Annika Saarikko

Personal details

Minister of Science and Culture, 6 August 2020 to present, Minister deputising for the Prime Minister, 10 September 2020 to present
Party Leader, Master of Arts, Member of Parliament
Centre Party of Finland
Date and place of birth: 10 November 1983 Oripää
Place of residence: Oripää

Political career

Minister of Science and Culture, 6 August 2020 to present
Minister of Science and Culture (Rinne), 6 June–9 August 2019
Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services (Sipilä), 10 July 2017–6 June 2019

Centre Party, Party Leader 2020-
Centre Party, Deputy Party Leader 2010–2016

Member of Parliament, 2011 to present
Committee work in Social Affairs and Health Committee, Employment and Equality Committee and Grand Committee
Work in Parliament

Turku City Council, Member 2013–2020
Regional Council of Southwest Finland, Assembly, Member 2013–2020

Other work experience and societal responsibilities

Special Adviser to the Prime Minister (Kiviniemi) 2010–2011
Special Adviser to the Minister of Social Affairs and Health (Vanhanen II) 2010
Press Attaché to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development (Vanhanen II) 2009–2010

Church of Finland Ecclesiastical Board, parish elections communications, Project Secretary 2009
Church of Finland Ecclesiastical Board, acting Communications Officer 2008  
Summer Reporter for a local newspaper 2007, 2008
Various fixed-term positions with the Federation of Turku and Kaarina Parishes 2006–2008
Stand-in teacher positions 2002–2008

Tiukula Foundation, Board, Member 2015 to present

Earlier positions of trust in the Board of the Finnish 4H Federation, the Advisory Committee on Mental Health Policy, the Board of the Finnish Slot Machine Association, the HIV Foundation, the Alzheimer Society of Finland,  European Movement in Finland and the UN Association of Finland 

Other information

Spouse: Erkki Papunen
Two children, born in 2014 and 2019
Language skills: Finnish, Swedish and English 
Interests: gardening and outdoor activities, baking, jogging