View source for Nils Torvalds

{{Short description|Finnish politician (born 1945)}}
{{Title language|sv-FI|italics=no}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Nils Torvalds
| honorific-suffix    = [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]]
| image               = Hallitusneuvottelut 9.5.2023 (52882538497) (cropped).jpg
| office              = [[Member of the European Parliament]]
| predecessor         = [[Carl Haglund]]
| term_start          = 5 July 2012
| term_end            = 16 July 2024
| constituency        = [[Finland (European Parliament constituency)|Finland]]
| birth_name          = Nils Torvalds
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1945|8|7|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Ekenäs, Finland]]
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = '''''{{flag|Finland|name=Finnish}}'''''<br />[[Swedish People's Party of Finland]]<br />'''''{{flag|EU}}'''''<br />[[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe]]
| spouse              = 
| children            = 5
| alma_mater          = [[Helsinki University]]
| website             = {{URL|https://nilstorvalds.fi}}
| signature           = Assinatura Nils Torvalds.svg
}}
'''{{Lang unset italics|sv-FI|Nils Ole Hilmer Torvalds}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.savonsanomat.fi/kotimaa/RKPn-Nils-Torvalds-tienasi-presidenttiehdokkaista-eniten/1063562 |title= RKP:n Nils Torvalds tienasi presidenttiehdokkaista eniten|publisher=Savon Sanomat|access-date=2018-07-13}}</ref>''' (born 7 August 1945) is a [[Finland|Finnish]] politician who had been a [[Member of the European Parliament]] (MEP) from 2012 to 2024. He is a member of the [[Swedish People's Party of Finland]], part of the [[Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe]].

[[Swedish-speaking population of Finland|Swedo-Finnish]] Torvalds is the son of the [[poet]] [[Ole Torvalds]], and the father of the [[Software engineering|software engineer]] [[Linus Torvalds]], known for the [[Linux kernel]].<ref>Torvalds, 2001</ref>

== Education and experience ==
Torvalds was a member of the [[Communist Party of Finland]] from 1969 to 1982. He studied economics in [[Moscow]] and was the editor of the [[Taistoism|taistoist]] magazine ''Arbetartidningen Enhet''. Torvalds has later described his communism as a "rebellion".<ref name="kauppalehti">{{cite web |url= https://www.kauppalehti.fi/uutiset/nils-torvalds-nuorena-olisi-voinut-seurata-jyrkkaa-ajatuksenkulkua/b2SGGszy|title=Nils Torvalds: "Nuorena olisi voinut seurata jyrkkää ajatuksenkulkua" |publisher=Kauppalehti |language=fi}}</ref> Between 1995 and 2004 Torvalds worked as a foreign correspondent for the [[Yle|Finnish Broadcasting Company]] in Moscow and Washington.<ref name="yle2018">{{Cite web |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-9952354 |title=Henkilökuvassa Nils Torvalds:Ankkalammikon armahtama toisinajattelija on itsetietoinen intellektuelli |last=Seppänen |first=Timo |date=10 January 2018 |website=Yle Uutiset |language=fi |access-date=2018-02-22}}</ref>

Torvalds is fluent in [[Swedish language|Swedish]], [[Finnish language|Finnish]], [[English language|English]], [[German language|German]], and [[Russian language|Russian]]. And he also understands [[Flemish language|Flemish]], [[Danish language|Danish]] and [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.verkkouutiset.fi/kotimaa/Presidenttiehdokkaat_kielitaito_IS-68549  |title=Yksi presidenttiehdokkaista kielitaidossa ylitse muiden - IS: tulee toimeen viidellä kielellä |date=8 June 2017 |publisher=Verkkouutiset }}</ref>

