 35th legislative term of the Finnish Parliament , he was from 2007 to 2011 parliamentary speaker .

From 1999 to 2000 Niinistö was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development , from 2003 to 2007 Vice-President of the European Investment Bank .

Origin and studies

Niinistö was born in Salo in 1948 as the son of Väinö Pellervo Niinistö, a sales manager, and Hilkka Niinistö, a nurse, the youngest of four children . Traditionally, conservatives were chosen in his family. From 1968 to 1969 he did his military service and was released as a lieutenant . After the Ylioppilastutkinto ( Abitur ) in 1966 he began studying law at the University of Turku , which he graduated in 1974. He then worked as a police officer and was the police chief of the Kisko Township . In 1976 Niinistö was appointed deputy judge at the Turku Court of Appeal , and in 1978 he opened his own law firm . When he entered the Finnish Parliament in 1988, he ended his activities as a lawyer, closed his office and gave up his judicial office.

Private

Sauli Niinistö and his second wife Jenni Haukio in June 2017.

In 1974 Niinistö married Marja-Leena Alanko, with whom he has two sons, Nuutti (* 1975) and Matias (* 1980). In 1995 she was killed in a traffic accident. In 2005, he processed his experience of raising his sons alone in his book Viiden vuoden yksinäisyys ( German : five years of loneliness ). His sons are now married themselves and have children. Niinistö is a multiple grandfather, and in 2009 his first grandchild was born.

From the end of the 1990s he was in a relationship with the former Miss Finland and then Center Member of Parliament Tanja Karpela . In 2003 the couple got engaged; In 2004 the engagement was canceled.

In 2009 he married the poet and then head of communications for the collection party, Jenni Haukio . Their first son, Aaro Veli Väinämö Niinistö, was born on February 2, 2018. The family owns a Boston Terrier named Lennu , also jokingly referred to as the First Dog by the Finnish media . The dog has already been the subject of numerous memes on the Reddit platform and has also been mentioned on the US Tonight Show .

Niinistö was with his two eldest sons in Thailand when the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake struck and survived with luck by saving himself with his younger son on a telephone pole for several hours.

The MEP Ville Niinistö is his nephew.

Niinistö is a professed Christian .

politics

Public offices

Local politics in Salo (1977 to 1992)

In his hometown of Salo, Niinistö sat on the city ​​council from 1977 and was also its chairman from 1989 to 1992. Between 1977 and 1988 he was also a member of the city ​​administration . In 1992 Niinistö ended his local political activities.

Member of Parliament (1987 to 2003; 2007 to 2011)

In 1987 Niinistö was chosen for the first time for his hometown Salo in the Eduskunta . There he belonged to the parliamentary group of the National Collection Party .

In 2006 he announced that he would return to parliament in the 2007 election and received 60,498 votes, more than anyone before him in the centenary of the elections in Finland.

After his return to the Eduskunta, Niinistö was elected President of the Finnish Parliament . He held this office until the end of the 2011 legislative period.

Lipponen Cabinets (1995 to 2003)

After the parliamentary elections in 1995 , in which Niinistö was the top candidate, the rallying party was only the third strongest force with 17.9 percent. The election winner was the social democratic Paavo Lipponen . In the so-called Rainbow Cabinet , consisting of the SDP , the Collection Party , the Green Bund and the Swedish People's Party , Niinistö was Finland's Deputy Prime Minister and initially Minister of Justice. He was appointed by President Martti Ahtisaari on April 13, 1995 and provisionally dismissed on February 2, 1996 to take over the post of Finance Minister from Iiro Viinanen , who had resigned because of the worst recession in the Finnish economy. In his role as Finnish Finance Minister, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development from 1996 to 2003 and its Chairman between 1999 and 2000 and Chairman of the Council for Economic and Financial Affairs and the Eurogroup from 1999 . In the parliamentary elections in 1999 Niinistö was again the top candidate of his party, which was only the third strongest force with 21 percent. In the second Lipponen government, consisting of the SDP, the Collection Party, the Swedish People's Party, the Green Bund and the Left Alliance , he continued to be Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. He gave the latter office to Ville Itälä in 2001 . On April 17, 2003, he was finally dismissed from his ministerial office by President Tarja Halonen . Niinistö's tenure as finance minister saw the founding of the European Central Bank and the creation of the euro , which he campaigned for in Finland.

