Maria Lohela

Maria Lohela
Speaker of the Parliament of Finland
In office
29 May 2015 – 5 February 2018
Preceded by Juha Sipilä
Succeeded by Paula Risikko
Member of Finnish Parliament
for Finland Proper
Assumed office
20 April 2011
Personal details
Born (1978-06-11) 11 June 1978
Nivala, Finland
Political party Blue Reform (2017–)
Finns Party (before 2017)
Spouse(s)
Samppa Mattila (m. 2015)
Residence Turku
Alma mater University of Turku
Website marialohela.fi

Maria Lohela (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈmɑriɑ ˈlohelɑ], born 11 June 1978) is a Finnish politician. She has served as a Member of Parliament for Finland Proper since 2011. After having maintained her seat in the 2015 election, Lohela was Speaker of the Parliament of Finland 2015-2018. 36 years old when elected Speaker, she is one of the youngest MPs to hold that office in the parliament's history.[1] Before her parliamentary career, she took her bachelor's degree at University of Turku, majoring in English language. She has also served as a member of the Turku city council between 2009 and 2012.

Lohela has been a proponent of a tighter immigration policy for Finland.[2] Along with other prominent Finns Party politicians, Lohela was one of the authors of the so-called "Nuiva Manifesti" (Finnish for "The sour manifesto"), an election campaign programme critical of current Finnish immigration policy.[3]

On 13 June 2017, Lohela and 19 others left the Finns Party parliamentary group to found the New Alternative parliamentary group, which subsequently took the place of the Finns Party in the Sipilä cabinet.[4] The split sparked debate on the seat of the Speaker, which was traditionally reserved for the second biggest parliamentary party. After negotiations, the parties came into the conclusion that Lohela would vacate her seat for the National Coalition Party in February 2018.[5] On 5 February 2018, Paula Risikko was elected as the next speaker, while Lohela returned to her role as a MP.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "36-year-old MP elected as Speaker of Finnish Parliament". globalpost.com. 29 May 2015. Archived from the original on 3 June 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "Young immigration sceptic elected as Parliamentary speaker". YLE News. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Nuiva vaalimanifesti". Vaalimanifesti.fi. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
  4. ↑ "Tällainen on Uusi vaihtoehto – Nämä kansanedustajat jättivät perussuomalaiset". Yle. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  5. ↑ "Eduskunnan puhemiehistö uusiksi – Maria Lohela menettää puhemiehen paikkansa". Yle. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  6. ↑ "Eduskunta valitsi uudeksi puhemieheksi sote-konkari Paula Risikon – myös protestiääniä jätettiin". Yle. 5 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
Political offices
Preceded by
Juha Sipilä		 Speaker of the Parliament of Finland
2015–2018		 Succeeded by
Paula Risikko
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