Markku Lumio receives honorary title despite past allegations

Markku Lumio, the mayor of Kaskinen, received the honorary title of city councillor in May 2026, despite allegations of inappropriate conduct towards women in Kauhava having already been made public, Yle reports.

Lumio has resigned from his mayoral positions in Vaasa in 2011 and Kauhava in 2022 because of a loss of confidence. New allegations concerning women have since emerged in Kaskinen, where he is currently mayor. Lumio has declined to comment to Yle on the honorary title.

Several women told Yle in 2022 that Lumio had behaved inappropriately while he was mayor of Kauhava. The city began preparing for his dismissal, but Lumio resigned himself because of the loss of confidence.

At the time the honorary title was sought, reports were also known about events in Vaasa in the early 2000s. Lumio resigned as Vaasa’s mayor in 2011 because of a loss of confidence.

After leaving Kauhava, Lumio was appointed mayor of Kaskinen in late 2022. The latest allegations concerning his conduct in Kaskinen were not known when the honorary title was applied for or granted. Lumio has denied the allegations.

Last Tuesday, Kaskinen’s city government issued Lumio a reprimand for inappropriate conduct. A criminal report has also been filed over his actions in Kaskinen, and police have begun a preliminary inquiry.

City and arts foundation submitted application

Kaskinen and the Kuntsi Foundation, which operates in the arts sector, applied for the honorary title in late 2024. Kaskinen’s city government decided to apply for the title on September 16, 2024.

The Kuntsi Foundation submitted its application just over a month later. Lumio is the foundation’s chairperson, but he recused himself when the application was discussed at a meeting.

The applicants cited Lumio’s long and varied career in local government and his successful performance of positions of trust.

Jan-Anders Lundenius, chairperson of Kaskinen’s city government, said that Lumio’s previous allegations were not discussed during the application process.

Asked whether the allegations of harassment in Kauhava and suspected official offences in Vaasa had been considered, Lundenius said there had been no discussion of them on the city’s part because they were history.

Asked whether Lumio met the requirement of being beyond reproach when the application was submitted, Lundenius said he did not know enough about the matters to comment.

Kaskinen agreed to pay the taxes arising from the honorary title. The tax increased at the beginning of 2026, and the title of city councillor costs 7,000 euros. The tax is charged on the open letter through which the president of the republic grants the title.

Six people and organisations supported the application

Two individuals and four organisations supported the honorary title for Lumio.

The individuals were Paula Risikko, the first deputy speaker of Parliament and a National Coalition Party MP for the Vaasa electoral district, and Heikki Kouhi, a Vaasa-based long-serving National Coalition Party politician who also holds the title of city councillor.

Risikko gave her recommendation to the applicants on December 10, 2024. She told Yle that the process had begun a long time earlier and that she had previously promised to support the application.

Risikko said she understood that Lumio had not been convicted of anything. Lumio has not been convicted of the suspected official offences in Vaasa or the harassment allegations in Kauhava.

Kouhi did not want to comment on the matter.

The cities of Vaasa and Jyväskylä also supported Lumio’s honorary title. Their endorsements were signed by mayors Tomas Häyry and Timo Koivisto. Häyry said Vaasa supported the application because of Lumio’s long career in local government.