European Investment Bank (2003 to 2007)

After serving as Finance Minister, Niinistö was Vice President of the European Investment Bank from 2003 to 2007 under its President Philippe Maystadt .

President of the Republic of Finland (since 2012)

March 1, 2012: Sauli Niinistö takes over the presidency from Tarja Halonen
Coat of arms of President Sauli Niinistö with the motto "Juurista voimaa" ( German  strength from the roots )

In the 2012 presidential election Niinistö won against Pekka Haavisto in the runoff election and on March 1, 2012 took over the presidency from Tarja Halonen , who was not allowed to run again after two terms in office. It is the first time in over 50 years that the Gathering Party has appointed the President of Finland again.

As president, Niinistö leads the so-called presidential meetings of the government , where he makes his decisions on the basis of presentations by the ministers. Since he alone makes the decisions, no vote is given. Niinistö heads Finnish foreign policy together with the government . He is also responsible for appointing and dismissing the Prime Minister and other members of the government. There have been five prime ministers under Niinistö so far: Jyrki Katainen , Alexander Stubb , Juha Sipilä , Antti Rinne and the incumbent Sanna Marin . (As of December 2019) He can also hold various offices, including the chairman of the Finnish State Bank and the chairman of the secret service .

As president, Niinistö is also involved in legislation. Before bills become law , they must be reviewed and signed by the President. One of the most significant laws that Niinistö signed during his tenure was the law legalizing same-sex marriage in March 2017.

According to the Finnish constitution , the president is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces . Niinistö has the power to issue general policy military orders, including decisions on significant changes in readiness and defensive measures. He is also entitled to declare a state of emergency. When he was sworn in as president, the army formed an honorary formation . Niinistö also occasionally visits Finnish soldiers stationed abroad. For a long time he called for Finland to join NATO , but this met with little support from the population.

Another important date for Niinistö is the annual reception on Independence Day on December 6th. On this day, the President invites around 2000 guests from politics, society, sport and culture to the Presidential Palace . Niinistö has hosted eight receptions and made seven New Year's addresses so far . (As of December 2019)

In the 2018 presidential election , Niinistö won in the first round, which no directly elected president in Finland has succeeded in doing before. Niinistö's second and final term began on February 1, 2018.

Niinistö enjoys a lot of recognition in the population and across party lines. In a survey by Yle and Taloustutkimus , almost 9 out of 10 respondents rated his work as at least good. The Social Democratic politician and MP Antti Lindtman praised Niinistö as an "active president," the "the interests of Finland and the shared values of the Finns" represents good. He also highlighted the President's willingness to cooperate.

His presidency includes the refugee crisis in Europe from 2015 , the government crisis in Finland in 2017 , the knife attack in Turku on August 18, 2017 , the celebrations for the centenary of Finland's independence and the summit meeting in Helsinki in 2018 .

Presidential candidacies

Niinistö could not be run as a candidate in the 2000 presidential election, although he was credited with good chances. He justified this, among other things, with the fact that he was unmarried, which in his opinion could not be suitable for a president.

2006
A bracelet with the inscription Niinistö that was distributed as a promotional item for the 2006 election

In the 2006 presidential election , Niinistö was a candidate for the National Gathering Party . His slogan was "Työvänen presidentti" ( German : President of the Workers ). His campaign met with criticism from many union activists as well as left supporters and voters. The accusation was that Niinistö was trying to influence left voters. Niinistö then said that for him there was neither “left work” nor “right work”, but only “Finnish work for Finnish welfare”.

