Prime Minister of Finland

Prime Minister of the Republic of Finland
Seal of the Government of Finland
File:Matti Vanhanen(2008).JPG Incumbent Matti Vanhanen since 24 June 2003
Residence	Kesäranta
Appointer	President of Finland
Term length	Duration of parliamentary convocation, coalition or upon resignation and removal
Inaugural holder	Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
Formation	6 December 1917
Website	official website

The Prime Minister (Finnish: pääministeri, Swedish: statsminister) is the Head of Government of Finland. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President, who is the Head of State. The current Prime Minister is Matti Vanhanen of the Centre Party.

Overview

Under the provisions of the new Constitution of Finland (enacted in 2000), the President nominates a Prime Minister after the parties in the Eduskunta (Parliament) have negotiated the distribution of seats in the new Council of State and the government's programme. Parliament must ratify the nominated Prime Minister with an absolute majority in a vote without other candidates. If the nominee doesn't receive sufficient support, then a new round of negotiations and a second nomination by the President follows. If the second nominee also fails to gain an absolute majority, then a third vote occurs, in which any member of Parliament can nominate a candidate; in this round a plurality is sufficient for election. The President's formal appointment follows Parliament's election.

The above procedure was first used to elect Anneli Jäätteenmäki to the Prime Ministership in 2003. Previously it was assumed that the President would nominate the candidate who in a third round of voting would have gained a relative majority, usually the leader of the largest party. Before the new Constitution came into force, full formal powers to appoint the Prime Minister and the rest of the Council of State had been the privilege of the President, who was free to diverge from parliamentary principles, although ministers appointed had to have the confidence of the Parliament.

The Prime Minister nominates the remaining members of the Council of State, who are then, with the consent of Parliament, appointed by the President.

In 1918, the Finnish Senate was transformed into the Council of State (or cabinet) of Finland, and the position of Vice-Chairman of the Economic Division of the Senate was transformed into that of a Prime Minister. Kesäranta (in Swedish Villa Bjälbo), located in the Meilahti area of Helsinki, has been the official residence of the Prime Minister of Finland since 1919.

Since its independence (declared on 6 December 1917), Finland has had 61 cabinets, the longest lasting being the two cabinets of Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, both lasting 1,464 days.

