Annika Saarikko

Annika Virpi Irene Saarikko (born 10 November 1983 in Oripää, Finland) is a Finnish politician and minister. On 5 September 2020, she was elected as the leader of the Finnish Centre Party.
Saarikko has a bachelor's degree of media studies from the University of Turku.
On 14 June 2010, she was elected to the vice chair of the Centre Party. She was elected to the Parliament of Finland in 2011 Finnish parliamentary election. From 10 July 2017 to 6 June 2019 Saarikko was the minister of family affairs and social services. On 6 June 2019 she was appointed as minister of science and culture. Saarikko took maternity leave on 9 August 2019, and the position was filled by Hanna Kosonen until Saarikko reassumed her post in August 2020. She became Deputy Prime Minister, traditionally held by the leader of the second largest party in the government coalition, in September 2020.