== Political career ==
=== Career in national politics ===
In 2006, Torvalds joined the [[Swedish People's Party of Finland|Swedish People's Party]],<ref name="yle2018" /> and the following year he was elected to the post of the third vice chairperson.<ref>[http://www.sfp.fi/start/nyhetsarkiv/artikel-31-397.html Sfp valde orförande och viceordförande, energipolitiska ställningstagandet remitterades] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613101555/http://www.sfp.fi/start/nyhetsarkiv/artikel-31-397.html |date=2007-06-13 }} (SFP 10.06.2007)</ref> This upset some party voters due to Torvalds' past.<ref name="yle2018" /> In 2008, he was elected to [[Helsinki City Council#City Council|Helsinki City Council]] for term 2009–2012.<ref name="hel">{{cite web|url=http://www.hel.fi/wps/portal/Helsinki/Artikkeli?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/helsinki/fi/P__t_ksenteko+ja+hallinto/P__t_ksenteko/Kaupunginvaltuusto/Valtuuston+j_senet|website=hel.fi|title=Kaupunginvaltuuston puoluejakauma kaudella 2009–2012|access-date=2017-09-16|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916010220/http://www.hel.fi/wps/portal/Helsinki/Artikkeli?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=%2Fhelsinki%2Ffi%2FP__t_ksenteko+ja+hallinto%2FP__t_ksenteko%2FKaupunginvaltuusto%2FValtuuston+j_senet|archive-date=2009-09-16}}</ref>

On 11 June 2017 the Swedish People's Party chose Torvalds as the party candidate for the 2018 [[2018 Finnish presidential election|presidential election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-9662767|title=RKP:n presidenttiehdokkaaksi valittiin europarlamentaarikko Nils Torvalds|date=13 June 2017|publisher=Yle|language=fi|access-date=2017-06-17}}</ref> Some of his campaign themes were education, technology and the environment. Torvalds was the only candidate who openly supported Finland's [[NATO]] membership during his campaign.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-9984818 |title=Nils Torvalds liputtaa Natoa – "Siinä vaiheessa kun se kriisi iskee, on liian myöhäistä" |last=Jäntti |first=Mari |date=19 December 2017 |website=Yle Uutiset |language=fi |access-date=2018-02-22}}</ref> In the election, Torvalds placed last with 1.5 percent of the votes, while the incumbent president [[Sauli Niinistö]] went on to secure his second term.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tulospalvelu.vaalit.fi/TPV-2018_1/fi/ehdtulos_kokomaa.html |title=Presidentinvaali 2018, 1. vaali: Ehdokkaiden äänet|publisher=Ministry of Justice|date=28 January 2018 |access-date=29 January 2018 |language=fi}}</ref>

=== Member of the European Parliament ===
[[File:Nils Torvalds MEP, Strasbourg - Diliff.jpg|thumb|Torvalds in 2014]]
Torvalds was a candidate for [[2009 European Parliament election in Finland|European Parliament election in 2009]] on the Swedish People's Party list. He received 14,044 votes which was insufficient for a seat.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://192.49.229.35/EP2009/s/tulos/ehdtulos_kokomaa.html |title=EUROPARLAMENTTIVAALIT 7.6.2009 - Tulos - Koko maa |publisher=vaalit.fi (the Official Results by the Ministry of Justice) |access-date=2009-06-13 |language=fi |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612060746/http://192.49.229.35/EP2009/s/tulos/ehdtulos_kokomaa.html |archive-date=2009-06-12 }}</ref> However, on 5 July 2012, he was installed in the European Parliament, when [[Carl Haglund]] left his seat to join the [[Katainen Cabinet]] as [[Minister of Defence (Finland)|Minister of Defence]]. In the [[2014 European Parliament election]] Torvalds received about 29,000 votes and was elected.<ref name="kauppalehti" />

As a MEP<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/114268/NILS_TORVALDS_home.html|title=Nils Torvalds|publisher=European Parliament|access-date=2015-11-08}}</ref> his positions have included vice-chair of the [[European Parliament Committee on Fisheries|Fisheries committee]] (PECH) and member of the [[European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs|committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs]] (LIBE). Since 2021, he has been part of the Parliament's delegation to the [[Conference on the Future of Europe]].<ref>[https://conference-delegation.europarl.europa.eu/en/members.html Members of the delegation to the Conference on the Future of Europe] [[European Parliament]].</ref>