In addition to work, Finland's accession to NATO , which Niinistö advocates, was a major focus of his campaign. This position was not supported by any other candidate, except Henrik Lax from the Swedish People's Party . A July 2005 survey by Taloustutkimus also showed that most Finns refuse to join NATO.

In the first ballot on January 15, he received 24.1% of the vote and was the second strongest candidate. Since the then president and candidate Tarja Halonen missed the absolute majority with 46.3%, both competed in a runoff election on January 29th. Niinistö received 48.2% of the vote, Halonen 51.8%. Halonen won the election and remained president.

Niinistö was the strongest candidate in the runoff election only in the Vaasa and Oulu regions . In his home country Varsinais-Suomi he got 46.7% of the vote.

2012

Finnish presidential election, 2012 candidate posters.JPG

Election poster for the 2012 election

In the 2012 presidential election Niinistö was again a candidate for the National Collection Party. Incumbent Halonen was not allowed to run again after two terms. The campaign's slogan was “Presidentti on työ” ( English : President is a profession ). The campaign budget was 1.2 million euros.

In November 2011, the campaign criticized the media's treatment of Niinistö's wife, Jenni Haukio . The reason was an episode of the satirical show YLELeaks , in which the presidential campaign and Haukio were made fun of. Haukio personally also criticized the episode in a letter to the broadcaster because it was a private person and not a candidate. Critics of the campaign, however, accused the media of reporting in favor of Niinistö.

The main themes of the campaign included Finland's accession to NATO and relations with the European Union and Finland's role in it.

In the first ballot on January 22nd, Niinistö received 36.96% of the vote and became the strongest candidate. Since he missed an absolute majority, he ran on February 5 in a runoff election against Pekka Haavisto . Niinistö received 62.59% of the vote, Haavisto 37.41%. Niinistö won the election and took office on March 1, 2012.

Niinistö was the strongest candidate in the runoff election in all regions except Åland . In his homeland Varsinais-Suomi he got 62.7% of the vote.

2018

Presidential-candidates-2018-in-finland.jpg

Election poster Niinistös in January 2018 in Helsinki

On May 29, 2017, Niinistö announced his candidacy for a second term, this time as a non-party candidate. In order to officially become a presidential candidate, he needed 20,000 signatures from his supporters. Niinistö collected a total of 156,000 signatures and his candidacy was confirmed on September 25, 2017.

Shortly after the announcement of the president, the party leader of the rally party, Petteri Orpo , announced that Niinistö would be supported in his candidacy. Previously, the former Finance Minister Alexander Stubb and the former Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva were also considered possible candidates for the rallying party.

The Christian Democrats announced their support for Niinistö on August 19, 2017.

The campaign's slogan was “Rauha ratkaisee” ( English : peace decides ). The campaign budget was estimated to be between 1 and 1.5 million euros.

In contrast to the previous campaigns, Finland's accession to NATO was not the main focus, as Niinistö currently considered it to be “too unimportant” for Finland. However, he supported a referendum on membership. During a debate in December 2017, he called the discussion about accession a “war talk debate”. Niinistö is more concerned about the unity of the Finnish people and believes that, for example, the harsh tone on social media could be a threat to social justice in Finland.

Already in the polls before the election it became clear that Niinistö could succeed in obtaining an absolute majority in the first ballot .

On January 28, 2018, Niinistö won the election with 62.9% of the vote. The presidential election was his last because he is not allowed to run again after two terms. He is the first directly elected President of Finland to win the first round.

Niinistö was the strongest candidate in the runoff election in all regions. In his home country Varsinais-Suomi he got 65.4% of the vote.

His second and final term began on February 1, 2018.

Visits abroad as President

Political party

National rally party

Niinistö is a member of the National Collection Party , which he chaired from 1994 to 2001. In the 1995 and 1999 elections he was the top candidate of his party, which was only the third strongest force in both elections.

European Democratic Union

From 1998 to 2002 Niinistö was chairman of the European Democratic Party (EDU), an association of western and central European parties of the center-right. Its member parties included Christian Democratic and Conservative parties from across Europe. In 2002 the EDU ceased its independent activities under the chairmanship of Niinistös.

