Maria Ohisalo

Maria Ohisalo MEP
Ohisalo in 2024
Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
In office 7 June 2022 – 20 June 2023
Prime Minister	Sanna Marin
Preceded by	Emma Kari
Succeeded by	Kai Mykkänen
Minister of the Interior
In office 6 June 2019 – 19 November 2021
Prime Minister	Antti Rinne Sanna Marin
Preceded by	Kai Mykkänen
Succeeded by	Krista Mikkonen
Member of the Finnish Parliament for Helsinki
In office 17 April 2019 – 15 July 2024
Member of the European Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office 16 July 2024 (2024-07-16)
Constituency	Finland
Chairman of the Green League
In office 15 June 2019 (2019-06-15) – 10 June 2023 (2023-06-10)
Preceded by	Pekka Haavisto
Succeeded by	Sofia Virta
Personal details
Born	(1985-03-08) 8 March 1985 (age 39) Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Political party	Green League
Spouse	Miika Johansson
Children	1
Alma mater	University of Helsinki (bachelor and master in political science) University of Eastern Finland (PhD)[1]

Maria Karoliina Ohisalo (born 8 March 1985) is a Finnish politician and researcher who served as Minister of the Interior between 2019 and 2021.^[2][3] The former chairman of the Green League, she has been a Member of Parliament since 2019.^[4]

Ohisalo served as the Green League's interim chairman after Touko Aalto stepped down in September 2018. She was the only candidate in the Green League leadership election that was held in June 2019.^[5] She co-chaired the Union of Green Youth and Students from 2013 to 2014^[6][7] and has been a member of the Helsinki City Council since 2017 and an MP since 2019.

Early life and studies

Ohisalo was born in 1985 in Vesala in eastern Helsinki. She lived her childhood in poverty in the suburbs of Helsinki, as her parents were often unemployed, and she spent one year in a shelter. Her father's alcohol problem led to the separation of her parents. Her mother, however, continued her studies and worked in the evenings and on weekends. Ohisalo was already active in football and athletics at a young age.^[8]

Ohisalo graduated from the Mäkelänrinne Sports High School in 2004 and received a master's degree in social science from the University of Helsinki in 2011.^[9][10]

In 2017, Ohisalo defended her doctorate in sociology at the University of Eastern Finland's Department of Social Sciences.^[10][11] For her doctoral work, she studied food aid and long-term homelessness at the Socca Social Expertise Center in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, under the auspices of the Helsinki City Social and Health Agency. During her studies from 2014 to 2017, Ohisalo was a member of the Federation of Higher Education Students in Social Sciences.^[12]

She worked as a researcher at the Y Foundation.^{[11][9][10][13]}

Political career

Maria Ohisalo spoke at the Oulu Party Conference of the Greens in 2015.

Ohisalo joined the Green League in 2008.^[14]

In 2010, Ohisalo was elected a member of the Kallio parochial church council (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland), but she resigned when she moved away from the area in October 2011.^[9][15]

Ohisalo has been a member of the Green Union Social and Health Policy Programming Group from 2010 to 2011.^[16]

Ohisalo was chairman of the International Affairs Working Group of the Federation of Green Youth and Students in 2011.^[9] In 2012, she was a member of the board of the organization and responsible for international affairs.^[9]

In 2012, Ohisalo was chairman of the Youth Working Group on the Future of Nordic Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.^[17] She was also a member of the board of directors of the Nordic Youth League in 2012.^[9]

In the 2012 Helsinki municipal elections, Ohisalo received 612 votes and became a deputy delegate.^{[9][18][19][20]}

In 2013, she was a member of the Youth Board and a member of the Board of the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District for the remainder of 2014 to 2017. She was elected to the City Council of Helsinki with 4,400 votes in the 2017 municipal elections.^[21]

In 2013, she was elected co-chairman of the Federation of Green Youth and Students together with Veli-Matti Partanen and in 2014 together with Aaro Häkkinen.^[7][6] She was a member of the party council from 2013 to 2015.^[22]

Ohisalo was a candidate for the 2014 European Parliament elections^[23] and received 3,089 votes.^[24]

In June 2015, she was elected vice-chairman of the Green League.^[25]

