Christian Democrats’ presidential candidate Sari Essayah before MTV’s presidential election debate in Helsinki on December 13, 2023. LEHTIKUVA
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Presidential campaign slogan: The best for Finland
Sari Miriam Essayah, is a Finnish politician and the president of Christian Democrats party, born on 21 February 1967 in Haukivuori. She is currently serving as the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. Her multifaceted career has seen her excel as a racewalker, secure significant political positions, and contribute to various causes.
Early Life:
Before entering politics, Essayah gained prominence as a racewalker, specializing in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters categories. She secured the World Championship in 1993 and the European Championship in 1994 in the 10,000 meters event.
Essayah’s commitment to sports led her to join the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2016. Additionally, she assumed a role on the Ethics Committee for the Finnish Athletics Association in 2014.
Essayah holds an economics degree and has contributed her expertise in roles like accounting manager and auditor.
Political journey:
Essayah began her political journey, representing the Christian Democrats in the Finnish parliament in 2003 and later serving as party secretary. Despite a setback in 2007, she continued in politics, reaching the European Parliament in 2009. Sari worked as a member of the European Parliament from 2009-2014.
In 2012, her presidential candidacy marked a significant step. In 2015, she secured a parliamentary seat and became vice speaker. Elected party chair in 2019, Essayah added another dimension to her career in June 2023, becoming the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry in the Orpo Cabinet, aligning with her party’s emphasis on the sector.
Presidential elections 2024:
On August 27, 2023, Essayah took on a new challenge by accepting the Christian Democrats’ nomination as the presidential candidate for the 2024 Finnish presidential election.
As a presidential candidate, Essayah envisions Finland with a sustainable value base, prioritizing safety, crisis resilience, and international cooperation. Apart from the focus on national defence, multilateral collaboration, and NATO membership, Essayah believes that ensuring self-sufficiency, particularly in agriculture and bioeconomy, is crucial for security. In addition to this, Essayah advocates collaboration with Nordic countries, establishing a common arctic center, and contributing to nuclear deterrence training and planning, while refraining from deploying the weapons on soil, to enhance preparedness of Finland against geopolitical threats.
Sari Essayah aims to promote the coexistence of ecological sustainability and economic growth via circular economy solutions, fostering Finnish competitiveness, job creation, and business. Advocating for circular practices in agriculture, forestry, fish farming, and recycling, she has highlighted boosting self-sufficiency, benefit nature, enhance processing efficiency, and ensure sustainable re
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
