Tarja Filatov
Date of Birth: 09.08.1963
Country: Finland |
Content:
- Tarja Filatov: A Life in Finnish Politics
- Rise in the Social Democratic Party
- Ministry of Labor
- House Speaker and Deputy Speaker
- Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Rights
- Personal Life
Tarja Filatov: A Life in Finnish Politics
Early Life and Family BackgroundTarja Filatov was born into a family of displaced Finns in the city of Hämeenlinna. Her parents, Paavo Filatov and Maria Pirkkö Timoskaine, had been forced to leave their ancestral home in Karelia during the Soviet-Finnish War.
Rise in the Social Democratic Party
Filatov joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and was elected to the Finnish Parliament in 1995. She quickly rose through the ranks, serving as Vice President of the SDP's parliamentary group from 1999 to 2002 and Chair from 2007 to 2010.
Ministry of Labor
In 2000, Filatov was appointed Minister of Labor in Paavo Lipponen's Second Cabinet. She continued in this role in Anneli Jäätteenmäki's short-lived Cabinet and Matti Vanhanen's First Cabinet.
House Speaker and Deputy Speaker
In February 2010, Filatov was elected one of two Speakers of the Finnish Parliament. In December 2020, she became the First Deputy Speaker.
Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Rights
Filatov is a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. She has twice served as the official patron of the Helsinki Pride Festival.
Personal Life
Tarja Filatov is married to Pekko Pietari Oksanen, a businessman. They have a daughter named Veera (born 1993).