Li Sigrid Andersson (born 13 May 1987) is a Finno-Swedish politician who served as Minister of Education from 2019 to 2023. A former leader of the Left Alliance, she was a Member of Parliament from 2015 to 2024. She is also a city councillor of Turku and was chair of the party's youth wing, Left Youth.
Education
Andersson graduated from Åbo Akademi University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Social Science in international law, specializing in international human rights law and refugee law, with an academic minor in Russian language and culture.
Political career
In the parliamentary elections of 2015 Andersson was elected with the highest number of personal votes in Varsinais-Suomi (with 17 seats). Candidates in the district included the chairmen of the National Coalition Party and the Green League. In the 2017 municipal elections, she got the most votes of any candidate outside of Helsinki placing sixth, nationally.
In February 2016, Andersson announced running for Left Alliance chair. On 6 June 2016, she received 3,913 (61.85%) votes in an unofficial poll between the party members, after which the other candidates withdrew from the running, leaving her the only remaining candidate. The decision was confirmed on 11 June 2016 at the Left Alliance party meeting in Oulu.
After the 2019 parliamentary election, in which the Left Alliance gained four seats for a total of 16 (out of 200) the party joined the SDP-led Rinne Cabinet. Andersson became Minister of Education. She temporarily left her ministerial post in December 2020 to go on maternity leave.
In September 2023, Andersson announced her candidacy for the 2024 Finnish presidential election. In the election, she received 4.88% of the total vote count and failed to advance to the second round of voting.
On 5 March 2024, Andersson announced that she will relinquish Left Alliance leadership to run as a candidate in the European parliamentary elections.
On 9 June 2024, in the 2024 European Parliament election in Finland, Andersson received more votes (247,604) than any other candidate had ever received in a European Parliament election in Finland. In July 2024, she was nominated and elected to chair the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, EMPL.
Views
In terms of foreign policy, she advocates for Finland to follow a Nordic policy line within NATO, promoting deeper cooperation within the alliance while adhering to principles such as the rejection of permanent NATO military bases, installations and nuclear weapons on Finland's soil. Andersson criticized the Sipilä Cabinet's approach to internal devaluation, which she believes has led to declining wages and challenges for low-income earners.
Personal life
Li Andersson cohabits with former ice-hockey player Juha Pursiainen in Turku. She gave birth to their first child, a daughter, in January 2021. Andersson belongs to the Swedish-speaking Finn national minority.
Honors
- Order of the White Rose of Finland (Finland, 2022)
Electoral history
Municipal elections
Parliamentary elections
European Parliament elections
Source:
References
Further reading
- Opening speech at the Future of the Arctic climate-seminar. Blog post on Li Andersson's website. Published 9 September 2017.
- Where Next for Finland’s Welfare State?. Interview with Li Andersson by Jacobin. Published 21 December 2017.
- Andersson calls for a new, more comprehensive basic income trial. Helsinki Times. Published 19 March 2019.
External links
- Official website
