Tarja Halonen

Tarja Kaarina Halonen (Template:IPA-fi; born 24 December 1943) is the 11th an current Preses o Finland. The first female tae hauld the office, Halonen haed previously been a member o the parliament frae 1979 tae 2000 when she resigned efter her election tae the presidency. In addition tae her poleetical career she haed a lang an extensive career in trade unions an different non-govrenmental organizations.

Halonen is a graduate o the University o Helsinki, where she studied law frae 1963 tae 1968. She wis active in student politics an served as the Social Affairs Secretary an Organization Secretary o the Naitional Union o Students frae 1969 tae 1970. In 1971 she joined the Social Democratic Pairty an wirked as a lawyer in the Central Organisation o Finnish Trade Unions till she wis electit tae parliament in 1979.

Halonen served in the parliament o Finland for sax terms, frae 1979 tae 2000, representin the constituency o Helsinki. She an aa haed a lang career in the ceety cooncil o Helsinki, servin there frae 1977 tae 1996. She stairtit her campaign for the presidency at the beginnin o 1999 efter Preses Martti Ahtisaari announced that he wad no staund for a seicont term in the office. She easily wan her pairty's nomination, an eventually got 40% o the votes in the first round o the presidential elections, an 51.6% in the seicont, thus defeatin the Centre Pairty's Esko Aho an becomin the 11t preses o Finland.

Durin the time o her presidency she haes been extremely popular amang Finns: her appruival ratins rose an reached a peak o 88% in December 2003. Even though her ratins wur so guid, she wis no re-electit in the first round in the next presidential elections in 2006. She beat Naitional Coalition Pairty candidate Sauli Niinistö in the seicont round bi 51.8% against 48.2%.