She was also a candidate for the 2015 parliamentary elections and received 4,087 votes, which was only 109 votes less than necessary to be elected.^[26][27]

From 2015 to 2018, she was a member of the parish council of Helsinki and the council of the parish of Paavali (Saint Paul).^[28]

Ohisalo was nominated for the chairmanship of the Green League in the pre-election vote among party members before the 2017 Tampere party congress and attracted national attention after coming very close to second place among the six candidates, despite being relatively unknown.^[29] On 18 September 2018, she was appointed as the official vice chairman of the Greens while Touko Aalto was on sick leave.^[30]

Ohisalo was nominated for the parliamentary election in 2019 and became a member of parliament in the constituency of Helsinki. She received 11,797 votes and was the country's seventh most popular female candidate.^[31][32]

In June 2019, the Greens decided to present Ohisalo as their choice for the post of minister of the interior in the Antti Rinne cabinet.^[33]

In June 2019, Ohisalo was elected chairman of the Greens at the party congress in the city of Pori.^[4]

In the 2023 parliamentary election, Ohisalo was re-elected with 6,937 votes.^[34] However, as the Greens suffered an election defeat, Ohisalo announced that she would not seek another term as chairman. In June 2023, she was replaced by Sofia Virta.^[35]

In the European elections 2024, she got elected to the European Parliament, representing the Green League in the Greens/EFA Group.^[36]

Personal life

Ohisalo has played football in FC Kontu and FC Viikingit and has participated in athletics competing for Helsingin Kisa-Veikot.^[37][38] In adulthood, she has won prizes in track cycling.^[39]

Playing video games – including those by Nintendo – has been an important hobby for her. At one time she considered applying for game designer training.^[11]

Ohisalo's spouse is Miika Johansson.^[40] In July 2021, she announced that she was pregnant with their first child.^[41]

Honors

• Order of the White Rose of Finland (Finland, 2022)^[42]