European People's Party

In 2003 Niinistö was elected honorary president by the executive committee of the European People's Party (EPP) and was thus a member of the EPP party presidency for one year.

Political positions

Europe

Niinistö is considered to be moderate-conservative and describes himself as a staunch European. He would like to deepen the European Union and bring it back to the base, to more solidarity and the Maastricht criteria . He is of the opinion that every member state of the EU should steer its financial policy in such a way that no other partner is harmed.

migration

In 2016, he gave a speech in front of the Finnish Parliament in which he said that " migration is a serious problem" and warned that the large number of migrants would be a "challenge to Western values". He advocates stricter controls on entry into the European Union and would like to prevent economic migrants from entering the country as long as the migration figures have not decreased. He wants to help war refugees .

At the same time, Niinistö is committed to an open and multicultural Finland. When the Basic Finn MP Olli Immonen wrote on Facebook in July 2015 about a “nightmare called multiculturalism”, more than 10,000 people gathered in Helsinki for a demonstration. President Niinistö published a statement in which he spoke out in favor of a multicultural Finland and showed solidarity with the demonstrators.

defense

Niinistö with US Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis in Helsinki in November 2017

Niinistö is an avowed supporter of NATO and has long campaigned for Finland to join. Accession was one of his key issues in the 2006 and 2012 presidential election campaigns. However, such a project is overwhelmingly rejected by the Finnish population. In 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018 Niinistö attended the NATO summits as a guest . During the election campaign for the 2018 presidential election, however , he softened his calls for NATO accession and, while speaking out in favor of a referendum on accession, called the debate at the same time a "war talks debate". During the election campaign, Niinistö also advocated Finnish participation in multinational military exercises.

climate

In a speech to the General Assembly of the United Nations in September 2017, Niinistö spoke out in favor of international cooperation in climate policy and called for compliance with the Paris Agreement . He rejects US President Donald Trump's course .

Foreign policy

Russia

Sauli Niinistö and Vladimir Putin at a meeting in July 2017

As president, Niinistö visited Russia in February 2013 and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to promote bilateral trade. Both discussed ice hockey and business, but not human rights issues or the sale of Russian military equipment to Syria and transport through Finland.

At the same time as the sanctions against Russia, which were mainly triggered by the annexation of Crimea in 2014 , Niinistö declared that the focus should be on relaxation and deepening understanding between Europe and Russia. He also stated that Finland should act as a mediator between Russia and Europe and that Russia must understand that the conflict in Ukraine has sparked a debate in Finland about the country's own security policy. He felt it was important that President Putin understand Finland's position on NATO membership in this debate.

The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov , used Niinistö's statement to make a statement about the parliamentary elections in Finland in 2015 and the upcoming change of government: "Does Northern Europe need this? How will Russia react? President Niinistö asked these questions with the subtext . He knows that the The answer is negative: nobody needs it. President Niinistö realizes that what is happening in Ukraine is impossible in Finland. "

In his New Year's address for 2015, Niinistö condemned the annexation of Crimea by Russia .

“We condemn any illegal occupation, use of force or attempts to restrict the sovereignty of independent nations. Such actions never achieve anything other than danger and increased tension. "

- President Sauli Niinistö : New Year's address for 2015

Niinistö met with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko at the Munich Security Conference 2018 . In the bilateral talks, the situation in eastern Ukraine was discussed as well as suggestions on how to bring peacekeeping forces into the region. Niinistö told Finnish media that Finland was ready to participate in such operations. He also reminded everyone that the conflict in Ukraine is the biggest problem Europe is facing now. If there was even the slightest indication that the problem could be resolved, Finland needed to be involved in both spirit and action to the extent that resources allow. According to Niinistö, the plans for peacekeeping measures are still in their "infancy".

During his tenure, he met Russian President Vladimir Putin several times . The two presidents are also said to have a rather friendly relationship. For example, Putin congratulated Niinistö on his 70th birthday in August 2018 by phone.

