Finns Party largest entrepreneur party in Parliament

At least 45 MPs with an entrepreneurial background have been elected to Parliament.

The proportion of MPs with a background as business owners is 22% of Parliament. In 2019, 35 entrepreneur MPs were elected, which was 16.5% of deputies.

The Finns Party continues to be the largest entrepreneur party. Nineteen of the party’s elected MPs have an entrepreneurial background. The share of the party’s MPs who are entrepreneurs is 41%. The second largest entrepreneurial party is the National Coalition Party with its 11 business-owner MPs. The third largest is the Centre Party, which has seven entrepreneur MPs.

There are 14 entrepreneur substitutes, who can fill the seat of an MP who is no longer able to serve.

“A business owner knows what the welfare state is made of and how a political decision maker can influence businesses’ conditions for success. To grow, a business owner needs stable, competitive taxation and skilled labour. Politicians have to raise the bar and make growth policy that reinforces sustainable growth of the Finnish economy,” Harri Jaskari, a Vice President at Suomen Yrittäjät, the Finnish SME association, says.

Jaskari hopes that the future government and the authors of its programme understand that growth is only born of business owners’ risk-taking. If risk-taking is punished and not rewarded, that is quickly reflected in investments and jobs.

“That is why a responsible politician does not neutralize the ingredients of Finland’s success,” Jaskari says.

Entrepreneur MPs

MPs who consider themselves entrepreneurs are listed here, including those who run a business part-time.

The Finns Party
Eerola Juho, South-east Finland
Elomaa Ritva, South-west Finland
Huru Petri, Satakunta
Immonen Tomi, Central Finland
Junnila Vilhelm, South-west Finland
Kangas Antti, Oulu
Keskisarja Teemu, Uusimaa
Koskela Jari, Satakunta
Laakso Kristian Sheikki, South-east Finland
Lehtinen Rami, Häme
Lundén Mikko, South-west Finland
Niemi Veijo, Pirkanmaa
Peltokangas Mauri, Vaasa
Piisinen Jorma, Uusimaa
Rintamäki Anne, Vaasa
Rostila Onni, Uusimaa
Sillanpää Pia, Vaasa
Strandman Jaana, South-east Finland
Tavio Ville, South-west Finland

National Coalition Party
Aalto-Setälä Pauli, South-west Finland
Eestilä Markku, Savo-Karjala
Fagerström Noora, Uusimaa
Heinonen Timo, Häme
Jukkola Janne, Vaasa
Kinnari Teemu, Häme
Kiuru Pauli, Pirkanmaa
Lahdenperä Milla, South-west Finland
Partanen Karoliina, Savo-Karjala
Satonen Arto, Pirkanmaa
Toveri Pekka, Uusimaa
Valkonen Ville, South-west Finland

Centre
Huttunen Hanna, Savo-Karjala
Kalmari Anne, Central Finland
Kosonen Hanna, South-east Finland
Mehtälä Timo, K, Oulu
Savola Mikko, Vaasa
Siponen Markku, Savo-Karjala
Viljanen Eerikki, Uusimaa

Swedish People’s Party
Adlercreutz Anders, Uusimaa
Norrback Anders, Vaasa

Greens
Tynkkynen Oras, Pirkanmaa
Virta Sofia, South-west Finland

Christian Democrats
Poutala Mika, Uusimaa

Liike Nyt
Harkimo Harry, Uusimaa

SDP
Harakka Timo, Helsinki

There were 473 candidates with an entrepreneurial background who stood for election to Parliament, or 19.5% of candidates (Suomen Yrittäjät study, 16 March 2023).