References

1. "CV". Maria Ohisalo. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
2. "Vihreiden yli viiden tunnin kokous päättyi, tässä vihreiden ministerit: Haavisto, Ohisalo ja Mikkonen - Tynkkynen hävisi ministeripaikan vain yhdellä äänellä" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
3. "Tässä ovat Marinin hallituksen ministerit – joukko äänikuningattaria, pikapaluun tekijä, maailman nuorin pääministeri" (in Finnish). Yle. 9 December 2019. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
4. "Maria Ohisalo – parissa kuukaudessa ensin kansanedustajaksi, sitten ministeriksi ja nyt vihreiden puheenjohtajaksi". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 18 June 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
5. "Maria Ohisalo nousemassa vihreiden puheenjohtajaksi: "Kisa oli avoin kaikille ja olen tottunut kisaamaan"" (in Finnish). Yle. 12 May 2019. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
6. Pohjanpalo, Olli (11 April 2013). "Vihreät kohti kahden puheenjohtajan mallia". Helsingin Sanomat. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
7. Lapintie, Lassi (23 November 2013). "Vihreät nuoret valitsivat uudet puheenjohtajat". YLE Uutiset. Archived from the original on 26 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
8. "Yksivuotispäivä turvakodissa – Maria Ohisalo nousi syrjäytymisvaarasta politiikan huipulle". kotiliesi.fi. 14 January 2018. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
9. Ohisalo, Maria. "Curriculum Vitae" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
10. Hujanen, Miikka (27 August 2013). ""Kukaan ei käy leipäjonossa huvin vuoksi"". Helsingin Uutiset. Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
11. "Yksivuotispäivä turvakodissa – Maria Ohisalo nousi syrjäytymisvaarasta politiikan huipulle". Kotiliesi.fi. 14 January 2018. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
12. "Uusi valtuusto on valittu". Yhteiskunta-alan korkeakoulutetut ry. 29 November 2013. Archived from the original on 15 July 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
13. "Tutkijat selvittävät leipäjonojen organisointia Suomessa". Itä-Suomen yliopisto. 12 August 2013. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
14. Ilari Tapio: ”Vihreiden uusi Super-Maria”, Kainuun Sanomat 15 June 2019, s. A8
15. "Seurakuntaneuvoston kokous 09/2011" (PDF). Kallion seurakunta. 13 October 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
16. "Työryhmät 2010-2011 (arkistosivu)". Vihreät De Gröna. Sosiaali- ja terveyspoliittinen työryhmä. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
17. "Nuoret haastoivat Pohjoismaat". Ulkoasiainministeriö. 24 October 2012. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
18. "Ehdokkaiden äänet – Helsinki". Vaalit. 14 June 2013. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
19. "Hallitus". HUS. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
20. "Nuorisolautakunnan jäsenen valinta". Kaupunginvaltuuston pöytäkirja. Helsingin kaupunki. 11 December 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
21. "Valitut - Helsinki". Oikeusministeriö. 13 April 2017. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
22. "Puoluevaltuuskunta 2013–2015". Vihreät De Gröna. Archived from the original on 20 October 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
23. "Vihreiltä nimekäs lista: Kasvi ja Cronberg eurovaaleihin". Uusi Suomi. 29 October 2013. Archived from the original on 15 July 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
24. "Ehdokkaiden äänet – Koko maa". Vaalit. 30 May 2014. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
25. Korkki, Jari (6 June 2015). "Vihreiden uusi varapuheenjohtaja toivoo yhteistyötä perustulosta". Yle Uutiset. Archived from the original on 30 October 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
26. "Ehdokkaiden äänet – Helsingin vaalipiiri". Vaalit. 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 12 April 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
27. "Vihreiden nuorten ja opiskelijoiden liiton puheenjohtaja Maria Ohisalo eduskuntavaaliehdokkaaksi". Vino.fi. 17 June 2014. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
28. "Paavalin seurakunnan uudet luottamushenkilöt". Paavalin seurakunta. 9 November 2014. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
29. "Puheenjohtajavaalin suurimman yllätyksen tarjosi Maria Ohisalo". Vihreä Lanka. 18 June 2017. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
30. "Vihreät: He korvaavat Touko Aallon". Ilta-Sanomat. 18 September 2018. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
31. "Yle vaalikone Mari Ohisalo". Yle. 15 April 2019. Archived from the original on 15 January 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
32. Neihumn, Alec (15 April 2019). "Tässä ovat eduskuntavaalien äänikuninkaat ja äänikuningattaret! Joukossa tutut nimet ja jättiyllättäjä perussuomalaisista". MTV Uutiset. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
33. "Vihreiden yli viiden tunnin kokous päättyi, tässä vihreiden ministerit: Haavisto, Ohisalo ja Mikkonen - Tynkkynen hävisi ministeripaikan vain yhdellä äänellä". Iltalehti. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
34. "Parliamentary Elections 2023: Electoral district of Helsinki". Ministry of Justice. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
35. "Sofia Virrasta vihreiden uusi puheenjohtaja, myös muu puoluejohto uusiksi". Helsingin Sanomat. 10 June 2023. Archived from the original on 7 July 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
36. "De finländska ledamöterna av Europaparlamentet". Europainformationen (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
37. Ohisalo, Maria. "Kuka Maria?". Maria Ohisalon verkkosivut. Archived from the original on 9 December 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
38. "Markus Vilen teki kaksi ikäkausiennätystä". Helsingin Sanomat. 25 August 1998. Archived from the original on 21 August 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
39. Muhonen, Teemy & Luukka, Teemu (18 September 2018). "Vihreiden puheenjohtajan sijaiseksi nouseva Maria Ohisalo ei aio soitella yhtenään Touko Aallolle – "Ei siitä mitään tule"". Helsingin Sanomat. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
40. "Tiesitkö tätä? Vihreiden tulevan puheenjohtajan Maria Ohisalon puoliso on töissä öljy-yhtiössä, joka toimittaa polttoaineita St1:lle, ABC:lle ja Shellille". www.iltalehti.fi. Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
41. "Ohisalo seeks re-election as Green Party chair, announces pregnancy". Yle Uutiset. 7 July 2021. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
42. "Medaljregn inför självständighetsdagen – Sanna Marin, Pekka Haavisto och Björn Wahlroos får utmärkelser". Hufvudstadsbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.

Political offices
Preceded by Kai Mykkänen	Minister of the Interior 2019–2021	Succeeded by Krista Mikkonen
Preceded by Pekka Haavisto	Chairman of the Green League 2019–2023	Succeeded by Sofia Virta