Leena Meri

Leena Meri
Meri in 2023
Minister of Justice
Incumbent
Assumed office
20 June 2023
Prime MinisterPetteri Orpo
Preceded byAnna-Maja Henriksson
Member of the Finnish Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
22 April 2015
ConstituencyUusimaa
Personal details
Born (1968-04-12) 12 April 1968 (age 56)
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Political partyFinns Party
Alma materUniversity of Helsinki

Leena Kristiina Meri (born 12 April 1968) is a Finnish politician, representing the Finns Party in the Parliament of Finland. She has served in the Parliament since 2015 and in the City Council of Hyvinkää since 2013.[1]

Meri run to the Parliament in the 2015 parliamentary election from the Uusimaa electoral district, but her 2,493 votes were not enough to get elected.[2] However, as MP Pirkko Ruohonen-Lerner left her seat to work in the European Parliament in May 2015, Meri took the vacated seat in the Finnish Parliament.[3]

In June 2017, Meri took part in the leadership election of the Finns Party, but finished third behind Jussi Halla-aho and Sampo Terho.[4] The leadership election sparked resistance within the party and soon after the majority of its MPs left to form the Blue Reform. After the split, Meri was chosen as the chair of the party's parliamentary group.[5]

In June 2023, she was appointed Minister of Justice in the Orpo Cabinet.[6]

Political views

Meri opposes humanitarian immigration, arguing that it leads to an increase in violent crimes. She has stated that "the appropriate number of asylum seekers is zero".[7] Meri has also suggested that the proposed immigration policy of the National Coalition party, their future partner in government, to increase the number of work permits for non-EU nationals resembles the Great Replacement. The use of this term has been criticized as racist by some media and the political opposition.[8]

References

  1. ^ "MPs: Leena Meri". Parliament of Finland. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  2. ^ "Valitut ehdokkaat: Uudenmaan vaalipiiri". Ministry of Justice. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Leena Meri nousee eduskuntaan Ruohonen-Lernerin tilalle". Helsingin Sanomat. 5 May 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Jussi Halla-aho valittiin perussuomalaisten puheenjohtajaksi". Suomen Uutiset. 10 June 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Leena Meri on uusi perussuomalaisten ryhmäjohtaja: ryhmän koko "voi muuttua toiseen suuntaan"". Iltalehti. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  6. ^ "Prime Minister Orpo's Government appointed". Valtioneuvosto. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Sopiva turvapaikanhakijoiden määrä on nolla". Leenameri.fi (in Finnish). 25 November 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Nyt sisäministerin aiemmat puheet ovat syynissä – ministeriö pitää väestönvaihtoa salaliittoteoriana ja äärioikeiston perusteluna väkivallalle". Yle (in Finnish). 30 June 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Justice
2023–present 		Incumbent