Laura Räty
Minister of Social Affairs and Health
In office
24 June 2014 – 29 May 2015
Prime MinisterAlexander Stubb
Preceded byPaula Risikko
Succeeded byHanna Mäntylä
Deputy Mayor of Helsinki
for Social Services and Health Care
In office
2011 – 2014, 2015 – 2016
Member of City Board of Helsinki
In office
2009 – 2011
Member of City Council of Helsinki
In office
2005 – 2011
Personal details
Born (1977-09-14) 14 September 1977
Äänekoski, Finland
Political partyNational Coalition Party
OccupationBusiness Director at Terveystalo Group

Laura Kaarina Räty (born 14 September 1977) is a Finnish politician, former Minister of Social Affairs and Health and a business director at the Finnish private hospital corporate group Terveystalo.[1]

She has been criticized for tax planning and for possible conflict of interest when transferring from public office to health business.

Career

Laura Räty worked as a physician and served in the Helsinki City Council from 2005 to 2011 and the Helsinki City Board from 2009 to 2011 representing the National Coalition Party before running for Parliament of Finland in the 2011 election. She failed to gain a seat, but was appointed as Deputy Mayor of Helsinki for Social Services and Health Care and served in the role from 2011 to 2014.[2][3] In June 2014, Räty was appointed Minister of Social Affairs and Health in the cabinet of Alexander Stubb. She was set to replace resigning Lasse Männistö as Member of Parliament in 2014 until Männistö withdrew his resignation under criticism for violating the dignity of Parliament.[4][5]

She ran for Parliament again in the 2015 election, but 4,087 votes were not enough to get her elected.[6] She briefly returned to her Deputy Mayor post in May 2015 before resigning and joining the Finnish private hospital corporate group Terveystalo as a business director in 2016.[1][7][8][4]

Criticism

Laura Räty's questioning of Finnish wages garnered wide criticism in 2014.[9] Räty claimed that only a very small number of parents in Finland earn under 2,600 euros per month while in actuality almost 500,000 Finn parents earned under 2,600 euros per month at the time.[10] She later apologized for her comments.[11]

Her financial matters were the subject of public discussion when it was discovered that she had utilized tax planning during her physician tenure 2007–2011. She had transformed some of her income into tax-free dividends during 2006–2009 and her holding company had received approximately 20,000 euros of tax-free dividends during 2007–2011. Otherwise over half of the sum would have been subject to taxation.[12][13] Räty later commented that she would not repeat the arrangement in the future and had discontinued it after her selection as Deputy Mayor of Helsinki in 2011.[14]

In 2016, Laura Räty was criticized for her decision to resign as Deputy Mayor of Helsinki for Social Services and Health Care and join the private hospital corporate group Terveystalo as a business director. Her move was seen by opposing politicians and the press as a conflict of interest due to possible use of insider information on public affairs concerning health reform.[1][7] Similarly, her guidance for Terveystalo physicians to send patients to the physicians' own clinics with public health funding received criticism.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Teivainen, Aleksi. "Greens' deputy chairperson: "There's a lot of hidden corruption in Finland."". Helsinki Times. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  2. ↑ "Stubb rejects care reform criticism". Helsinki Times. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "Asiantuntija kokoomuksen ministerikierrosta: Stubb halusi uusia puolueen kasvoja". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 2017-11-05.
  4. 1 2 3 "Kommentti: Piiri pieni pyörii ja tuolit vain vaihtuvat – näin kokoomuslobbarit vuolevat hunajaa terveysfirmoille" [Comment: Insiders exchanging offices – this is how National Coalition Party lobbyists create profit for health businesses]. Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 2017-10-24. Retrieved 2017-11-03.
  5. ↑ Koskinen, Teppo (2014-09-05). "Professori: Kansanedustajat eivät saa murentaa eduskunnan arvovaltaa" [Professor: MPs must not crumble the dignity of Parliament]. ESS.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2017-11-03.
  6. ↑ "Laura Räty - Ehdokkaan tulokset" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Räty vaihtaa terveyspolitiikasta terveysbisnekseen – ei näe asiassa ristiriitaa". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2016-05-12. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  8. ↑ "Helsingin apulaiskaupunginjohtaja Laura Räty siirtyy terveysbisnekseen – "Herää kysymys, kenen etuja kokoomuksessa ajetaan"" [Deputy Mayor of Helsinki Laura Räty transferring to health business – ”It beckons to ask whose matters are of concern in the National Coalition Party"]. Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 2016-05-12. Retrieved 2017-11-05.
  9. ↑ "Näkökulma: Tuloja puntaroinut Räty unohti sadattuhannet suomalaiset". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 2014-08-23. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  10. ↑ "Rädyn lausunto raivostuttaa: "Kuinka moni tienaa alle 2 600 euroa?"". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 2014-08-22. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  11. ↑ "Lapsivähennyskohu: Räty pahoittelee huonosti aseteltuja sanojaan". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2014-08-23. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  12. ↑ Teivainen, Aleksi (2014-08-26). "Räty accounts for tax avoidance tactics". Helsinki Times. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  13. ↑ "Suomi raivostui 2600 €/kk -kommentista: Näin Laura Räty itse tienasi". Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 2014-11-03. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  14. ↑ "Räty tulokohusta: En tekisi niin nyt". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2014-08-25. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  • Parliament of Finland website
  • National Coalition Party website
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