Erkki Tuomioja facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Erkki Tuomioja
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Tuomioja in 2014
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| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 22 June 2011 – 29 May 2015 |
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| Prime Minister | Jyrki Katainen Alexander Stubb |
| Preceded by | Alexander Stubb |
| Succeeded by | Timo Soini |
| In office 25 February 2000 – 19 April 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | Paavo Lipponen Anneli Jäätteenmäki Matti Vanhanen |
| Preceded by | Tarja Halonen |
| Succeeded by | Ilkka Kanerva |
| Minister of Trade and Industry | |
| In office 15 April 1999 – 25 February 2000 |
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| Prime Minister | Paavo Lipponen |
| Preceded by | Antti Kalliomäki |
| Succeeded by | Sinikka Mönkäre |
| President of the Nordic Council | |
| In office 1 January 2008 – 31 December 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Dagfinn Høybråten |
| Succeeded by | Sinikka Bohlin |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Erkki Sakari Tuomioja
1 July 1946 Helsinki, Finland |
| Political party | Social Democratic |
| Spouse |
Marja Helena Rajala
(m. 1978) |
| Alma mater | University of Helsinki |
Erkki Sakari Tuomioja (born 1 July 1946) is a well-known Finnish politician. He has been a member of the Finnish Parliament for many years. He also served as the Minister for Foreign Affairs twice. This important job involves handling Finland's relationships with other countries. In 2008, he was the president of the Nordic Council, which helps countries in the Nordic region work together.
Erkki Tuomioja is part of the Social Democratic Party of Finland. His ideas are sometimes seen as being a bit more left-wing than his party's main views. He is also a member of ATTAC, a group that works on global economic issues.
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Erkki Tuomioja's Life and Background
Erkki Tuomioja comes from a family with a strong history in politics. His father, Sakari Tuomioja, was an important Finnish politician and diplomat. He even ran for president in 1956.
Erkki's grandmother on his mother's side was Hella Wuolijoki. She was a writer and a social activist born in Estonia. This shows that public service and writing run in his family.
Education and Languages
Erkki Tuomioja studied at the University of Helsinki and the Helsinki School of Economics. He earned several degrees, including a Master's and a Doctorate in social sciences.
He is very good with languages. Besides Finnish, he can speak Swedish, English, French, German, and Estonian. This skill is very helpful for a foreign minister.
Political Career Highlights
Erkki Tuomioja has been a member of the Finnish Parliament for a long time. He served from 1970 to 1979 and then again from 1991 until recently.
Before becoming the Minister for Foreign Affairs, he was the Minister of Trade and Industry. He took over as Minister for Foreign Affairs after Tarja Halonen became president. Erkki Tuomioja has held the role of Minister for Foreign Affairs longer than anyone else in Finland's history.
Student Activism and Military Service
In 1968, Erkki Tuomioja took part in a student protest in Helsinki. He was also involved with an anti-war group called the Committee of 100 of Finland. This group spoke out against mandatory military service.
Even though he was part of anti-war movements, Tuomioja completed his own required military service. He is a reservist staff sergeant.
Author and Historian
Erkki Tuomioja has written many books. One of his books, A Delicate Shade of Pink, won a major non-fiction award in Finland in 2006. This book was about his grandmother, Hella Wuolijoki, and her sister.
In the 1970s and 1980s, he was the main editor for Ydin, a magazine that focused on foreign policy and politics. He also helped start an organization called Historians without Borders in Finland. He has been the chairman of its board since 2015.
Finland's Role in the European Union
When Finland was in charge of the European Union presidency in 2006, Erkki Tuomioja played a big part. He was a main spokesperson for the European Union's foreign policy. For example, he was one of the first to ask for an immediate stop to fighting during the 2006 Israel–Lebanon conflict. He was one of Finland's most important politicians in the 1990s.
