Henna Virkkunen

Henna Virkkunen
Executive Vice-President of the European Commission
Official portrait 2024
Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 December 2024
PresidentUrsula von der Leyen
Preceded byMargrethe Vestager
Member of the European Parliament
for Finland
In office
1 July 2014 – 30 November 2024
Succeeded bySirpa Pietikäinen
Minister of Transport
In office
4 April 2014 – 24 June 2014
Prime MinisterJyrki Katainen
Preceded byMerja Kyllönen
Succeeded byPaula Risikko (Transport and Local Government)
Minister of Public Administration and Local Government
In office
22 June 2011 – 24 June 2014
Prime MinisterJyrki Katainen
Preceded byTapani Tölli
Succeeded byPaula Risikko (Transport and Local Government)
Minister of Education
In office
19 December 2008 – 22 June 2011
Prime MinisterMatti Vanhanen
Mari Kiviniemi
Preceded bySari Sarkomaa
Succeeded byJukka Gustafsson
Member of the Finnish Parliament
In office
21 March 2007 – 1 July 2014
ConstituencyHelsinki
Member of the Jyväskylä City Council
In office
20 October 1996 – 9 April 2016
Personal details
Born
Henna Maria Virkkunen

(1972-06-04) 4 June 1972 (age 52)
Joutsa, Finland
Political partyNational Coalition
SpouseMatti Mäkinen
Children1
Alma materUniversity of Jyväskylä
Websitewww.hennavirkkunen.fi

Henna Maria Virkkunen (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈhenːɑ ˈmɑriɑ ˈʋirkːunen]; born 4 June 1972) is a Finnish politician who serves as Executive Vice-president of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy since 1 December 2024.[1]

She has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2014 to 2024. She is a member of the center-right National Coalition Party, part of the European People's Party.[2]

As a Member of the Parliament of Finland from 2007 to 2014, Virkkunen held multiple ministerial portfolios across three cabinets, serving as Minister of Education, Minister of Public Administration and Local Government, and later as Minister of Transport and Local Government in an expanded portfolio.[3]

Political career

Parliament of Finland

Virkkunen was first elected to the Parliament of Finland in the 2007 parliamentary elections from the Central Finland electoral district. She secured the fourth-highest number of votes in her district, surpassing an incumbent from her party.

During her first term in Parliament, Virkkunen was appointed Minister of Education, serving from 19 December 2008 to 22 June 2011 in Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen's II cabinet. She continued in the role in Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi's cabinet. On 22 June 2011, she transitioned to the Minister of Public Administration and Local Government in Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen's cabinet.[4] Her portfolio later expanded to include transport, making her the Minister of Transport and Local Government until 24 June 2014, when she was elected to the European Parliament.

Before her ministerial appointments, Virkkunen served as a member of the Education and Culture Committee and the Environment Committee in the Parliament.[5]

European Parliament

In parliament, Virkkunen has been serving on the European Parliament Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (since 2014) and the European Parliament Committee on Transport and Tourism (since 2021).[6] In 2022, she joined the European Parliament Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware.[7][8]

Virkkunen was the rapporteur on the non-binding opinion on integrated digital platforms[9][10] and on driving and rest times.[11]

In addition to her committee assignments, Virkkunen has been a member of the parliament's delegation for relations with South Africa (2014–2019) and with the Arabian Peninsula (since 2019). She is also a member of the European Internet Forum;[12] the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights;[13] the European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals;[14] and the European Parliament Intergroup on Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas.[15]

European Commission

Following the 2024 European elections, the Finnish government nominated Virkkunen as the country’s European Commissioner serving under President Ursula von der Leyen.[16] On 17 September 2024, President Ursula von der Leyen presented the list of Commissioners-designate and their portfolios, according to which Virkkunen will be the Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy for the European Commission from 2024 to 2029.[17]

Recognition

In December 2020, Virkkunen received the Energy Award at The Parliament Magazine's annual MEP Awards.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Henna Virkkunen - European Commission". commission.europa.eu. 11 December 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  2. ^ "10th parliamentary term | Henna VIRKKUNEN | MEPs | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. 4 June 1972. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Ministeri Henna Virkkunen". Valtioneuvosto (in Finnish). Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Minister of Public Administration and Local Government". Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  5. ^ www.eduskunta.fi https://www.eduskunta.fi/FI/kansanedustajat/Sivut/957.aspx. Retrieved 23 December 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ^ Mia Bartoloni (March 26, 2021), Movers & Shakers The Parliament Magazine.
  7. ^ Members of the Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware European Parliament.
  8. ^ Parliament names MEPs to sit on three new committees European Parliament, press release of 24 March 2022.
  9. ^ Joanna Plucinska (January 31, 2017), Platforms rapporteur: Facebook falters in fake news fight Politico Europe.
  10. ^ "on online platforms and the digital single market (2016/2276(INI))". 31 May 2017.
  11. ^ Hanne Cokelaere and Joshua Posaner (October 8, 2019), 5 people who’ll decide the fate of the Mobility Package Politico Europe.
  12. ^ Members Archived 2019-11-07 at the Wayback Machine European Internet Forum.
  13. ^ Members European Parliament Intergroup on LGBTI Rights
  14. ^ Members Archived 2019-08-31 at the Wayback Machine European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals.
  15. ^ Members 2019-2024 European Parliament Intergroup on Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas.
  16. ^ Barbara Moens (24 July 2024), Who will be the next European commissioners? Politico Europe.
  17. ^ Commissioners-designate (2024-2029) European Commission.
  18. ^ Johnson, Brian (2 December 2020). "MEP Awards 2020: Reaction and comment from our winners". The Parliament Magazine. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Education
2008–2011 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Public Administration and Local Government
2011–2014 		Succeeded byas Minister of Transport and Local Government
Preceded by Minister of Transport
2014