United States of America

Sauli Niinistö with US President Donald Trump in August 2017

In May 2016, Niinistö attended a Nordic Summit in Washington, DC at the invitation of then- US President Barack Obama . Topics included climate change , the fight against terrorism and the European refugee crisis . Even under Donald Trump's presidency , Niinistö tried to maintain close diplomatic relations between Finland and the United States , but criticized in particular its climate policy and the decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement . In August 2017, Niinistö and Trump met for the first time in the White House . At the press conference that followed, President Trump mistook two Finnish journalists for one another. Trump's behavior was classified by the press as misogynistic and sharply criticized. Niinistö was stunned and told Trump that they were two different journalists. He was largely praised for his response. On October 2, 2019, Niinistö visited Trump again at the White House .

Finland as a mediator between Russia and the West

2018 Summit in Helsinki

Niinistö advocates rapprochement between Russia and the West and sees this as a central role for Finland as a neighboring country. He acted as a mediator at the summit meeting of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on July 16, 2018 in Helsinki and initially received both presidents for bilateral talks. Before the meeting, he again pointed out Finland's commitment.

“Finland has consistently advocated the dialogue of international relations. During the past year, among other things, we hosted the meetings between the deputy foreign ministers and the defense chiefs of the United States and Russia. The meeting of the two presidents in Finland is a natural continuation and brings the dialogue to the highest level. "

- President Sauli Niinistö : On the 2018 Summit in Helsinki

China

During a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Finland in April 2017, Niinistö committed himself to the one-China policy .

Awards

State medals

Honorary doctorates

Prices

Trivia

  • Niinistö is the patron of the Floorball World Cup 2020 .
  • Niinistö is a supporter of the organizations Tukikummit-säätiö , which works for marginalized young people, and Veikko ja Lahja Hurstin Laupeudentyö ry , which collects food aid and clothing for the needy. On the occasion of his 70th birthday in August 2018, Niinistö asked to refrain from gifts and instead to donate to these two organizations.
  • From 2009 to 2012 Niinistö was President of the Finnish Football Association ( Suomen Palloliitto ).
  • Niinistö was Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the European Figure Skating Championships in 2009 .

