Framery co‑founder Marjamäki a surprise pick on Kokoomus' Pirkanmaa list

Tamperelainen reports that Pirkanmaa's National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) used its spring meeting to nominate nine of up to twenty parliamentary candidates for the upcoming elections, with Framery co‑founder Vesa‑Matti Marjamäki a surprise inclusion.

The list names Aleksi Jäntti (Tampere) and Pauli Kiuru (Valkeakoski) — the only two of Pirkanmaa's five Kokoomus MPs selected so far — alongside local politicians and professionals from across the region. Notable absences include Arto Satonen, Sofia Vikman and minister of municipal and regional affairs Anna‑Kaisa Ikonen.

"In candidate selection it is important for us to combine experience, renewal and regional coverage. We want to build a list that represents different parts of Pirkanmaa and varied backgrounds," Pirkanmaa Kokoomus chair Jari Andersson said in a press release.

Marjamäki's inclusion stood out.

The nine nominees are Aleksi Jäntti (incumbent MP, retired major), Pauli Kiuru (incumbent MP, FM/MBA and veteran triathlete), Ida Lehtinen (Nokia city councillor and restaurant entrepreneur) and Ida Leino (Tampere city councillor, city board member and education policy specialist at the education union OAJ). They are joined by Vesa‑Matti Marjamäki (MSc in industrial engineering, entrepreneur and Framery founder), Juho Ojares (MSc, project manager and chair of Ylöjärvi city council), Jocka Träskbäck (first deputy chair of Tampere city board and entrepreneur), Saana Vahvelainen (chair of Kangasala council and class teacher) and Carl Willandt (MA, communications manager and Hämeenkyrö councillor).