Kai Aslak Mykkänen (born 31 July 1979) is a Finnish politician who currently serves as Mayor of Espoo. He served as Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. He is a former Minister of the Interior and represents the National Coalition Party in the Uusimaa electoral district.
Early life Mykkänen was born in Espoo to the journalist and politician Jouni Mykkänen and Maria Mykkänen (née Sokolow). He is of Russian descent through his mother, who is a daughter of Russian emigrants. His home language was mainly Finnish, but he also speaks fluent Russian. He has worked three years in Russia.
Political career Mykkänen was the chairman of the Coalition Party Youth League 2000–2001. He was a member of the City Council of Espoo 2001–2008.
Mykkänen was elected to the Parliament of Finland in the 2015 election with 5,260 votes. He was a member of the Environment Committee and Grand Committee from 2015 until 2016.
On 22 June 2016, Mykkänen was appointed as the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development in the cabinet of Prime Minister Juha Sipilä after Lenita Toivakka's resignation. On 6 February 2018, Mykkänen shifted his portfolio in order to replace Paula Risikko as the Minister of the Interior. In this capacity, he also co-chaired the Justice and Home Affairs Ministers Meeting of the European People's Party (EPP), alongside Esteban González Pons.Council of the EU and Ministerial meetings European People’s Party (EPP).
In June 2023, he was appointed Minister of the Environment and Climate Change in the Orpo Cabinet.
Mykkänen will succeed Jukka Mäkelä as city manager of Espoo on 1 February 2025 when Mäkelä will go on retirement.Kai Mykkänen on Espoon tuleva kaupunginjohtaja, City of Espoo 21 October 2024. Accessed on 1 December 2024.
Other activities World Bank, Ex-Officio Alternate Member of the Board of Governors (2016-2018)Board of Governors World Bank.
Political positions As Minister of the Interior, Mykkänen proposed in 2018 to increase Europe's quota refugee system ten-fold, for the EU to receive 250,000 new asylum seekers per year instead of the current 25,000. When the Oulu child sexual exploitation scandal broke out, Mykkänen said these things shouldn't be occurring in Finland and called for immigrants residing at reception centres to be educated.
Personal life Mykkänen has two children with his wife Anna.
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