Mayor Ilmari Nurminen walks and goes to the gym to relax

Thursday evening, Pyynikinharju: Ilmari Nurminen takes a deep breath and stops to admire the view from the wooden stairs. It is here that the Mayor of Tampere likes to recharge.

– I do go to the gym regularly, but if I don’t have the time, I go for a walk – even if it’s late at night. This is where I get to unwind and enjoy nature. And it’s not like Pyynikki is the only magnificent place in town: Tampere is a place with lots of accessible nature. That is something we must hold on to.

Nurminen reminds us that Tampere is a city of events, culture, equality and well-being. Today, he wants to focus on the last part: well-being.

– I want to encourage our residents to be physically active every day. Taking care of yourself is worth it, no matter how busy your life might be.

Nurminen often exercises with his partner, Aapo Hettula. They go for walks and to the gym together, even having shared a training programme once.

Both are interested in tennis, but their busy schedules have not had an opening to start learning a new sport.

– A mayor’s schedule is pretty packed. Something important can come up at a moment’s notice. This is a lifestyle that calls for activities that you don’t need a schedule for, says Nurminen.

– But regular exercise is something I won’t give up. Aapo and I take turns to push each other to the gym when the other is feeling lazy. It’s just a fun thing to do together.

Bold and unique life to reach for the clouds

Ilmari Nurminen grew up in Sastamala. In 2015, he was elected for parliament. Before that, he was on the City Council in Sastamala and was the vice-chair of the City Board.

In 2020, Nurminen moved to Tampere. In the autumn of 2021, he won the election for chair of the Tampere City Council. Midway through his third term in parliament, in summer 2025, he left his position and became Mayor of Tampere.

He says he was an active and social child. In school, he was the chair of the student association and youth council, and a member of the university student union. Being an energetic man, he had time for much more: soccer and floorball, playing guitar, and partying.

– I think I have been privileged to lead exactly the kind of life I have wanted. I’ve been bold and pursued things that I believe in.

Ilmari Nurminen is the first openly gay mayor in Finland. He has attended many events with his partner and hopes that Tampere becomes an even more open and equal city.

– I may be able to bring that into being through example. It’s possible that I can also show the way for future generations. There is room for everyone, and all people are equal.

The residents of Tampere have accepted their new mayor

Nurminen is pleased to be involved in Tampere’s future.

– The residents of Tampere have accepted me. We are living in difficult times, but this city has a lot of good things to build upon.

In practice, the mayor’s work has two aspects. One half is political work, i.e. negotiations and advocacy. The other is operational city management: setting policies based on the Service Area Directors’ proposals and making decisions about the future.

– This is a team activity. The civil servants and political leadership set policy and manage the city.

Being a member of parliament was mostly up to me. You sometimes had to raise your voice in the hall, but this job doesn’t need that, says Nurminen with a smile.

After a long day at work and the evening run or gym session are over, Nurminen likes to relax his home in Amuri. He cooks ordinary everyday food like lasagna and watches shows and TV.

Nurminen says that he's a family man. He wants to spend as much of his free time as possible with his partner. Hettula splits his residence between Helsinki and Tampere. Nurminen says that the two-city arrangement works; it’s up to willpower.

– Of course, it’s easy for me to say. I'm always here and Aapo is the one who has to travel. We’ve talked about how important it is to support our careers and build a life together. Right now, this is the job and my career comes first, but you never know what could happen.