Part-time municipal politicians in Helsinki region earn up to €90,000 a year

A Yle investigation reveals that part-time municipal politicians in the Helsinki region can earn up to €90,000 annually from their roles, with some full-time officials making as much as government ministers.

The highest earners are Helsinki’s full-time mayoral team, receiving between €160,000 and €220,000 a year in salaries and allowances. Mervi Katainen (NCP), the full-time chair of Espoo’s city board, earned €115,700.

Among part-time officials, Henna Partanen (Green), first vice chair of Espoo’s city board, earned nearly €90,000 from municipal and external trustee roles. Ulla Kaukola (SDP), chair of Vantaa’s city board, received €82,000 while also working part-time as a lecturer at Laurea University of Applied Sciences.

Other part-time politicians, such as Vantaa’s first vice chair Mika Kasonen (NCP), balance municipal roles with outside employment—Kasonen works as a part-time senior constable in Helsinki. Sakari Rokkanen (NCP), chair of Vantaa’s council, earned €36,000 in salary plus €34,000 in allowances while employed by the Finnish Construction Industry RT.

The politicians interviewed consider the compensation appropriate given the workload, time constraints, and demands of the roles, which often extend into evenings. Municipal allowances in Helsinki, Espoo, and Vantaa have nearly doubled since the early 2000s, though the sharpest increases have leveled off.

Yle’s analysis covers salaries, meeting fees, monthly allowances, and reimbursements for the 2025–2026 term, totaling roughly €8 million across the three cities. Party taxes, which can exceed 20%, are deducted from the payments.