Anna-Kaisa Ikonen joins Pirkanmaa candidates for 2027 election

Minister for Municipal and Regional Affairs Anna-Kaisa Ikonen will run in Finland’s 2027 parliamentary election, Yle reports. Ikonen, a member of the National Coalition Party, is a former mayor of Tampere.

At least 14 current members of parliament from the Pirkanmaa region have now been announced as candidates for the election, which will be held in April 2027.

The National Coalition Party has also nominated MPs Aleksi Jäntti and Pauli Kiuru. MPs Arto Satonen and Sofia Vikman have not said whether they will run.

Nearly all Finns Party MPs to run

Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto of the Finns Party said in the spring that he would seek another term as an MP.

The party has also nominated current MPs Miko Bergbom, Joakim Vigelius and Veijo Niemi. Sami Savio is the only Finns Party MP from Pirkanmaa who has not announced a candidacy.

Changes among Social Democrats

All current Social Democratic MPs from Pirkanmaa are, according to the current information, candidates for next spring’s election. The party has nominated Marko Asell, Lauri Lyly and Pia Viitanen.

Sanna Marin, who was elected in the previous parliamentary election, left parliament soon after the election in autumn 2023. Ilmari Nurminen also left parliament after becoming mayor of Tampere following last year’s municipal elections. Neither has commented on whether they will seek candidacy in the upcoming parliamentary election.

Their replacements in parliament, Social Democratic MPs Lotta Hamari and Hanna Laine-Nousimaa, will run in the next election.

Ville Merinen, a Social Democratic MP elected from Pirkanmaa, has not announced his candidacy. He moved from Pirkkala to Helsinki and stood as a candidate in the Helsinki constituency in last year’s municipal elections.

Parliamentary election candidates may stand in any constituency regardless of where they live.

Two sole party MPs to run

Oras Tynkkynen, Pirkanmaa’s only Green MP, will run again. Centre Party MP Jouni Ovaska will also seek re-election.

Left Alliance MP Anna Kontula has announced that she will leave parliament. Sari Tanus of the Christian Democratic Party has not announced whether she will run.

The final candidate lists will be confirmed in March. The parliamentary election will take place in April 2027.