Tarja Kaarina Halonen ([tɑrjɑ kɑːrinɑ hɑlonen] ( listen); born 24 December 1943) is a Finnish politician who served as the 11th, and first female, President of Finland from 2000 to 2012. She first rose to prominence as a lawyer with the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), and as the Prime Minister's parliamentary secretary (1974-1975) and a member of the City Council of Helsinki (1977-1996). Halonen was a Social Democratic Party member of parliament from 1979 until her election to the presidency in 2000. She also served as Minister at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health from 1987 to 1990, Minister of Justice from 1990 to 1991, and as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1995 until her election as president.
