She announced her candidacy for the presidential election later in November 2023 than other MPs due to her work in the European Commission, but she has since announced her candidacy for the presidential election later than other MPs due to her visionary outlook and tradition of a stronger and more united Europe. By emphasizing political policies, it attracted media attention and public support. Social democratic values.
early life
Jutta Ulpilainen initially pursued a career in the field of education, working as a teacher in Helsinki and Kokkola before entering the world of politics. Urpilainen holds her Master’s degree in Educational Sciences from the University of Jyväskylä. During her student days, she participated in the Erasmus exchange program in Vienna, Austria. A dedicated defender of civil society and democracy, Ulpilainen was known as a passionate European from a young age and served as president of various NGOs, including the Finnish United Nations Association.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Ulpilainen developed a passion for music and also spent time studying the arts, culminating in the release of the 2002 album “Christmas Thoughts.”
Jutta Urpilainen also served as a member of the Kokkola City Council and its first female chairperson from January 2015 to August 2016.
political journey
Ulpilainen played an important role in the youth and student organizations of the SDP, but first became a member of parliament in the 2003 elections. In 2008, Jutta Ulpilainen made history as the first woman and youngest chairperson to lead the SDP. Her influential political career lasted from 2011 to 2014, when she held the positions of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Finland.
The former finance minister lived through a turbulent period, exemplified by the euro crisis. During her tenure, Finland took a tough stance and demanded guarantees from Greece for subsidized loans. Ulpilainen stressed that this approach protects Finland’s economic interests amid the wider eurozone crisis.
One of the major setbacks for Urpilainen was the decision taken in March 2013 under Katainen to rapidly reduce corporate taxes. The move provoked criticism within her Social Democratic Party, particularly from left-wing factions and trade union leaders, who accused her of leaning too far into her policies. Rights in economic policy.
According to Ulpilainen, the party’s subsequent defeat in the 2014 elections was the darkest moment of her political career. At the Seinäjoki party conference, she narrowly lost her position as leader of the Social Democratic Party. Aunty Linnaeus. This defeat not only forced her to relinquish her party leadership but also to resign from her position as finance minister.
During her tenure, she assumed roles on the Development Committees of the World Bank Group and the IMF, actively working on key development issues. Additionally, she chaired the Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development. Urpilainen also served on the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee from 2015 to 2019. Ulpilainen’s political activity took an international turn when she took on the role of European Commission Commissioner for International Partnerships in 2019. Tasked with overseeing the European Commission’s largest department, she manages 3,800 subordinates. She covers 120 countries around the world, with a special focus on Africa.
presidential election
Mr Ulpilainen faced difficulties early on as he was trailing in the presidential election, with initial opinion polls showing just 4% support. This was partly because the start of her election campaign was delayed until December 2023 due to constraints imposed by her role as EU Commissioner, and she was only allowed two months of unpaid leave. This prompted her party members to campaign for her using a cardboard replica of her in Urpilainen (which she playfully dubbed “Cardboard Jutta”).
Urpilainen said in his presidential campaign that he aims to represent the working class. She advocates for negotiations between employers and employees to address concerns about labor struggles. Her dedication to “values” is reflected in her campaign, and she consistently emphasizes the importance of values in her approach to foreign policy. She focuses her attention on addressing people’s fears about economic hardship and the gradual erosion of cooperative traditions.
As the SDP’s presidential candidate, Ulpilainen faced off against the Green Party’s candidate. Pekka Harvistemphasized social democratic values and emphasized Mr. Haavisto’s early departure from the red-green bloc.
She also criticized those who put personal gain above social welfare.
Ulpilainen does not believe that relations with Russia will improve amid the invasion of Ukraine and expressed support for the new government’s decision to close Finland’s eastern border along Russia. He also claimed that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen supports Finland’s decision to close border crossings with Russia.
In addition, Ulpilainen asserts his strength on EU issues and strengthens the European pillar within NATO. However, he maintained a firm stance against nuclear weapons, stressing that Finland saw no reason to allow the import or transport of nuclear weapons into its territory. During his candidacy, Urpilainen consistently emphasized compliance with international agreements regarding the situation on the eastern border. Critics say her position on the reinterpretation of international treaties on asylum seekers is consistent with a multilateral approach and reflects that she is ready to participate in discussions at European level if in the position of president. I feel that I am doing it.
