NAME: Itälä, Ville Heimo Antero.

FINLAND

POLITICAL GROUP: Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats (EPP-ED).

PARTY: Kansallinen Kokoomus.

CONSTITUENCY: Southwest Finland.

DATE OF LATEST ELECTION: 2009.

Committees: Member, Committee on Budgets; Substitute, Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs; Member, Delegation for Relations with Japan; Substitute, Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Co-operation Committee.

Political Career: Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats; Chairman of the National Coalition Party 2001-2004; Member of Parliament 1995-2004; Deputy Prime Minister 2001-2003; Minister of the Interior 2000-2003; Vice-Chairperson of the National Coalition Party 1999-2001; Chairman of the Parliamentary Constitutional Law Committee 1996-2000; Chairperson of the Turku Regional Organisation of the National Coalition Party 1987-1991; Member of the National Coalition Party Council 1985-1990; Member of the Board of the National Coalition Youth League 1979.

Special Political Interests: NATO; the Baltic Sea.

Profession: Lawyer.

Education: Qualification: Bachelor of Laws 1989; Master of Laws 1991; Lawyer's Diploma 1995.

Languages: English, Finish and Swedish.

Political Affiliations: Chairman, Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the Finnish Parliament 1996-2000; Chairman, Grand Committee 2003-2004.

Born: 10 May 1959, Luumäki.

Marital status: Married.