Biography
Tarja Kaarina Halonen (pronounced [ˈtɑrjɑ ˈkɑːrinɑ ˈhɑlonen] ; born 24 December 1943) is a Finnish politician who served as the 11th president of Finland, and the first woman to hold the position, from 2000 to 2012. She first rose to prominence as a lawyer with the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), and as the Prime Minister's parliamentary secretary (1974–1975) and a member of the City Council of Helsinki (1977–1996). Halonen was a Social Democratic Party member of parliament from 1979 until her election to the presidency in 2000. She also served as a minister at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health from 1987 to 1990, as Minister of Justice from 1990 to 1991, and as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 2000.
Halonen was an extremely popular president, with her approval ratings reaching a peak of 88 percent in December 2003. She was re-elected in 2006, defeating National Coalition Party candidate Sauli Niinistö in the second round by 51% to 48%. Ineligible to run in the 2012 presidential elections because of term limits, Halonen left office on 1 March 2012 and was succeeded by Niinistö.
Widely known for her interest in human rights issues, Halonen served as the chairperson of the Finnish LGBT rights organization Seta in the 1980s, and she actively participated in the discussion of issues such as women's rights and the problems of globalization during her presidency. In 2006, she was mentioned by various commentators as a potential candidate for the United Nations Secretary-General selection, but she denied an interest at that time, stating that she wanted to finish her term as president before thinking about other career options. In 2009, Forbes named her among the 100 most powerful women in the world.Halonen is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders, an international network of current and former women presidents and prime ministers whose mission is to mobilize the highest-level women leaders globally for collective action on issues of critical importance to women and equitable development.
Since the death of Martti Ahtisaari in 2023, Halonen is currently the oldest as well as the only living former president of Finland.
Filmography
all 9
Movies 8
self 8
TV Shows 1
Tulevaisuuden rakentajat (2021)
Finland from East to West (2017)
Pyhä (2017)
Pitääkö olla huolissaan? (2016)
Promised Land of Heavy Metal (2008)
Information
Known ForActing
GenderFemale
Birthday1943-12-24 (80 years old)
Birth NameTarja Kaarina Halonen
Birth PlaceHelsinki, Finland
ReligionLutheranism
SpousePentti Arajärvi
ChildrenAnna Halonen
CitizenshipsFinland
AwardsMedal of merit with clasp of customs service, Cross of merit with clasp of Reservists' association, Grand Cross of the Order of the Orthodox Crusaders of the Holy Sepulchre, Medal of Merit of the Association of Voluntary Defence Guilds, Order of General José Dolores, Grand Cross of the National Order of Benin, Collar of the Order of Merit, Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Liberty, honorary doctor of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, Honorary doctorate of Umeå University, Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of Finland, Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Three Stars, Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross, Medal for Military Merits, Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class, Grand Cross of the National Order of the Lion, Commander of the Order of the White Rose of Finland, Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the White Rose of Finland, Order of the White Star, 1st Class, Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Falcon, Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross, Grand Cross of the Order of Honour, Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer, Order of the Polar Star - Commander's Grand Cross, Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau, Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry, Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania, Decoration for Exceptional Merits, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon, Grand Star of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria, Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown, Order of Independence, Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold, Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav, Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George, Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great, Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur, Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, Order of the Pioneers of Liberia, Royal Order of the Seraphim, Pushkin Medal, Cross of Recognition, Order of the Golden Eagle, Order of Abdulaziz al Saud, Order of King Abdulaziz al Saud, Order of the White Eagle, Order of the Elephant, Grand Cross with Chain of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (civil), Grand Order of King Tomislav, Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
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Tarja Halonen- Filmography
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