Ulpilainen also expressed concern about the populist tone of the Finnish presidential election debates, particularly the dual citizenship of Finnish-Russians. Mr. Ulpilainen emphasized the unreality and unfairness of the collective punishment of Finnish-Russians, stressing that they chose to live in Finland because of democratic principles and freedom. Furthermore, she points out that the spread of Kremlin propaganda is not limited to Russians, but has also been observed among Finns.
Regarding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, Jutta Ulpilainen condemned the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, calling it a terrorist organization. Urpilainen stressed that Israel has the right to defend itself, but must respect the rules in a manner consistent with international law, even in times of war. She advocated clear communication with Israel and stressed the importance of adhering to international law and protecting Palestinian civilians during military operations.
politics and personality
Urpilainen, who is an avowed Christian, believes politicians should guarantee religious freedom without intertwining politics and religion in parliamentary debates. Despite her potential risks, she has spoken openly about her Christian values, making her an exception in a country where discussing religion is often considered difficult. It is true.
Based on the promotion of values, Urpilainen believes that there needs to be a space to discuss values in both the economic and political spheres. She criticizes the current economic system, saying it aims for maximum profits and relies on unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. She calls for a necessary debate about what is reasonable in economic practices and advocates for more sustainable approaches. She also advocates for a Nordic welfare state based on the idea of caring for others.
Ulpilainen advocates for Finland to play a more active role in EU decision-making. He urges countries to proactively submit new ideas to the committee, believing this is the most effective way to make a meaningful impact, rather than simply commenting on existing proposals.
In the Eurogroup of Finance Ministers, Mr. Ulpilainen is known for his language skills and familiarity with issues, as well as his friendly and cooperative spirit with European colleagues. Ursula von der Leyen has a positive view of Jutta Urpilainen, citing her experience as finance minister, involvement in parliament’s foreign affairs committee and as peace envoy.
Jutta Ulpilainen emphasized the importance of addressing complex historical issues, citing the Black Lives Matter protests and the statue defacing incident in Belgium as global examples. Although Finland has no colonial history, she emphasizes the importance of open discussion to strengthen national unity.
assignment
Ulpilainen’s political career has been fraught with controversy. In 2008 and 2009, Urpilainen made headlines when he was photographed wearing fishnet stockings, leading some to believe that he was unfit to be party chairman. She admitted her mistake in her book Rouvasähää, which Ulpilainen published in 2011, and she revealed the magazine’s plans for her New Year’s party outfit. Even though she did not agree to wear the most revealing dress, her fishnet stockings remained part of her outfit. Since then, she has expressed resentment at the media’s focus on her appearance, including her nails, clothing, and her abilities as a young female politician.
During the euro crisis, Ms Ulpilainen’s firm stance and insistence on guarantees from Greece led to her gaining a reputation that she jokingly dubbed “Tati Tiuka”. The dispute raised concerns about the enforceability of the guarantee in a situation where Greece is unable to repay its public debt in full and highlighted the vulnerability of the arrangement to debt restructuring.
In 2012, Jutta Ulpilainen attended a US conference paid for by the Treasury, even though ministers had said they would attend the Bilderberg conference as individuals. This contradicts the Prime Minister’s previous position that ministers personally attend Bilderberg Group meetings and that the Treasury cannot restrict their participation in such meetings or similar groups. .former member of parliament Vesa Matti Sarakkara He criticized the discrepancies and highlighted concerns about transparency.
interesting quotes
“I am an optimist and believe that politics can change things and that a democratic parliamentary system is the best way to govern and manage things.”
“A woman president is no exception, and now is the time for women.”
“The development of democracy has suffered a setback. Terrorism and humanitarian crises are worsening, and the war between Hamas and Israel is the latest sad example.”
“How can we help the EU in order to be one of the countries that submits new ideas to the European Commission, rather than compromising by commenting on government announcements and reports on EU issues when they reach the Finnish Parliament?” Can we step up our lobbying efforts?”
“As a former teacher, I believe deeply in the powerful role that education plays in addressing global challenges and changing the world we live in.”
“I don’t like the fact that politics and religion are mixed up and, for example, religious texts are quoted in parliament.”
“In foreign policy they are seen as wanting to make Finland a NATO-Finland, which would change the foreign policy values in line with the assumed expectations. This is especially evident in Middle Eastern politics, where Finland has voted at the United Nations in different areas than Norway, a comparable country.”
“Finland needs work-based immigration, and as a society we need to be an attractive, equal and interesting country to work, learn and challenge ourselves.”
HT