Mikkel Antte Iisakki Näkkäläjärvi (born 19 June 1990 in Inari) is the Party Secretary of the SDP. He served as the chairman of the Social Democratic Youth from 2016 until 2020 and is the second vice-chairman of the Rovaniemi City Council. Since spring 2020, he has been working as the regional manager of Northern Finland for the service sector trade union PAM.
Mikkel Antte Iisakki Näkkäläjärvi | |
|---|---|
 Näkkäläjärvi in 2023 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 June 1990 Inari, Finland |
| Political party | SDP |
| Education | University of Lapland |
Näkkäläjärvi has served as Vice President of the Finnish Association of Student Unions and as President of the Nordic and Baltic Social Democratic Youth.
Political career
editNäkkäläjärvi was named Finland's UN Youth Delegate 2015. Näkkäläjärvi was the SDP's parliamentary candidate in the Lapland constituency in the 2015 parliamentary election. He received 640 votes and was not elected.[1]
He was elected President of the Social Democratic Youth at the 2016 Federal Assembly.[2] He was re-elected for another term at the 2018 Federal Assembly.[3] At the 2020 Federal Assembly, Näkkäläjärvi did not seek another term.[4]
In the 2017 municipal elections, Näkkäläjärvi was elected as a first-time candidate to Rovaniemi City Council with 335 votes.[5][6] In the 2021 municipal elections, Näkkäläjärvi was elected for a further term to Rovaniemi City Council with 344 votes.[7]
In the 2019 European Parliament election, Näkkäläjärvi received 10,761 votes and was not elected.[8] During the early voting period, a controversy arose when it was revealed that he had previously been convicted of animal welfare offences and drink-driving.
In the 2023 parliamentary election, Näkkäläjärvi was the SDP candidate in the Lapland constituency. He received 3,853 votes, which was enough for a seat as a deputy member of parliament. He was elected as the Party Secretary of the SDP in September 2023.[9]
Personal life
editNäkkäläjärvi is originally from Inari and lives in Rovaniemi with his wife and two children. He has a master's degree in Administrative Sciences from the University of Lapland. He previously studied mechanical and production engineering in Vaasa. Näkkäläjärvi's father is a North Sami. Näkkäläjärvi is a reindeer herder.[10]
Helsingin Sanomat published a report on the candidates' criminal convictions before the 2019 EU elections. Näkkäläjärvi was not mentioned by name in the article, but he said he was the Social Democrat candidate mentioned in the article. He said his actions were the worst mistakes of his young life.[11]
Criminal convictions
editNäkkäläjärvi was fined in 2006 for animal protection offences, trespassing and criminal damage as a result of breaking in to a cabin and killing several cats and burning them in bonfire.[12] In 2011, he was convicted of aggravated drunk driving and endangering traffic safety, and sentenced to 30 days suspended imprisonment and an additional fine.[13] Näkkäläjärvi had used a form to declare that he had informed the party of the possible conviction when he stood as a candidate. However, he had not done so.[14]
References
edit- ^ "Lapin vaalipiiri" (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Rovaniemeläinen Mikkel Näkkäläjärvi Demarinuorten uudeksi puheenjohtajaksi" (in Finnish). 28 May 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Nouseva tähti Näkkäläjärvi jatkaa Demarinuorten johdossa" (in Finnish). 9 June 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Mikkel Näkkäläjärvi ei hae jatkokautta Demarinuorten puheenjohtajana – "Valtakunnan- ja EU-politiikka kiinnostavat työympäristöinä"" (in Finnish). 4 December 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Valitut" (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Rovaniemi - Kuntavaalit 2017 - Vaalien tulospalvelu" (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Yle - Tulospalvelu - Rovaniemi - Lapin vaalipiiri - Kuntavaalit 2021" (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Koko maa" (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "The Sdp chose Lappish Mikkel Näkkäläjärvi as its party secretary — Won with clear figures: "Warm thanks for my choice for the important task of the popular movement"". Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Poronomistaja Mikkel Näkkäläjärvi johtaa demarinuoria – "Mie oon saamelainen ja koen vahvasti olevani myös suomalainen"" (in Finnish). 29 December 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ Nuttila, Sakari (19 May 2019). "Eurovaaliehdokas Mikkel Näkkäläjärvi tunnustaa nuoruuden rikokset: löi kissaa, sammui rattiin ja ajoi metsään – "Olin todella hukassa"" (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Nuorisojoukko tappoi raa asti kissoja Inarissa" (in Finnish). 11 June 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ Ervasti, Anu-Elina (19 May 2019). "Sdp:n eurovaaliehdokas Mikkel Näkkäläjärvi kertoi lyöneensä kissaa ja ajaneensa humalassa" (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ Nieminen, Iiro Matti (20 May 2019). "Sdp:n Näkkäläjärvi valehteli puolueelle: Eurovaaliehdokas allekirjoitti paperin, jossa vakuutti kertoneensa mahdollisesta tuomiosta" (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 September 2023.