Nils Torvalds

Nils Torvalds (born August 7, 1945 in Ekenäs) is a Finnish-Swede broadcast journalist, writer and politician. Torvalds is the son of the poet Ole Torvalds, and the father of the computer programmer Linus Torvalds of Linux kernel fame.^[1]

Journalist career

Torvalds worked as a journalist of Finlands Svenska Television from 1982. He has been a correspondent in Moscow and later in Washington. Torvalds is an author and co-writer of books about Russia and the Soviet Union.

Political activity

Torvalds was active in the Communist Party of Finland (SKP) since he was a college student in the 1960s. He was elected to the Central Committee of the SKP in 1982.^[2] He belonged to the Taistoist (hardline) minority. His political beliefs developed after learning of the atrocities committed against communist sympathizers in Finland. In his son Linus' book, he is reported as having lost enthusiasm for Communism.

In 2007 Torvalds was elected to the post of the third vice chairperson of the Swedish People's Party.^[3] In 2008, he was elected in Helsinki City Council for term 2009–2012.^[4] Torvalds was a candidate for European Parliament election in 2009 on the Swedish People's Party list. He got 14,044 votes and was not allocated a seat.^[5]

Works

• Ollus, Simon-Erik; Torvalds, Nils (2005). Kaupasta kumppanuuteen : Suomen Venäjä-talousstrategia. Helsinki: Sitra. ISBN 951-37-4519-8. 
• Torvalds, Nils (2008). Muodonmuutoksia : Venäjän pitkä vuosisata 1900-2008. Helsinki: Sitra. ISBN 978-951-563-635-5. 

References

External links

• Nils Torvalds personal website