Leadership

Since June 2011, I have held the office of the Minister of the Interior of Finland. In the present government, the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for internal security and migration in addition to church affairs. There are currently 19 ministers in the Cabinet. You can find the Government Programme here.

 I am the chairperson of the Christian Democratic Party and was elected Member of Parliament in 1995.Hereyou can find my page on the Parliament's website. The leading themes of the Christian Democrats in the Parliamentary elections of 2011 were "home, religion and home country". For decades values related to these themes have signified to Finns diligence, integrity, entrepreneurship, uniqueness of human life, and collective responsibility for ourselves, for our neighbours and for the whole creation. The same values are still valid. The decision making of the Christian Democrats is value-based. We embrace the uniqueness of a human being from the very first moment of conception all the way through senior years of life, which forms a solid basis for our politics.

The Christian Democratic Party of Finland was founded in 1958. Today it is a political movement which has about 12 000 members. The party has 15 district organizations and furthermore, special organizations for women, young people, immigrants and Swedish-speaking people. The Christian Democratic Party of Finland collaborates with the worldwide Christian Democratic movement.Hereyou can find the website of the Finnish Christian Democratic Parliamentary Group.

I hold the degree of Licentiate of Medicine andmy civilian profession is doctor. I have written seven books and I also write columns regularly for newspapers and magazines. I live in Riihimäki with my husband Niilo. We have five charming children: Sakari (1988), Saara (1990), Mirjami (1992), Esteri (1994), and Juulia (1996). Niilo is Doctor of Theology, pastor, and headmaster of Kansanlähetysopisto. I consider it essential to find balance between persistent working and healthy family life. It is in wholesome families that the young of our nation can be raised up to a well-balanced adulthood.

It is a privilege to be able to spend some of my free-time in the exceptionally beautiful nature ofFinlandwith all its verdant forests and deep blue coloured lakes. Thus, during the winter-time, I take great pleasure in skiing.

In place of pluralism and relativity of values, the Finnish Christian Democrats seek to promote and uphold the life protective values that we recognize to bind us all. We highlight the inextricable relation between freedom and responsibility in our society. We therefore uphold both national and international responsibility.

The party membership is open to everyone who is in agreement with the objects of our Party. Let us build a society with a conscience.

Minister of the Interior Päivi Räsänen

Minister of the Interior Päivi Räsänen is in charge of the Ministry of the Interior.She handles matters covered by the Police Department, Department for Rescue Services, Border Guard Department and the Migration Department, except for those covered by the Integration Unit. They are handled by Minister of LabourLauri Ihalainen.

Ms Räsänen also deals with matters covered by the units directly under the Permanent Secretary, and church affairs, which fall under the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Information on the Minister of the Interior on the Government website
Home Page of Päivi Räsänen

Division of duties between ministers (Government website)

State Secretary
MsMarjo Anttoora

Special Advisers to the Minister
MrNiklas Andersson
MsMarjo Loponen

Secretary to the Minister
MsAnja Sademies