Ilkka Kantola

Ilkka Tapani Kantola (born 17 March 1957) is a Finnish politician and Lutheran minister. He has been a Social Democratic member of the Parliament of Finland since 2007. Previously he served as Bishop of Turku.

Life

Kantola was born in Rymättylä, Finland. He graduated as Doctor of Theology from the University of Helsinki in 1994. He served as General Secretary of the Archdiocese of Turku from 1994 to 1998 and then as Bishop of the Archdiocese.

In 2007, Kantola was elected to the Parliament of Finland from the electoral district of Finland Proper. Next year he was elected to the City Council of Turku. He has been twice re-elected to both the Parliament and the City Council. From 2011 to 2015, he chaired the Administrative Council of the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle). Kantola is currently member of the Constitutional Law Committee and Education and Culture Committee of the Parliament.

Municipal elections

Year Municipality Votes Result 2008 Turku 1,680 Elected 2012 Turku 675 Elected 2017 Turku 621 Elected