Two candidates with immigrant background won in the parliamentary polls this year. Nasima Razmyar was elected on a Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP) ticket while Ozan Yanar won as a Vihreä Liitto (Green League) candidate in the elections held on Sunday. Both of them were candidates in the electoral district of the capital Helsinki. Razmyar and Yanar are the first MPs in Finland with a background from outside the EU. Razmyar was born in Afghanistan and Yanar in Turkey. However, they are not the very first immigrant MPs in Finland, as Hella Wuolijoki, MP in the 1940's was born in Estonia. Finland has also had MPs born in Sweden.

Yanar is the President of Federation of Green Youth and Students and he studies economics at the University of Helsinki. Razmyar is member of the City Council of Helsinki. She has a BA in NGO & Youth Work and has studied political science at the University of Helsinki. In 2010, Razmyar was named the refugee woman of the year. Razmyar emphasises that she is interested in the affairs of every Finnish citizen, not just immigrants.

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