Jenni Haukio

Finnish poet and first lady of Finland (born 1977)

Jenni Haukio
Haukio in 2015

Spouse of the President of Finland
In role 1 March 2012 – 1 March 2024
President	Sauli Niinistö
Preceded by	Pentti Arajärvi
Succeeded by	Suzanne Innes-Stubb

Personal details
Born	Jenni Elina Haukio (1977-04-07) 7 April 1977 (age 47) Pori, Finland
Spouse	Sauli Niinistö (m. 2009)
Children	1
Alma mater	University of Turku (M.Soc.Sc.) University of Helsinki (D.Soc.Sc.)
Occupation	Poet

Jenni Elina Haukio (born 7 April 1977) is a Finnish poet, political scientist and the spouse of the president of Finland^[1] from 2012 to 2024. She is the second wife of the former president of Finland, Sauli Niinistö.

Career

Haukio graduated from the University of Turku with a master of political sciences degree in 2001.^[2] She completed her political science doctoral thesis on the digitisation of party campaigns at the University of Helsinki in 2022.^[3]

She worked at the University of Turku, first as a research assistant and then as a communications officer. From 2003 to 2005, she was a parliamentary assistant, and from 2005 to 2012 she worked for the National Coalition Party. Since February 2012, Haukio has been the programme manager for the Turku Book Fair.^[4]

Haukio has published three poetry collections. The first one won a national debut poet contest, Runo-Kaarina, in 1999.^[4]

Personal life

Haukio met Sauli Niinistö, then a widower, in 2005, while she was working for the National Coalition Party. Haukio interviewed Niinistö for the party's Nykypäivä magazine.^[5] They later became a couple, but they kept their relationship a secret from the public until their marriage on 3 January 2009.^[6] Their first child, a son named Aaro Veli Väinämö Niinistö, was born on 2 February 2018.^[1]^[7]

Honours

Finnish decorations

Finland: Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland

Foreign decorations

Denmark: Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog (April 2013)^[8]
Estonia: First Class of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (May 2014)^[9]
France: Grand Cross of the Order of National Merit (July 2013)^{[citation needed]}
Germany: Grand Cross 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (September 2018)^{[citation needed]}
Iceland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon (May 2018)^[10]
Italy: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (23 October 2023)
Latvia: Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Three Stars (October 2013)^[11]
Luxembourg: Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau (May 2016)^{[citation needed]}
Norway: Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (October 2012)^{[citation needed]}
Poland: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (March 2015)^[12]
Sweden:
- Member Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star (April 2012)^{[citation needed]}
- Recipient of the 70th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf (30 April 2016)^{[citation needed]}
- Recipient of the Golden Jubilee Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf (15 September 2023)^{[citation needed]}

References

^ ^a ^b Simola, Inka (9 October 2017). "Some sekosi Sauli Niinistön ja Jenni Haukion lapsiuutisesta: "Tätä olemme hiljaa odottaneet"". Me Naiset. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
^ "Jenni Haukio, spouse of the President of the Republic — The President of the Republic of Finland: Spouse: Biography". Tpk.fi. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
^ "First lady to defend doctoral thesis". Yle.fi. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Biography of Jenni Haukio". Presidentti. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
^ "Sauli Niinistön ja Jenni Haukion rakkaustarina: Suhde pysyi vuosia salassa". Ilta-Sanomat. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
^ "Niinistö yllätti kokoomuslaiset "housut kintuissa"". UusiSuomi.fi.
^ "Baby Announcement for President and First Lady". News Now Finland. 9 October 2017. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
^ "Modtagere af danske dekorationer". kongehuset.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 29 May 2023.
^ "Jenni Haukio". president.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 29 May 2023.
^ "Orðuhafaskrá". Forseti.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 29 May 2023.
^ "Ar Triju Zvaigžņu ordeni apbalvoto personu reģistrs apbalvošanas secībā, sākot no 2004. gada 1.oktobra" (DOC) (in Latvian). p. 11. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
^ Monitor Polski z 2015 r. poz. 455 Archived 26 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine – point 2. (in Polish)