Päivi Räsänen

Päivi Räsänen Maria ( born December 19, 1959 in Sonkajärvi ) is a Finnish politician of the Christian Democrats (KD) and since June 22, 2011 Minister of the Interior of their country.

Education and Family

Päivi Räsänen graduated in medicine in 1984 and put the state exam. Afterwards she worked as an internist and occupational medicine. Räsänen is married to Pastor Niilo Räsänen and has five children. She lives in Riihimäki

Policy

She began her political career in 1995 with the election of deputies to the Reichstag, elected in the constituency of Häme. From 1995 to March 2003 she was Deputy Group Chairman and then until October 2004 parliamentary leader. On 6 October 2004 she was elected as the successor of Bjarne Kallis to KD party chairman.

In 2010 she told the Finnish television that " gay marriage according to the Bible compatible with the Christian faith not be" and " same-sex couples generally bad parents " are. In response occurred within a short time from 34,000 members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

After the general election in 2011 was Räsänen Interior Minister Katainen 's cabinet. In addition, she received the responsibility for church affairs in the education and culture ministry.