Inka Hopsu

I am a member of parliament from Uusimaa and the vice-chairperson of the Green parliamentary group. In parliament, I serve as a full member of the Education and Culture Committee, as well as on the Finance Committee and the Grand Committee. I also serve as the chairperson of the Parliament’s Human Rights Network in the Finnish delegation to the OSCE.

In the previous parliamentary term, my areas of responsibility included the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Administration and Security Subcommittee of the Finance Committee, the Education and Science Subcommittee, and the Finnish delegation to the OSCE. As an alternate member, I also worked in the Grand Committee, the Defense Committee, and at the beginning of the term, the Environment Committee. I was also part of the Finnish delegation to the Council of Europe and its Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media (ASCULT). I served as vice-chairperson of the Culture Committee in 2022.

I am also actively involved in municipal politics, already for the fourth term i a row. In June 2019, I was elected as the chairperson of the Espoo City Council. Currently, I act as the vice-chairperson of the City Council. In previous years, I have served as the vice-chairperson of the Education and Early Childhood Education Committee and as the chairperson of the Green City Council group for six years. In 2018-2019, I also chaired the Espoo City Council’s Negotiation Committee, which handles political negotiations on matters such as the budget and investment program.

I have also represented Espoo and the Greens in the Uusimaa Regional Council. During that time, the work included, among other things, the new regional master plan. I participated in a working group dealing with regional governance as well as social and healthcare reform preparations, familiarizing myself with the reform options. I did not run in the regional elections, as I already had enough responsibilities at two levels of decision-making.

We have a blended family of six. In addition, we have a mixed-breed rescue dog that keeps us on our toes. There’s always plenty of activity and energy around the house. We moved back to my childhood home in Kaupunginkallio, Espoo, and my grandmother’s house was transferred to my home in Laaksolahti, which used to be a summer cottage for people from Tammisaari. It was a generational change in our living arrangements as the family size changed.

My educational background is Master of Education and teacher. I’ve worked as a teacher for more than ten years, mainly in special education and with children with immigrant backgrounds.

Before the parliamentary elections, I worked for Finn Church Aid as the  manager for the Teachers without Borders Finland network and as a representative of the UNESCO Teacher Task Force. Development cooperation and my different international communities are very important to me.

I have acted in several positions both in The Guides and Scouts of Finland and in the international scout movement. One of my international positions was the chairmanship of the Lutheran Scouts. I was able to strengthen dialogue between the different religions in the scout organisations. In addition, I have been a member of the Board of The Guides and Scouts of Finland and the chair of its international working group.

I’ve been able to influence political decision-making in the Board of Kepa (now the Finnish Development NGOs – Fingo). I also participated in the planning of the national strategy for sustainable development, and I’m following with great interest the Agenda 2030 process and the implementation of the new sustainable development goals in Finland and globally.

I served as a member of the Joint Parish Council of Espoo for 12 years to help create a tolerant and accessible church. I decided not to run in the previous church elections, however, as my work with the Greens in council and national politics takes a lot of time.

My leisure time activities include hiking, dancing, sailing, spending time at our summer cottage and enjoying arts and culture together with my family.