Fonts

See also

Web links

Commons : Sauli Niinistö  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c http://presidentti.fi/Public/default.aspx?contentid=371351&nodeid=44807&culture=en-US
  2. ↑ http://www.finn-land.net/finnland-n/niinistosauli.htm
  3. ↑ a b https://www. britica.com/biography/Sauli-Niinisto
  4. ↑ https://www.is.fi/presidentinvaalit2018/art-2000005543246.html
  5. ↑ http://presidentti.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=371620&culture=fi-FI
  6. ↑ https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10149800
  7. ↑ http://www.kotimaa24.fi/artikkeli/radio-dei-kysyi-ehdokkailta-jeesuksesta/
  8. ↑ http://www.tpk.fi/public/default.aspx?nodeid=44811&culture=en-US&contentlan=2
  9. ↑ http://192.49.229.35/E2007/e/valitut/kokomaaval.htm
  10. ↑ http://www.kansanarkisto.fi/kotila.htm
  11. ↑ a b c d http://president.fi/public/default.aspx?nodeid=44811&contentlan=2&culture=en-US
  12. ↑ a b c Dietrich Alexander: Finland's President: "We can no longer afford illusions". In: welt.de . July 6, 2013, accessed October 7, 2018 .
  13. ↑ Finnish presidential election: Euro supporter Sauli Niinistö wins first round of the election at focus.de, January 23, 2012 (accessed on January 23, 2012).
  14. ↑ a b https://www.finn-land.net/finnland-news/kurzmektiven/2018/august2018/24-240820181.htm
  15. ↑ https://twitter.com/Demarit/status/1032555527564349440
  16. ↑ a b http://www.hs.fi/politiikka/Niinistö+keräsi+toisella+kierroksella+yli+170000+euroa/a1305554918967
  17. ↑ Sauli Niinistö hakee jatkokautta presidenttinä - mittauttaa suosionsa yhdistyksen avulla In: yle.fi , accessed on October 11, 2017.
  18. ↑ - ( Memento from September 25, 2017 in the Internet Archive )
  19. ↑ Petteri Orpo twiittasi heti Niinistön jatkokausi-ilmoituksen jälkeen: "Kokoomus on taysillä mukana" In: yle.fi , accessed on October 11, 2017.
  20. ↑ IS-tutkimus: Niinistö ottaisi presidentinvaalissa rökälevoiton - Kotimaa - Ilta-Sanomat In: is.fi , accessed on October 11, 2017.
  21. ↑ Oma ehdokas tulee, jyrähtää Soini Halla-aholle - HS esittelee Sauli Niinistön mahdolliset haastajat In: hs.fi , accessed on October 11, 2017.
  22. ↑ Kristillisdemokraatit tukee presidentinvaaleissa Sauli Niinistöä. Retrieved August 21, 2017 (Finnish).
  23. ↑ https://demokraatti.fi/niinisto-pyrkii-jatkokaudelle-merkittavasti-vahemmalla-rahalla/
  24. ↑ http://www.seinajoensanomat.fi/artikkeli/84665-sauli-niinisto-ei-kaipaa-kekkoseksi
  25. ↑ https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-9968929a
  26. ↑ http://www.ts.fi/uutiset/paikalliset/3738497/Niinisto+kaipaa+vahvempaa+EUta
  27. ↑ http://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000005235595.html
  28. ↑ http://www.hs.fi/politiikka/art-2000005370145.html
  29. ↑ AFP / kj: Against Racism: Thousands of Finns demonstrate for multiculturalism. In: welt.de . July 29, 2015, accessed October 7, 2018 .
  30. ↑ https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000005428944.html
  31. ↑ https://www.mtv.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/artikkeli/uhoilusta-tekoihin-miten-vayrynen-aikoo-haastaa-niiniston-kaikkien-ehdokkaiden-ensimmainen-yhteinen-tv-tentti-mtv-lla-klo-20 / 6695464
  32. ↑ https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-9949959
  33. ↑ a b https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/unga_finlands_president_talks_north_korea_nuclear_threat_peace_mediation_and_climate_change/9842658
  34. ↑ http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140612/DEFREG01/306120040/Russia-Warns-Sweden-Finland-Against-NATO-Membership
  35. ↑ http://atlanticsentinel.com/2014/06/finlands-next-prime-minister-backs-nato-membership-alarming-russia/
  36. ↑ http://www.presidentti.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=319060&nodeid=44807&contentlan=2&culture=en-US
  37. ↑ http://presidentti.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=372149&nodeid=44809&contentlan=2&culture=en-US
  38. ↑ http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58369
  39. ↑ http://barfi.ch/News-Schweiz-die-Welt/Minigipfel-nordischer-Laender-in-Washington
  40. ↑ https://www.derwesten.de/politik/typisch-donald-trump-wie-zwei-blonde-finnische-journalistinnen-ihn-voellig-verwirren-id211743749.html
  41. ↑ daz: Donald Trump: For the US President every woman looks the same. In: welt.de . August 29, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2018 .
  42. ↑ http://www.president.fi/Public/default.aspx?contentid=376929&nodeid=44807&culture=en-US
  43. ↑ http://www.president.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=376558&nodeid=44809&contentlan=2&culture=en-US
  44. ↑ https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-9547852
  45. ↑ http://www.hayek-stiftung.de/preisverleihungen.html
  46. ↑ https://floorball.sport/2019/04/25/president-sauli-niinisto-patron-of-the-wfc-2020/
personal data
SURNAME Niinistö, Sauli
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Niinistö, Sauli Väinämö (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Finnish politician, member of the Reichstag, President, banker and lawyer
DATE OF BIRTH August 24, 1948
PLACE OF BIRTH Salo , Finland