Sakari Tuomioja

Sakari Severi Tuomioja (August 29, 1911, Tampere — September 9, 1964, Helsinki) was a Finnish politician ("Edistyspuolue"), diplomat, Prime Minister of Finland during the caretaker government which was formed in 1953. Tuomioja was also the Finnish ambassador to Sweden and to the UK.

Sakari Tuomioja was married to Vappu Illike Tuomioja (née "Wuolijoki"), daughter of Estonian-born writer Hella Wuolijoki. They had two children, Tuuli and Erkki (former foreign minister of Finland). During the Continuation War, Tuomioja joined the so-called Peace opposition (as one of the few of "Edistyspuolue" members). After the war, his faction lost the power struggle within the "Edistyspuolue", and Tuomioja's supporters were invited to join the pro-communist umbrella organisation Finnish People's Democratic League (!), an offer, which was rejected. [Erkki Tuomioja, "A delicate Shade of Pink."]

Later, Sakari Tuomioja was a UN agent at the Cyprus dispute in 1963. Before Cyprus, Tuomioja was United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's general secretary from 1957 to 1960. Tuomioja was the presidential candidate of the Kokoomus party and liberals at the 1956 elections. Tuomioja was the first Finn to be a member of the Bilderberg group.

Career

*1944–1945 – Finance minister in Juho Kusti Paasikivi's second government.
*1945–1955 – Head of the Bank of Finland.
*1953 – Prime Minister of Finland during the caretaker government.
*1955–1957 – Finland's ambassador to London.
*1957–1960 – UN Europe's economy department's general secretary.
*1960–1964 – Finland's ambassador to Stockholm.

References