Career
She belongs to the Social Democratic Party of Finland (Social Democratic Party), and since February 2010 until April 2011 has been one of the two Deputy Speakers of the Parliament. Previously she was the vice chairman of the Social Democratic Party parliamentary group (1999 - 2002) and the chairman of the parliamentary group (March 2007 - February 2010). In 2000 she was appointed as Minister of Labour in Paavo Lipponen"s second Cabinet (1999–2003), keeping the position in the short-lived Jäätteenmäki"s Cabinet (2003) and then Matti Vanhanen"s first cabinet (2003–2007).