Vanhanen, Matti Taneli (1955– )

Finnish liberal politician, Centre Party leader, and prime minister from 2003. An economic liberal, his Centre Party–Social Democrats coalition government cut personal and corporate taxes to stimulate the economy. In 2006 he challenged unsuccessfully to become Finland's president.

The son of professor Tatu Vanhanen, co-author of IQ and the Wealth of Nations, he studied political science at university and worked as a journalist in the 1980s. In 1991, he was elected to Finland's parliament, the Eduskunta, representing the Centre Party (which was formerly a farmers' party). He showed a particular interest in environmental issues and became the party's deputy chairman in 2000.