Finnish MP Eemeli Peltonen found dead in Helsinki parliament in apparent suicide

Finnish politician Eemeli Peltonen was found dead in the parliament building in Helsinki on Tuesday in what authorities believe was a suicide, local media said.

The death of the 30-year-old Social Democratic Party MP has sent shockwaves through Finland’s political sphere with politicians on all sides expressing their sadness.

"He was a much-loved member of our community and we will miss him deeply. A young life has ended far too early," Tytti Tuppurainen, the chair of the Social Democratic parliamentary group, said in a statement.

Finland’s parliament is currently in summer recess but Prime Minister Petteri Orpo suspended all political work on Tuesday as a mark of respect.

Orpo also held a minute's silence for Peltonen, public broadcaster YLE said.

Parliament speaker Jussi Halla-aho said in a post on X that Peltonen was a "well-liked colleague who was respected across party lines".

Police were called to the parliament building in Helsinki on Tuesday morning and Peltonen’s death was confirmed a few hours later in an official parliamentary statement.

Police said they suspected no foul play was involved.

Peltonen’s political career started early and he became a city councillor for Jarvenpaa when he was just 18 years old.

But he had been out of the political spotlight in recent weeks and in June said “a kidney problem" and subsequent infection had kept him away from work.

"I'm already discharged from hospital, but due to the situation I'm on summer sick leave and I'm now fully focused on recovering from the illness," he said in a social media post.