Anne Holmlund

Holmlund has been a member of the city council of Ulvila since 1989, and the council chairman 2001-2002 and 2005–2007. She was a member of the kaupunginhallitus 1993-2000 and the vice-chairman 2003–2004. She has been a Member of Parliament for the National Coalition Party since 2002. On 19 April 2007 she was chosen to be Interior Minister in Matti Vanhanen's second cabinet.^[2]

After the Kauhajoki school shooting in September 2008 Holmlund came under considerable pressure from some members of parliament, particularly those in the Left Alliance,^[3] to quit for failing to change legislation in order to prevent the shooting.^[4] A similar event in Jokela had taken place barely a year earlier. Leading the call for her deposition was Anneli Lapintie; Tarja Filatov, parliamentary group leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP) also questioned the government over what it had done since the Jokela incident.^[5] Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen issued his full support to Holmlund.^[5] A survey by pollster Taloustutkimus for YLE showed that dissension towards Holmlund was not widespread: only a quarter of members from smaller parties felt she should step down, only 10% of SDP members (with 80% supporting her to stay on), and 90% of the government's partners wanted her to hold on to her ministry. Amongst the population, 82% felt she should continue.^[3] Holmlund herself stated at a news conference that resignation "would be tantamount to desertion".^[6]

Holmlund is married to Jarmo Peltomaa, and her father was Ilmari Holmlund, a known politician from Pori.^[2]