List of Prime Ministers

Period Prime Minister Born-died Party 2003– Matti Vanhanen 1955– Centre Party 2003 Anneli Jäätteenmäki 1955– Centre Party 1995–2003 Paavo Lipponen 1941– Social Democratic Party 1991–1995 Esko Aho 1954– Centre Party 1987–1991 Harri Holkeri 1937– National Coalition Party 1982–1987 (3rd term) Kalevi Sorsa 1930–2004 Social Democratic Party 1979–1982 (2nd term) Mauno Koivisto 1923– Social Democratic Party 1977–1979 (2nd term) Kalevi Sorsa 1930–2004 Social Democratic Party 1975–1977 (2nd term) Martti Miettunen 1907–2002 Centre Party 1975 Keijo Liinamaa 1929–1980 none (caretaker cabinet) 1972–1975 Kalevi Sorsa 1930–2004 Social Democratic Party 1972 (2nd term) Rafael Paasio 1903–1980 Social Democratic Party 1971–1972 (2nd term) Teuvo Aura 1912–1999 none (caretaker cabinet) 1970–1971 (2nd term) Ahti Karjalainen 1923–1990 Centre Party 1970 Teuvo Aura 1912–1999 none (caretaker cabinet) 1968–1970 Mauno Koivisto 1923– Social Democratic Party 1966–1968 Rafael Paasio 1903–1980 Social Democratic Party 1964–1966 Johannes Virolainen 1914–2000 Centre Party 1963–1964 Reino Ragnar Lehto 1898–1966 none (caretaker cabinet) 1962–1963 Ahti Karjalainen 1923–1990 Agrarian League 1961–1962 Martti Miettunen 1907–2002 Agrarian League 1959–1961 (2nd term) Vieno Johannes Sukselainen 1906–1995 Agrarian League 1958–1959 (3rd term) Karl-August Fagerholm 1901–1984 Social Democratic Party 1958 Reino Kuuskoski 1907–1965 none (caretaker cabinet) 1957–1958 Rainer von Fieandt 1890–1972 none (caretaker cabinet) 1957 Vieno Johannes Sukselainen 1906–1995 Agrarian League 1956–1957 (2nd term) Karl-August Fagerholm 1901–1984 Social Democratic Party 1954–1956 (2nd term) Urho Kekkonen 1900–1986 Agrarian League 1954 Ralf Törngren 1899–1961 Swedish People's Party 1953–1954 Sakari Tuomioja 1911–1964 none (caretaker cabinet) 1950–1953 Urho Kekkonen 1900–1986 Agrarian League 1948–1950 Karl-August Fagerholm 1901–1984 Social Democratic Party 1946–1948 Mauno Pekkala 1890–1952 Finnish People's Democratic League 1944–1946 (2nd term) Juho Kusti Paasikivi 1870–1956 National Coalition Party 1944 Urho Castrén 1886–1965 National Coalition Party 1944 Antti Hackzell 1881–1946 National Coalition Party 1943–1944 Edwin Linkomies 1894–1963 National Coalition Party 1941–1943 Johan Wilhelm Rangell 1894–1982 National Progressive Party 1939–1941 Risto Ryti 1889–1956 National Progressive Party 1937–1939 (3rd term) Aimo Cajander 1879–1943 National Progressive Party 1936–1937 (4th term) Kyösti Kallio 1873–1940 Agrarian League 1932–1936 Toivo Mikael Kivimäki 1886–1968 National Progressive Party 1931–1932 (2nd term) Juho Sunila 1875–1936 Agrarian League 1930–1931 (2nd term) Pehr Evind Svinhufvud 1861–1944 National Coalition Party 1929–1930 (3rd term) Kyösti Kallio 1873–1940 Agrarian League 1928–1929 Oskari Mantere 1874–1942 National Progressive Party 1927–1928 Juho Sunila 1875–1936 Agrarian League 1926–1927 Väinö Tanner 1881–1966 Social Democratic Party 1925–1926 (2nd term) Kyösti Kallio 1873–1940 Agrarian League 1925 Antti Tulenheimo 1879–1952 National Coalition Party 1924–1925 (2nd term) Lauri Ingman 1868–1934 National Coalition Party 1924 (2nd term) Aimo Cajander 1879–1943 none (caretaker cabinet) 1922–1924 Kyösti Kallio 1873–1940 Agrarian League 1922 Aimo Cajander 1879–1943 none (caretaker cabinet) 1921–1922 (2nd term) Juho Vennola 1872–1938 National Progressive Party 1920–1921 Rafael Erich 1879–1946 National Coalition Party 1919–1920 Juho Vennola 1872–1938 National Progressive Party 1919 Kaarlo Castrén 1860–1938 National Progressive Party 1918–1919 Lauri Ingman 1868–1934 National Coalition Party 1918 Juho Kusti Paasikivi 1870–1956 Finnish Party 1917–1918 Pehr Evind Svinhufvud 1861–1944

Interim Prime Ministers

Period	Interim Prime Minister	Born-died	Party	Note
11 September 1981 – 19 February 1982	Eino Uusitalo	1924-	Centre Party	Substitute to Mauno Koivisto, who became President of Finland
3 July 1961 – 14 July 1961	Eemil Luukka	1892-1970	Agrarian League
9 March 1946 – 26 March 1946	Carl Enckell	1876-1959	none	Substitute to Juho Kusti Paasikivi, who became President of Finland
27 March 1940 – 4 January 1941	Rudolf Waldén	1878-1946	none	Substitute to Risto Ryti, who became President of Finland
17 February 1937 – 12 March 1937	Rudolf Holsti	1881-1945	National Progressive Party	Substitute to Kyösti Kallio, who became President of Finland
18 February 1931 – 21 March 1931	Juho Vennola	1872-1938	National Progressive Party	Substitute to Svinhufvud, who became President of Finland

Living former Prime Ministers

• Mauno Koivisto
• Harri Holkeri
• Esko Aho
• Paavo Lipponen
• Anneli Jäätteenmäki

See also

• Politics of Finland
• Lists of incumbents

External links

• Official site
• From Senate to independent Government