Iiris Suomela
Date of Birth: 01.05.1994
Country: Finland |
Content:
- Iiris Suomela: A Rising Star in Finnish Politics
- Political Career
- Parliamentary Representative
- Advocacy and Activism
- Party Leadership
- Personal Life
Iiris Suomela: A Rising Star in Finnish Politics
Early Life and EducationIiris Suomela was born on May 1, 1994, in Tampere, Finland. Her formative years were spent in the United Kingdom, where she lived for a total of seven years. She completed her secondary education in the UK and graduated from UWC Atlantic College in Wales with an International Baccalaureate Diploma in 2013.
Suomela returned to Finland and enrolled in Tampere University to study sociology. She actively participated in the university's student union, becoming a member in 2015.
Political Career
Local PoliticsIn 2017, Suomela was elected to the Tampere City Council, securing 1981 votes. She went on to serve as Deputy Mayor of the city.
Parliamentary Representative
In the April 2019 parliamentary elections, Suomela was elected as a member of the Parliament (Eduskunta) for the Pirkanmaa constituency. At the age of 24, she became the youngest MP in Finland.
Advocacy and Activism
Suomela is a vocal advocate for human rights and anti-discrimination. She co-authored the citizens' initiative "Consent2018" (Suostumus2018), which sought to redefine rape as any sexual act without explicit consent. The initiative gained the necessary 50,000 signatures and was presented to Parliament in 2018.
Party Leadership
In September 2021, Suomela was elected Vice-Chair of the Green League party. She assumed the role of Acting Chair in November 2021, following Maria Ohisalo's maternity leave. Ohisalo resumed her duties in June 2022.
Personal Life
In 2020, Suomela publicly identified as non-heterosexual. She is in a relationship with Matti Parpala, an entrepreneur and former member of the Helsinki City Council. In November 2020, they welcomed their first child.