| Name: | Kristian Schrey |
| Year of birth: | 1983 |
| Municipality: |
Vaasa |
| Town: | Vaasa |
| Title: | Economist |
| Email: | kristian.schrey@gmail.com |
| Phone: | +358505728253 |
Kristian
Schrey
Vaasa
"For a strong economy, thriving families, and a healthier Finland – together, we build a secure future in a region where all generations want to live."
I am a married father of two with roots in Jakobstad, currently living in Vaasa. I have always had an interest in politics and a desire to contribute to positive development overall. Now, I feel that I am at a stage in life where I want to get involved in politics and work together with others to promote important issues.
My motivation comes from the will to create a secure future for my own children, my loved ones, and all other families in Ostrobothnia. I want to build a city and a region where our youth see their own future, a place where they want to live and stay. Most of my free time is spent with my family, following my children’s various sports activities.
I hold a degree in economics and have also pursued engineering studies. During my career, I have experienced being an entrepreneur and worked in various roles in sales, export, and business development. I have been active in many forums and held positions of trust where business and community development have been central themes.
Important political topics
Children, Youth, and Families
Safe and well-cared-for children and young people are the foundation of a strong society. I want to work for a future where every family receives the support they need. The opportunity to become a parent should be available to those who wish for it. A safe childhood lays the foundation for meaningful leisure time and good conditions in school and everyday life. Together, we can create a better and more sustainable Ostrobothnia for the next generation.
Thriving citizens
Finland has been named the happiest country in the world for seven consecutive years, and we must also strive to become the healthiest country – both physically and mentally. Mental health challenges are becoming one of the greatest issues of our time. Mental well-being is just as important as physical health. We also see a decline in physical health, even among young people. I want to work for faster access to help, stronger preventive measures, and a society where no one is left alone with their mental or physical health problems. A sense of belonging creates safety and well-being.
Municipal and urban vitality
Vibrant municipalities and cities are the foundation of a strong society. This is achieved through sustainably profitable businesses, which we must support in every possible way. For municipalities and cities to build attractiveness and long-term strength to remain competitive, they must offer a comprehensive range of education and research, a strong business environment, culture and recreational activities, a diverse housing market, and high-quality healthcare services. We have every possibility to create a region where people want to live, work, and thrive at every stage of life.
Candidate's answers in election machine
1 / 11
Early childhood education should be free for everyone.
Economic factors play a significant role for families planning to start a family and when choosing where to settle. We should strive to keep the fees for early childhood education at a low level. In the long run, the goal should be to make early childhood education free of charge. Therefore, we should also provide financial support for those who choose to care for their children at home.
2 / 11
Schools should prioritize traditional textbooks over digital learning materials.
There are studies showing better reading comprehension among children who read from books, that it is also better for the eyes, and that traditional textbooks provide less distraction. We should not introduce digital tools just for the sake of it, but only make conscious investments where it has been proven to improve educational opportunities.
3 / 11
One of the municipality’s most important tasks is to invest in sports facilities and opportunities for exercise and recreation.
We need to provide residents of all ages with the best possible conditions for sports, exercise, and recreation. This improves everyone\'s quality of life, strengthens our social connections, and builds the community. At the same time, it is an investment for the future that brings economic benefits by attracting events and tourists, creating job opportunities, and ultimately reducing healthcare costs.
4 / 11
It is important to provide all residents with equal opportunities for cultural activities.
A diverse cultural offering improves residents\' quality of life and is one of the important soft values that help us retain and attract residents. Different types of cultural activities also provide us with social meeting points in everyday life and can bring economic benefits to the city.
5 / 11
The municipality should introduce or improve opportunities for residents to influence how municipal funds are used through participatory budgeting.
One of the pillars of democracy is the ability to influence the collective decisions that the municipality makes with taxpayers\' money. I believe we are moving towards a time where transparency and inclusiveness in how and for what the municipality uses its funds will become even more important. I think there are good examples where residents have been included in the preparation of various investments.
6 / 11
The municipality should invest in public transportation.
Public transportation in the Nordic countries is recovering after the pandemic, and here we need to create user-friendly, needs-based, and sustainable solutions as we develop local public transportation. By having an active dialogue with affected interest groups, we can steer development in the right direction.
7 / 11
It should be possible to be a resident in more than one municipality, for example, through digital municipal citizenship.
Digital municipal citizenship can provide benefits, for example, to students, commuters, and people who, for instance, have holiday homes in another location. The municipality should always be an enabler and try to counteract any obstacles that go against modern living. We need to actively identify potential bottlenecks and opportunities to drive the issue in the right direction.
8 / 11
The municipality should better facilitate the expansion of renewable energy, such as solar and wind power.
Investments in renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, can provide economic benefits for the municipality, accelerate the green transition, and help achieve the municipality\'s climate goals. However, we must ensure that the municipality\'s residents are heard and that their opinions and concerns are taken seriously. Economic reasons alone cannot be the basis for any new establishments.
9 / 11
The municipality should mix more housing types in planning than is currently the case.
Today, it is incredibly important that we can offer a diverse range of housing options for the municipality\'s residents, both to improve quality of life and to retain and attract new residents. Currently, we have a housing shortage for students, and we also need to improve and adapt the supply for, for example, elderly people. A municipality with ambitions to grow also needs to be at the forefront of housing development to attract new major investments.
10 / 11
The municipality should introduce anonymous recruitment.
The advantages of anonymous recruitment are reduced discrimination, increased trust, and more focus on competence. The disadvantages can be inefficiency and difficulties in later stages when anonymity disappears. The municipality needs to consider in which cases and in what way anonymous recruitment should be used.
11 / 11
If you could give a superpower to your future political leader, what would it be?
I believe in looking forward, staying focused on what is important, and contributing to a strong sense of optimism for our entire community. I believe in making an impact by making decisions based on sufficient information and facts, where our most important values guide the development. Together, we make the future a little better, one decision at a time.