Matti Vanhanen

Matti Vanhanen is a member of the Centre Party who assumed office as the Prime Minister of Finland on June 24, 2003. In 2003 he became the party leader of the Centre Committee and continues in that position to this day. He first become a member of the Parliament in 1991.

Matti Vanhanen was born on November 4, 1955, in Jyvaskyla, Finland. He attended the University of Helsinki where he studied Political Science. In 1985 he married Merja, whom he had two daughters with: Annastina (1991) and Juhana (1994). From 1985 through 1988 Vanhanen worked for a local paper The Kehasanomat, then from 1988 through 1991 he served as the Editor-in-Chief. Vanhanen then became a member of the Parliament in 1991 where he continues to be a member to the present. Merja Vanhanen announced that she and the Prime Minister were divorcing on April 6, 2005, giving no details into the cause of their divorce. The divorce was final in February of 2006.

Following are positions Vanhanen has held on the Centre Committee: Centre Party, Party Delegation, Member and Deputy Member 1976-2000; Centre Party, Member of the party's Board of Directors 1980-1983; Deputy Party Leader 2000-2003; Party Leader 2003 to present.

Political positions that Vanhanen has served in to date are: member of Parliament 1991-present; Parliamentary Environment Committee, Vice Chair 1991-1995; Centre Party parliamentary group, Vice Chair 1994-2001; Parliamentary Grand Committee, Chair 2000-2001; European Convention on the Future of the European Union, Representative of Parliament 2002-2003; Minister of Defense, 17 April 2003 to 24 June 2003. Currently he is the Prime Minister, having been sworn in on June 24, 2003.

One of Vanhanen's political concerns has always been the environment. While still a member of the Finish electricity board, he spoke against the building of a fifth Finish nuclear power plant. Other topics of concern to Vanhanen are Finland's foreign policy as well as its security policy. One of his government's priorities has been to try to reduce unemployment. He has been successful in not only lowering the unemployment rate but also in lowering taxes. Another concern he is attempting to address in his country are benefits for the sick and elderly.