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Prime Minister of Finland

The Prime Minister (Finnish Pääministeri, Swedish: Statsminister) is the Head of Government in Finland. In 1918 the Senate of Finland was transformed into the Cabinet of Finland, and the position as vice-chairman of the Senate's Economic Division was transformed into that of a prime minister.

The Prime Minister is appointed by the President, who is Head of State.

The President nominates Prime Minister, according to the (new) Constitution of Finland , after the parties of the Parliament (Eduskunta) have negotiated on distribution of seats in Cabinet and on its programme. The Parliament elects Prime Minister with absolute majority (in a voting without counter-candidate). If the nominee hasn't received sufficient support, then a new round of negotiations and a second nomination by the President follows. If also the second nominee fails to gain absolute majority, then a third voting occurs, in which all Members of Parliament can nominate candidates, and relative majority suffice for election. The President's formal appointment follows the Parliament's election.

The procedure above was first used to elect Anneli Jäätteenmäki into office in 2003, when it beforehand was assumed that the President would nominate the candidate who in a third voting would have gained relative majority, i.e. the leader of the largest party.

The previous 85 years full formal powers to appoint the Prime Minister and the rest of the Cabinet had been the privilege of the President, who for instance was free to diverge from principles of Parliamentarism, although the ministers must enjoy the confidence of the Parliament.

Since its independence (declared on December 6th, 1917), Finland has had 86 Cabinets, the longest lasting being the two Cabinets of Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, both lasting 1,464 days.

List of Prime Ministers

From-To Prime Minister Born/died Party
1917-1918 Pehr Evind Svinhufvud 1861-1944 Young Finnish Party
1918 Juho Kusti Paasikivi 1870-1956 Finnish Party
1918-1919 Lauri Ingman 1868-1934 National Coalition Party
1919 Kaarlo Castrén 1860-1938 National Progressive Party of Finland
1919-1920 Juho Vennola 1872-1938 National Progressive Party
1920-1921 Rafael Erich 1879-1946 National Coalition Party
1921-1922 Juho Vennola 1872-1938 National Progressive Party
1922 Aimo Cajander 1879-1943 None (Caretaker cabinet )
1922-1924 Kyösti Kallio 1873–1940 Agrarian Party
1924 Aimo Cajander 1879-1943 None (Caretaker cabinet)
1924-1925 Lauri Ingman 1868-1934 National Coalition Party
1925 Antti Tulenheimo 1879-1952 National Coalition Party
1925-1926 Kyösti Kallio 1873–1940 Agrarian Party
1926-1927 Väinö Tanner 1881-1966 Social Democratic Party
1927-1928 Juho Sunila 1875-1936 Agrarian Party
1928-1929 Oskari Mantere 1874-1942 National Progressive Party
1929-1930 Kyösti Kallio 1873–1940 Agrarian Party
1930-1931 Pehr Evind Svinhufvud 1861-1944 National Coalition Party
1931-1932 Juho Sunila 1875-1936 Agrarian Party
1932-1936 Toivo Mikael Kivimäki 1886-1968 National Progressive Party
1936-1937 Kyösti Kallio 1873–1940 Agrarian Party
1937-1939 Aimo Cajander 1879-1943 National Progressive Party
1939-1940 Risto Ryti 1889-1956 National Progressive Party
1941-1943 Johan Wilhelm Rangell 1894-1982 National Progressive Party
1943-1944 Edwin Linkomies 1894-1963 National Coalition Party
1944 Antti Hackzell 1881-1946 None
1944 Urho Castren 1886-1965 National Coalition Party
1944-1946 Juho Kusti Paasikivi 1870-1956 National Coalition Party
1946-1948 Mauno Pekkala 1890-1952 Finnish People's Democratic League
1948-1950 Karl-August Fagerholm 1901-1984 Social Democratic Party
1950-1953 Urho Kekkonen 1900-1986 Agrarian Party
1953-1954 Sakari Tuomioja 1911-1964 None (Caretaker cabinet)
1954 Ralf Törngren 1899-1961 Swedish People's Party
1954-1956 Urho Kekkonen 1900-1986 Agrarian Party
1956-1957 Karl-August Fagerholm 1901-1984 Social Democratic Party
1957 Jussi Sukselainen 1906-1995 Agrarian Party
1957-1958 Rainer von Fieandt 1890-1972 None (Caretaker cabinet)
1958 Reino Kuuskoski 1907-1965 None (Caretaker cabinet)
1958-1959 Karl-August Fagerholm 1901-1984 Social Democratic Party
1959-1961 Jussi Sukselainen 1906-1995 Agrarian Party
1961-1962 Martti Miettunen 1908-2002 Agrarian Party
1962-1963 Ahti Karjalainen 1923-1990 Agrarian Party
1963-1964 Reino Ragnar Lehto 1898-1966 None (Caretaker cabinet)
1964-1966 Johannes Virolainen 1914-2000 Centre Party
1966-1968 Rafael Paasio 1903-1980 Social Democratic Party
1968-1970 Mauno Koivisto 1923- Social Democratic Party
1970 Teuvo Aura 1912-1999 None (Caretaker cabinet)
1970-1971 Ahti Karjalainen 1923-1990 Centre Party
1971-1972 Teuvo Aura 1912-1999 None (Caretaker cabinet)
1972 Rafael Paasio 1903-1980 Social Democratic Party
1972-1975 Kalevi Sorsa 1930-2004 Social Democratic Party
1975 Keijo Liinamaa 1929-1980 None (Caretaker cabinet)
1975-1977 Martti Miettunen 1908-2002 Centre Party
1977-1979 Kalevi Sorsa 1930-2004 Social Democratic Party
1979-1982 Mauno Koivisto 1923- Social Democratic Party
1982-1987 Kalevi Sorsa 1930-2004 Social Democratic Party
1987-1991 Harri Holkeri 1937- National Coalition Party
1991-1995 Esko Aho 1954- Centre Party
1995-2003 Paavo Lipponen 1941- Social Democratic Party
2003 Anneli Jäätteenmäki 1955- Centre Party
2003- Matti Vanhanen 1955- Centre Party

See also

External links

  • Official site http://www.valtioneuvosto.fi/vn/liston/vnk.lsp?r=916&k=en
  • From Senate to independent Government http://www.valtioneuvosto.fi/vn/liston/base.lsp?r=749&k=en

Last updated: 05-03-2005 17:50:55