Kauko Johannes Juhantalo (28 April 1942 – 26 April 2020) was a Finnish politician. A member of the Centre Party, he was member of the Parliament from the electoral district of Satakunta and Minister of Trade and Industry.[1]
Juhantalo was born and raised in Kankaanpää, Satakunta. He graduated from the University of Turku as Master of Laws in 1972.
After graduating from law school, Juhantalo worked as a lawyer. He was first elected to the Parliament in 1979. In 1991, Juhantalo was appointed Minister of Trade and Industry in the Aho Cabinet.[2]
Juhantalo resigned from the government in 1992 when it was revealed that he had insisted Säästöpankkien Keskus-Osake-Pankki give him a bank loan so that the government acquire a portion of Tampella owned by the bank. In 1993, Juhantalo was impeached and convicted of insisting on a bribe and sentenced to conditional discharge for a year. He was also expelled from the Parliament.[3]
Juhantalo returned to the Parliament at the 1995 election. He failed to win a new term in 1999 but was re-elected in 2003.[3] After a second election defeat in 2007, Juhantalo was once again re-elected in 2015 election. He was a member of the Finance Committee of the Parliament.[1] In addition, he was serving as the chairman of the city council of Kankaanpää.[4]
Juhantalo died of cancer on 26 April 2020, two days before his 78th birthday.[5][6]