Foreign Minister Tuomioja most prosperous of Finnish political elite
Erkki Tuomioja
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Almost all Finnish government ministers earned about EUR 125,000 last year. The Prime Minister's annual income is about EUR 30,000 more than that.
Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) has also been the biggest taxpayer in the government, paying more than EUR 75,000 in income tax.
Among government ministers, Transport and Communications Minister Susanna Huovinen (SDP) earned the least last year; at the time she was just an ordinary second-term Member of Parliament, getting just over EUR 63,000 a year.
The wealthiest in the government is the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Erkki Tuomioja (SDP), who owns his own Helsinki home, has a sizeable stock portfolio, and has an inherited holiday home on the shore of Lake Tuusula, and has no outstanding debts. His property holdings have a combined taxation value of EUR 350,000.
Tuomioja is followed by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Juha Korkeaoja (Centre), who jointly owns a farm covering more than 100 hectares with his wife.
Presidential candidates tend to be relatively prosperous. In first place was incumbent President Tarja Halonen, whose holdings were assessed at a taxable value of EUR 243,740 last year.
The value went up last year by more than EUR 40,000. The President's press spokesperson Maria Romantschuk attributes the change to the fact that Halonen has paid off her housing loan.
Romantschuk says that Halonen's holdings include "four and a half apartments" in Helsinki. In addition she has a summer cottage in nearby Karjalohja and a telephone share. Halonen got EUR 594 in capital gains income last year, up from zero in 2003.
Bjarne Kallis, the Presidential candidate of the Christian Democratic Party, has taxable property worth EUR 238,270. Last year he earned EUR 70,000 in capital gains income, up from EUR 22,000 in 2003.
Swedish People's Party candidate Henrik Lax also earns considerable capital income last year - EUR 30,000, comprising rent from his real estate holdings.
National Coalition Party candidate Sauli Niinistö did not have any taxable income in Finland last year, as he officially resides in Luxembourg, where he works as one of the Vice Chairs of the European Investment Bank.
Centre Party candidate, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, has the largest earned income of all of the candidates: last year his job paid him more than EUR 154,000.
More on this subject:
 Fortum execs maintain strong foothold at top of income list
Top income-earners benefited from lower taxes in 2004
Fewer artists among highest earners
Helsingin Sanomat
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