Mayor of Espoo Jukka Mäkelä to retire at the turn of the year 2024/25
Mayor of Espoo, Jukka Mäkelä, will retire from office at the turn of the year. Mäkelä’s last working day is at the end of the year, after which he will take his remaining days of annual leave. Mäkelä (b. 1960) has served as Mayor of Espoo since the beginning of 2011.
Mayor of Espoo, Jukka Mäkelä, will retire from office at the turn of the year. Mäkelä’s last working day is at the end of the year, after which he will take his remaining days of annual leave. Mäkelä (b. 1960) has served as Mayor of Espoo since the beginning of 2011.
Before his post as mayor, Mäkelä was a Member of Parliament for the National Coalition Party from 2007 to 2010. He has been involved in Espoo’s local politics as a City Council Member from 1997 to 2010, as Chairman of the City Board from 2005 to 2008 and as Chairman of the City Council from 2009 to 2010. Jukka Mäkelä holds a Master of Science degree in Technology, an Executive MBA and an Honorary Doctorate in Technology from Aalto University. Born and raised in Espoo, Mäkelä is an enthusiastic advocate of sports and exercise.
“Espoo is my beloved hometown, and I feel honoured to have had the chance to lead the city. I have put my heart and soul into my work. Now is the right time to pass the baton so that the new mayor can take over at the beginning of the year and continue to run Espoo with a new Council after the municipal elections. The story of Espoo is one of growth, and it is our joint task to ensure that this growth is sustainable, resident-oriented and of high quality and that Espoo remains competitive,” Mäkelä says.
“Mayor Mäkelä deserves our deepest gratitude for the work he has done for Espoo. He has steered the growing city with great dedication and wholehearted commitment to the city’s affairs. During Mäkelä’s term, Espoo has strengthened its position as a strong innovation hub and a sustainable city. The most visible examples of this are the city’s rail transport projects: the metro and the light rail. The city has also faced significant challenges and changes, such as the coronavirus pandemic and the health and social services reform, but even these Espoo has managed well. I want to thank Jukka on behalf of the entire organisation of elected officials and wish him all the best in his new phase of life. Jukka has often said that Espoo’s greatest resource is its active residents. Perhaps this also describes his own plans: to continue as an active member of the Espoo community,” says Mervi Katainen, Chairperson of the City Board.
The office of Mayor of Espoo will be declared open for application so that the new mayor can take up office in January 2025.