Henna Hopia | Kuntavaaliehdokas 2025

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Henna Hopia

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HENNA

HOPIA

A candidate for the
Helsinki City Council

Kokoomus -logo
Hennan vaalikuva

HENNA

HOPIA

A candidate for the
Helsinki City Council

Kokoomus -logo

A candidate for the Helsinki City Council in the municipal elections on 13.4.2025 with the Kokoomus party.

My name is Henna Hopia and I am a candidate for the Helsinki City Council in the municipal elections on 13.4.2025 with the Kokoomus party.

You can check from here are you allowed to vote, and how to vote: Voting in municipal elections – Rights and obligations – Suomi.fi

I am a 45-year-old communications entrepreneur, mother of two, a senior lieutenant in the Finnish Army, and Bachelor of Social Sciences (International Relations). I live in Pikku Huopalahti, Helsinki, with my family.

My goals for Helsinki are:

  • A secure and safe capital that is prepared for all crises
  • A great hometown for children and youth, with good schools and safe streets
  • A business-friendly metropole, with opportunities for entrepreneurs and all people

In my professional life, I work in strategic communications and political influencing with my husband in our own company, which we have had for almost a decade. I have over 20 years of experience in politics in Finland and also Brussels, where I lived for 6 years.

Testimonial

”Henna – a mother, a writer and a soldier. She combines all the qualities Finland is famour for: Values, creativity and resilience. If I could vote in Helsinki, she’d have my vote!”

– Roland Freudenstein, Brussels based policy analyst

suositus-roland-min

My Election Themes

A Prepared and Safe Capital
  • Helsinki must ensure its security and prepare wisely. We need to prepare for all crises, protect critical infrastructure and our civilian population, guarantee supply security, and ensure climate resilience. Safety and security must be taken into account in all decision-making.
  • This also means everyday security. Are the streets plowed and gritted? Is the bus running on time? Can one access medical care easily? Is the school route safe? Can one feel safe walking in the park at night? The answer to these questions must be yes!
  • A strong economy brings security. The city’s finances must be well managed.
  • Adults are responsible for children. We must end school bullying and the spread of drugs, and we need to eradicate crime.
  • We need to prevent young people drifting to gangs. We should listen more and offer the youth good hobbies and activities, also for families with low incomes. School facilities should be more extensively used for communal activities and hobbies.
  • Help for youth with substance abuse and mental health problems must be genuinely accessible. The whole family needs to be supported as a unit. For young immigrants and those who find it difficult to find employment, we must increase incentives and opportunities to enter the workforce.
  • The city should be for the people, not the people for the administration.
  • More opportunities must be provided for businesses, for example, through public procurement. By being business-friendly, we can grow into a truly European metropolis.
  • We must keep our businesses in Helsinki! Let’s listen the needs of the entrepreneurs – they bring vitality, growth, services, and jobs to our city.

Henna

I am running for office in Helsinki for the first time, but I am already a veteran in political activity. I have nearly 25 years of experience in politics, influencing, and communication, both domestically and from Brussels.

I feel that I have received a lot in life. As a younger person, I held several positions of trust. Then my time was occupied by moving abroad, starting our business and family. I have accumulated life experience and expertise that I can draw upon for decision-making. My diverse societal roles and
six years of working abroad have broadened my perspective. Now, after a long break, I am seeking political positions again. I have a lot to offer as a decision-maker, especially during such uncertain times — that’s why I am stepping up now!

For nearly a decade, I have run a strategic communications consultancy with my husband, located right next to the Parliament of Finland. Previously, I have worked as a political advisor in the very same Finnish Parliament, and also the European Parliament. In my Brussels years I worked also as an EU/NATO journalist, in various positions in political think tanks. I have also worked for the Finnish Business and Policy Forum as their communications manager. I have written extensively, particularly on security policy, but also on broader topics including politics and the EU.

As a young adult I conducted a 12-month military service (voluntary for women) in the Jaeger Brigade in Lapland, and afterwards I have been in numerous rehearsals and courses in the reserves corps, also as an instructor. My rank is currently senior lieutenant in the Finnish Army. I am actively involved in NATO activities (mainly Host Nation Support), and also civil protection and preparedness in the Helsinki capital region.

I hold a Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Tampere, majoring in International Relations. I also studied e.g. strategy and security policy at the National Defence University.

I have two young children and also two wonderful adult stepchildren. I live with my family in Pikku
Huopalahti, Helsinki. My hobbies include oriental dance and karate. Some might say that my interests, like perhaps
myself in general, combine both soft and tougher elements. I see this as an advantage in politics, where I believe both a warm heart and a firm hand are necessary.