Torvalds has served as [[rapporteur|shadow rapporteur]] on the [[circular economy]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/nils_torvalds_a_pro-nato_liberal_swimming_against_the_tide/9975034 |title=Nils Torvalds: A pro-NATO liberal swimming against the tide |date=14 December 2017 |website=Yle Uutiset |access-date=2018-02-22}}</ref> and on the [[biofuel]]s directive<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-8-2015-0025_EN.html|title=Recommendation for second reading on the Council position at first reading with a view to the adoption of a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources}}</ref> (which became directive 2015/1513<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2015/1513/oj|title=Directive (EU) 2015/1513 amending Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources|date=2015-09-09}}</ref>) and as rapporteur of the annual report 2018 on the European [[banking union]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-8-2018-0419_EN.html|title=Report on Banking Union – annual report 2018 (2018/2100(INI))|date=2018-12-03}}</ref>

Torvalds opposed the [[Copyright Directive (2019)]] since it was first proposed, considering it unbalanced especially because of its article 13 (i.e. 17).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nilstorvalds.fi/pressmeddelanden/torvalds-rostade-nej-till-upphovsdirektivet-forslaget-ar-daligt-och-obalanserat/|title=Torvalds röstade nej till upphovsdirektivet: förslaget är dåligt och obalanserat!|language=sv|date=2019-03-26}}</ref>

In addition to his committee assignments, Torvalds is part of the [[MEPs Against Cancer]] group<ref>[https://www.europeancancerleagues.org/meps-against-cancer-mac-meps/ MAC MEPs in the 2019-24 legislature] [[MEPs Against Cancer]].</ref> and the European Parliament Intergroup on Traditional Minorities, National Communities and Languages.<ref>[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/about-parliament/files/organisation-and-rules/organisation/intergroups/list-of-members-traditional-minorities-national-communities-and-languages.pdf Intergroup on Traditional Minorities, National Communities and Languages] [[European Parliament]].</ref>

Following the [[2019 European Parliament election|2019 elections]], Torvalds was part of a cross-party working group in charge of drafting the European Parliament's five-year work program on economic and fiscal policies as well as trade.<ref>Florian Eder (13 June 2019), [https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/brussels-playbook/politico-brussels-playbook-presented-by-google-madrids-moment-parliament-working-groups-sneak-peak-happy-birthday-gdpr/ POLITICO Brussels Playbook, presented by Google: Madrid's moment — Parliament working groups sneak peak[sic] — Happy birthday, GDPR] ''[[Politico Europe]]''.</ref>

In June 2023, Torvalds was the recipient of the Environment and Climate Action Award at ''[[The Parliament Magazine]]'''s annual [[The Parliament Magazine#The MEP Awards|MEP Awards]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mepawards.eu/winners-2023/|title=MEP Awards: Winners 2022|date=27 June 2023|work=[[The Parliament Magazine]]|access-date=24 August 2023}}</ref>

