Aura Salla

Early life Salla obtained a master's degree in political science from the University of Turku in 2011, followed by a PhD in 2021; the title of her thesis was The Euro Crisis 2010–2014: The Changing Role of the European Commission.

Before her studies, Salla completed her voluntary national military service in the Finnish Air Force, discharged at the rank of sergeant. She remained in that role for three years leading up to her election to the Finnish Parliament in April 2023, representing the Helsinki constituency for the National Coalition Party.

In February 2026, the EPP group nominated Salla as one of the two rapporteurs for the Digital Omnibus legislative package which aims to "simplify" EU tech rules, including the General Data Protection Regulation and the ePrivacy Directive. The appointment of the former Meta chief lobbyist in the role drew criticism from several NGOs and fellow MEPs due to possible conflicts of interest.

Views In November 2025, Salla expressed her view that she would support abolishing the European Parliament and transferring its legislative powers to the Council in order to cut down "EU bureaucracy".

Personal life Salla is married to diplomat Turo Mattila, whom she met professionally in Brussels; the couple have two children. Her hobbies include pilates, going to the gym, and pesäpallo.