Ilkka Kanerva, Date of Birth, Place of Birth
TweetIlkka Kanerva
Finnish politician
Date of Birth: 28-Jan-1948
Place of Birth: Uusikaupunki, South-Western Finland Regional State Administrative Agency, Finland
Profession: politician, diplomat
Nationality: Finland
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius 
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About Ilkka Kanerva
- Ilkka Armas Mikael Kanerva (born 28 January 1948) is a Finnish politician and a member of the Parliament of Finland.
- He was born in Lokalahti, now a part of Uusikaupunki in Southwest Finland.
- He was the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2007 to 2008.Kanerva is a member of the National Coalition Party.
- He graduated with a master's degree in Political Science from the University of Turku in 1980.
- Kanerva was leader of the political youth organisation Kokoomuksen Nuorten Liitto ry.
- from 1972 to 1976 and was first elected to the Finnish Parliament in 1975.
- As of 2011 he is the longest standing Member of Parliament. He has a rich experience in the Finnish national politics.
- During his public career, he has served as Minister for Foreign Affairs (2007-2008), Deputy Prime Minister (1991), Minister of Labour (1991-1995) and Minister of Transport (1990-1991).
- During the Finnish OSCE Chairmanship in 2008, Kanerva was the Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe for 2008.
- In 2014 he was elected president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE.
- Currently Kanerva serves as Emeritus President and Special Representative on Mediation of Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE.The National Coalition Party announced the resignation of Ilkka Kanerva from the post of the Foreign Minister on 1 April 2008 due to a scandal involving hundreds of sexually suggestive text messages he sent to the erotic dancer, Johanna Tukiainen, from his work mobile phone.
- Kanerva left for a sick leave on 1 April, and his term officially ended on 4 April 2008.Kanerva has a long career in athletics and, at an early age, he was actively practising track and field himself.
- From 1981 to 1982 and from 1989 to 1990 he held the chair in the Finnish Athletics' National Assembly.
- Kanerva served as Vice-President of Finnish Athletics, a post he held for 15 consecutive years until the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, where he was also the President of Local Organizing Committee.
- Currently Kanerva serves as Honorary Chair of the Finnish Athletics Federation.
- Kanerva also served as Vice-President of the Finnish Olympic Committee from 1993 to 2008.
- Additionally, Kanerva was a council member of the International Association of the Athletics Federations (IAAF) 2003-2011.
- He was a Member of the EAA Council from 1999 to 2003.
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