==Linux kernel statement==
Nils' son [[Linus Torvalds]], the creator of the [[Linux kernel]], joked during a LinuxCon keynote on 18 September 2013 that the [[National Security Agency]], the creators of [[SELinux]], wanted a backdoor in the kernel.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kerner |first=Sean Michael |date=2013-09-19 |title=Linus Torvalds Talks Linux Development at LinuxCon |url=https://www.eweek.com/developer/linus-torvalds-talks-linux-development-at-linuxcon.html |access-date=2022-03-24 |website=eweek.com |publisher=Quinstreet Enterprise |language=en-GB |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130919202814/http://www.eweek.com/developer/linus-torvalds-talks-linux-development-at-linuxcon.html |archive-date=2013-09-19 |url-status=dead}}</ref> However, later, Linus's father revealed that the NSA had actually asked for the installation of backdoors in Linux.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://falkvinge.net/2013/11/17/nsa-asked-linus-torvalds-to-install-backdoors-into-gnulinux/|title=NSA Asked Linus Torvalds To Install Backdoors Into GNU / Linux|first=Christian|last=Engström|date=2013-11-17|access-date=2015-11-08|website=falkvinge.net |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240815202920/http://falkvinge.net/2013/11/17/nsa-asked-linus-torvalds-to-install-backdoors-into-gnulinux/ |archive-date=2024-08-15 |url-status=live}}</ref>
{{quote|When my oldest son [Linus Torvalds] was asked the same question: "Has he been approached by the NSA about backdoors?" he said "No", but at the same time he nodded. Then he was sort of in the legal free. He had given the right answer, [but] everybody understood that the NSA had approached him.|Nils Torvalds|[[European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs|LIBE]] Committee Inquiry on Electronic Mass Surveillance of EU Citizens<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/parlArchives/comArch/com7/hearingsSheet.do?language=EN&body=LIBE|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150520072114/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/parlArchives/comArch/com7/hearingsSheet.do?language=EN&body=LIBE|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 20, 2015|title=Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Hearings|date=2014-07-01}}</ref> - 11th Hearing, 11 November 2013<ref>[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ep-live/en/committees/video?event=20131114-1500-COMMITTEE-LIBE Video], [http://www.europarl.europa.eu/document/activities/cont/201311/20131107ATT74112/20131107ATT74112EN.pdf programme], [https://web.archive.org/web/20190904235740/https://www.europarl.europa.eu/document/activities/cont/201311/20131107ATT74112/20131107ATT74112EN.pdf archived programme].</ref>}}

==Other activities==
* Reimagine Europa, Member of the Advisory Board<ref>[https://reimagine-europa.eu/who-we-are/advisory-board-2 Advisory Board] Reimagine Europa.</ref>

== Honors ==

* [[File:FIN Order of the Lion of Finland 4Class BAR.svg|55x55px]] [[Order of the Lion of Finland]] (Finland, 2021)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-01 |title=06.12.2021 Itsenäisyyspäivä – Självständighetsdagen 06.12.2021 |url=https://ritarikunnat.fi/ritarikunnat/annetut-kunniamerkit/vuonna-2021-annetut-kunniamerkit-forlanade-utmarkelsetecken-2021/06-12-2021-itsenaisyyspaiva-sjalvstandighetsdagen-06-12-2021/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Ritarikunnat |language=fi}}</ref>

==Works==
* {{cite book | last1=Ollus | first1=Simon-Erik | last2=Torvalds |first2=Nils | title=Kaupasta kumppanuuteen : Suomen Venäjä-talousstrategia | location=Helsinki | publisher=Sitra | year=2005 | isbn= 951-37-4519-8}}
* {{cite book | last=Torvalds |first=Nils | title=Muodonmuutoksia : Venäjän pitkä vuosisata 1900-2008 | location=Helsinki | publisher=Sitra | year=2008 | isbn= 978-951-563-635-5}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.nilstorvalds.fi Nils Torvalds personal website (in Swedish)] [http://nilstorvalds.fi/suomeksi/ (in Finnish)] [https://web.archive.org/web/20160903203811/http://nilstorvalds.fi/en/ (in English)]
* [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/114268/NILS_TORVALDS/home Official EP website]

{{Current EP Finland}}
{{EP Political Group Renew}}
{{Members of the European Parliament for Finland (2009–2014)}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|European Union|Finland|Politics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Torvalds, Nils}}
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Candidates for President of Finland]]
[[Category:Finnish communists]]
[[Category:Finnish foreign correspondents]]
[[Category:MEPs for Finland 2009–2014]]
[[Category:MEPs for Finland 2014–2019]]
[[Category:MEPs for Finland 2019–2024]]
[[Category:People from Raseborg]]
[[Category:Swedish People's Party of Finland politicians]]
[[Category:Swedish-speaking Finns]]
[[Category:Torvalds family|Nils]]