There has been a great deal of movement in the political realm in Finland as of late. A new prime minister and coalition government recently took office. And in a few months, the country is set to elect a new president. At least the first round of voting is scheduled to take place in early 2024.
Incumbent President Sauli Niinisto is very popular but term-limited, meaning the Presidential race is a wide-open one. Several candidates have put their names forward as candidates for the office. Now including the head of the country's central bank.
Rehn launches campaign for president
Olli Rehn is running for president of Finland. Rehn has been the governor of the Bank of Finland since 2018. The institution is Finland's chapter in the European System of Central Banks. It's also considered the world's fourth-oldest bank of its kind still in operation, following the Sveriges Riksbank, the Bank of England and the Bank of France.
Rehn becomes the fourth candidate to enter the Finnish Presidency race formally. He is former Deputy Prime Minister Paavo Vayrynen, MP Hjallis Harkimo and now-former Foreign Affairs Minister Pekka Haavisto. Others may yet also enter the fray. Former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb had previously answered in the negative but has since indicated he's open to it.
In 1988, Rehn was elected as a member of the Helsinki City Council. That same year, he became vice president of Finland's Centre Party. Rehn was elected to the Parliament of Finland for the first time in 1991. He quickly became an adviser to Prime Minister Esko Aho. Rehn departed from the Finnish Parliament in 1995 for his first stint in the European Parliament.
From 1998 until 2004, Rehn was the chief of staff of Erkki Liikanen. Liikanen held multiple European Commission posts during this time. Rehn would later join the Commission and have several positions from 2004 to 2014.
In 2015, Rehn returned to the Parliament of Finland. He was quickly named as minister of economic affairs by Prime Minister Juha Sipila.
Chaired Finland's top soccer tier
Olli Rehn is a native of Mikkeli in southeastern Finland. His mother, Vuokko, was also a member of the Finnish Parliament. The younger Rehn would graduate from Macalester College in the United States. She was followed by the University of Helsinki and later St Antony's College of England's Oxford University.
For a brief time between political jobs, Rehn served as chairman of Veikkausliiga. Veikkausliiga is the highest division of soccer, or football, in the country. In decades past, that distinction belonged to Mestaruussarja.
Rehn competed as a player in Mestaruussarja during its heyday. He played for his hometown team Mikkelin Palloilijat.
For his mandatory national service, Rehn was a member of the Finnish Army. He continues to be a reservist officer.
