Finnish Member of Parliament Eemeli Peltonen was found dead inside the country’s Parliament House in Helsinki on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, in what authorities are treating as a suicide. The 30-year-old Social Democratic Party lawmaker was discovered by police shortly after 11:06 a.m. local time.
Emergency services responded to reports of a death at the Parliament building, with several police units and an armoured vehicle deployed to the area. The building’s entrances were temporarily closed before reopening later that day. By afternoon, the national flag outside Parliament was lowered to half-mast.
Helsinki police confirmed they do not suspect foul play in the death, though they launched an investigation into the cause. Aaro Toivonen, director of security at the Finnish Parliament, confirmed there had been a death in the building but provided no additional details while the coroner’s investigation remained ongoing.
Peltonen represented the constituency of Uusimaa and was serving his first term after being elected in 2023 with 5,747 votes. He served on Parliament’s administration and legal affairs committees and was the Social Democratic Party’s lead member on the Administration Committee, playing a role in negotiations over the controversial border pushback law passed in summer 2024.
The young politician had been open about his recent health struggles. In his final social media post in June, Peltonen explained he had been hospitalized for kidney problems, and had been diagnosed with minimal change disease, and subsequently contracted a bacterial infection during treatment. He indicated he was receiving intravenous antibiotic treatment and had been placed on summer sick leave to focus on recovery.
Minimal change disease is a kidney disorder that causes damage to the filtering units in the kidneys (glomeruli), leading to nephrotic syndrome, especially in children—but it can also affect adults.
Social Democratic Parliamentary Group Chair Tytti Tuppurainen expressed the party’s shock at the loss. Tuppurainen stated, “A young life has ended far too soon.” She described Peltonen as a well-liked member of their community who would be deeply missed.
Parliament Speaker Jussi Halla-aho paid tribute to Peltonen on social media, describing him as a valued colleague who was respected across party lines. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo suspended all official political work by his office for the remainder of the day and held a minute of silence in Peltonen’s honor.
Orpo described receiving the news as deeply shocking, noting that Parliament served as their common workplace. The prime minister extended strength to Peltonen’s family, loved ones and colleagues, acknowledging that the death deeply affected everyone.
Peltonen’s political career began at an unusually young age. He was first elected to the Järvenpää City Council at just 18 years old in 2012. By age 22, he had become chairman of the city’s executive board, making him the youngest person to hold that title in the city’s history. He graduated from the University of Helsinki with a master’s degree in political science in 2020.
Before entering Parliament, Peltonen worked as a communications specialist at the Service Union United and served as a parliamentary assistant. He unsuccessfully ran for Parliament in 2019, receiving 3,492 votes, before winning his seat in the 2023 elections. He was among the youngest members of the 200-seat Finnish Parliament.
Local officials in Järvenpää remembered Peltonen as a respected and approachable politician. City manager Iiris Laukkanen noted she had messaged him on the morning of his death before learning of the tragedy. She described him as widely valued, easy to work with, and someone who always sought constructive solutions while maintaining a good sense of humor.
City council chair Petri Graeffe characterized Peltonen as a talented, reliable and trusted politician whose death represented a huge loss. Close friend and Kerava councillor Samuli Isola recalled Peltonen’s early interest in politics and his desire to improve people’s lives, noting he had a promising future ahead.
Peltonen was also Järvenpää’s top vote-getter in the 2024 municipal elections, demonstrating his continued local popularity. Following his death, Anette Karlsson from Porvoo will assume his parliamentary seat. Karlsson, who received 3,867 votes in the 2023 election, had previously left the Social Democratic Party due to local disagreements but announced she would rejoin to serve in the parliamentary group.
The city of Järvenpää declared a day of mourning with flags flying at half-mast. Parliament remains in summer recess until September 2. Peltonen’s wife requested privacy through social media while the family grieves their loss.
The death occurred during Parliament’s summer recess, when the building typically sees reduced activity. Finland’s Parliament, known as the Eduskunta, consists of 200 members elected for four-year terms.