Henna Virkkunen
MEP
Member of the European Parliament
Assumed office
1 July 2014
ConstituencyFinland
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
16 March 2003 – 1 July 2014
ConstituencyHelsinki
Personal details
Born
Henna Maria Virkkunen

(1972-06-04) 4 June 1972 (age 51)
Joutsa, Finland
Political party Finnish
National Coalition
 EU
European People's
Alma materUniversity of Jyväskylä
Websitewww.hennavirkkunen.fi

Henna Maria Virkkunen (born 4 June 1972) is a Finnish politician who has been serving as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 2014. She is a member of the National Coalition Party, part of the European People's Party. She was Minister of Public Administration and Local Government in the government of Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen from 22 June 2011 to 24 June 2014.[1]

Political career

In parliament, Virkkunen has been serving on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (since 2014) and the Committee on Transport and Tourism (since 2021).[2] In 2022, she joined the Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware.[3][4]

Virkkunen was the rapporteur on the non-binding opinion on digital platforms[5][6] and on driving and rest times.[7]

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 Arab Peninsula (since 2019). She is also a member of the European Internet Forum;[8] the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights;[9] the European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals;[10] and the European Parliament Intergroup on Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas.[11]

In December 2020, Virkkunen received the Energy award at The Parliament Magazine's annual MEP Awards.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Minister of Public Administration and Local Government". Archived from the original on 2012-08-30. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
  2. ^ Mia Bartoloni (March 26, 2021), Movers & Shakers The Parliament Magazine.
  3. ^ Members of the Committee of Inquiry to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware European Parliament.
  4. ^ Parliament names MEPs to sit on three new committees European Parliament, press release of 24 March 2022.
  5. ^ Joanna Plucinska (January 31, 2017), Platforms rapporteur: Facebook falters in fake news fight Politico Europe.
  6. ^ "on online platforms and the digital single market (2016/2276(INI))". 2017-05-31.
  7. ^ Hanne Cokelaere and Joshua Posaner (October 8, 2019), 5 people who’ll decide the fate of the Mobility Package Politico Europe.
  8. ^ Members Archived 2019-11-07 at the Wayback Machine European Internet Forum.
  9. ^ Members European Parliament Intergroup on LGBTI Rights
  10. ^ Members Archived 2019-08-31 at the Wayback Machine European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals.
  11. ^ Members 2019-2024 European Parliament Intergroup on Seas, Rivers, Islands and Coastal Areas.
  12. ^ Johnson, Brian (2 December 2020). "MEP Awards 2020: Reaction and comment from our winners". The Parliament Magazine. Retrieved 8 January 2021.

External links

Political offices Preceded bySari Sarkomaa Minister of Education 2008–2011 Succeeded byJukka Gustafsson Preceded byTapani Tölli Minister of Public Administration and Local Government 2011–2014 Succeeded byPaula Risikkoas Minister of Transport and Local Government Preceded byMerja Kyllönen Minister of Transport 2014


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