Ilkka Kanerva

Who is Ilkka Kanerva?

Ilkka Armas Mikael Kanerva is a member of the Finnish Parliament as member of the National Coalition Party. He was born in Lokalahti, now a part of Uusikaupunki in Finland Proper. He was the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2007 to 2008. National Coalition Party announced the resignation of Ilkka Kanerva on April 1, 2008 due to a scandal involving hundreds of sexually suggestive text messages he sent to the erotic dancer Johanna Tukiainen from his work mobile phone. Kanerva left for a sick leave on 1 April, and his term officially ended on 4 April 2008. He resigned as foreign minister in 2008 amid a scandal over salacious text messages sent to a stripper from his work phone.

Kanerva is a member of the National Coalition Party. He graduated with a master's degree in Political Science from the University of Turku in 1980. Kanerva was leader of the political youth organisation Kokoomuksen Nuorten Liitto ry. 1972-1976 and was first elected to the Finnish Parliament in 1975. As of 2011 he is the longest standing Member of Parliament.

Kanerva had an active and controversial KGB relationship during the Cold War.

As Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kanerva was the Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe for 2008.