10 Facts About Tanja Karpela

Tanja Tellervo Karpela is a Finnish former politician and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Finland 1991.

Tanja Karpela was a Member of Parliament from 1999 to 2011 and served in the government of Finland as Minister of Culture from 2003 to 2007.

Tanja Karpela was appointed Minister of Culture in Prime Minister Anneli Jaatteenmaki's cabinet in 2003.

In December 2005 Tanja Karpela received a Big Brother Award from the Finnish on-line civil rights organization EFFI for proposing Internet traffic blocking software be installed in schools and libraries.

Tanja Karpela was a supporter of the 2005 amendment to the Finnish Copyright Act and Penal Code, which has been nicknamed Lex Karpela due to her acceptance of what many perceive to be a highly controversial addition to the Finnish law.

In March 2010, Tanja Karpela announced that she is no longer pursuing a parliamentary career following the 2011 parliamentary elections.

Tanja Karpela caused a stir in 2001 when it became public that she was having a relationship with Finance Minister Sauli Niinisto.

On 21 May 2006, Tanja Karpela married film director Olli Saarela, and took her new husband's surname.

Tanja Karpela filed for divorce from Olli Saarela in November 2007, and on 22 February 2008 she changed her name back to Karpela.

Tanja Karpela has two children was born on 1995 and 1998 and from her previous marriage to Totti Tanja Karpela and one was born on 2009 and from her third marriage to Janne Erjola.