The Greens of Finland made history in the parliamentary elections of the 14th of April. The outstanding success (11,5%) came with a wave of young women rising to power. Out of the twenty members elected to the Green group in parliament, seventeen are women and three men.
”Juha Sipilä’s government was a backlash for women’s rights. Our aim to is build a feminist government to Finland”, comments Emma Kari, member of parliament and chair of the Green Women’s Association.
The total percentage of women elected to the Finnish parliament rose from 42% (2011) to 46%. The election also saw more women than ever among the top vote-getters. In 1906, the Finnish Parliament became the first in the world to allow all women to run for office, but hasn’t up to today seen equal representation of MPs.
The average age of the members of the Green parlamentarian group in 42, compared to the parliament’s average of 46. Greens’ Iiris Suomela was elected from the Pirkanmaa district as the youngest woman in parliament this century. Out of the 20 elected Green MPs, 14 are first-timers.
”We support women in politics especially in-between elections, and to encourage them to take up space in a male-dominated field”, says Sirpa Hertell, secretary general of the Green Women’s Association. ”We do advocacy work within the party and with other gender equality actors, both local and international”.
Details:
Emma Kari
Chair, Vihreät Naiset
+358 (0)9 432 3061
Sirpa Hertell
Secretary General, Vihreät Naiset
+358 (0) 50 5666 818
Johanna Sydänmaa