Aino-Kaisa Pekonen

Aino-Kaisa Pekonen is Finland’s Minister of Social Affairs and Health. She has served as Member of Parliament since 2011, focusing in particular on questions regarding social and health policy. Pekonen is a trained Practical Nurse for Social and Health Care and she used to work as a housing counsellor and practical nurse before being elected as Member of Parliament. She has served as Vice-Chair of the Left Alliance and chaired the party’s Parliamentary Group. Pekonen has also been active in many civil society tasks, for example as Chair of the Board of the HIV Foundation.