Minister of Defence (Finland)

Minister of Defence of the Republic of Finland
Puolustusministeri Försvarsminister
Minister of Defence flag
Incumbent Jussi Niinistö since 29 May 2015
Ministry of Defence
Member of	Cabinet
Seat	Helsinki, Finland
Nominator	Prime Minister
Appointer	President of the Republic
Term length	No fixed term up to 4 years de facto
Formation	1918
First holder	Wilhelm Thesleff
Website	www.defmin.fi/english

The Minister of Defence (Template:Lang-fi, Template:Lang-sv) is a member of the Finnish Council of State. As the head of the Ministry of Defence, the minister is responsible for the administration of national defence. The ministry is headquartered in Helsinki. The current Minister of Defence is Jussi Niinistö.

From June to November 1918 the post was called Chief of the War Department, and from then until 1922 the post was called the Minister of War.

The President of the Republic is the commander-in-chief of the Finnish Defence Forces. The commander of the military forces is the Chief of Defence.

Ministry Offices

Finnish Ministry of Defence Offices consists of two wings:

• South Makasiinikatu 8 since - Built by CL Engel as barracks for the Finnish Guard in 1922 and destroyed in 1944 and rebuilt by retaining the original walls from 1954-1956 and used as Defense Headquarters since 1956
• Fabiansgatan 2 - newer wing was built in 1961 by Finnish architects Viljo Revell and Heikki Castrén.

Previous Ministry Offices

• Eteläesplanadi 10 - 1918-1921 it was located here and now home to Ministry of Justice
• Korkeavuorenkatu 21 (Ohrana House) - relocated in 1921 and here until beginning of World War II; now Finnish Border Guard Headquarters
• Snellmaninkatu 4-6 - moved here 1941 to 1956 which now home to Finnish Financial Supervision Authority

List of Ministers of Defence

Minister	Party	In office
Vilhelm Thesleff	Non-partisan	27.5.1918 – 27.11.1918
Rudolf Walden	Non-partisan	27.3.1918 – 17.4.1919
Rudolf Walden	Non-partisan	17.4.1919 – 15.8.1919
Karl Emil Berg	Non-partisan	15.8.1919 – 15.3.1920
Bruno Jalander	Non-partisan	15.3.1920 – 9.4.1921
Onni Hämäläinen Bruno Jalander	Non-partisan	9.4.1921 – 3.9.1921 3.9.1921 – 2.6.1922
Bruno Jalander	Non-partisan	2.6.1922 – 14.11.1922
Bruno Jalander Kyösti Kallio Vilho Nenonen	Non-partisan Agrarian League Non-partisan	14.11.1922 – 22.6.1923 22.6.1923 – 16.8.1923 16.8.1923 – 18.1.1924
Viktor Henrik Schvindt Ivar Aminoff	Non-partisan Non-partisan	18.1.1924 – 11.3.1924 11.3.1924 – 31.5.1924
Lauri Malmberg	Non-partisan	31.5.1924 – 31.3.1925
Aleksander Lampén	National Coalition Party	31.3.1925 – 31.12.1925
Leonard Hjelmman	National Coalition Party	31.12.1925 – 13.12.1926
Kaarlo Heinonen	Social Democratic Party	13.12.1926 – 17.12.1927
Jalo Lahdensuo	Agrarian League	17.12.1927 – 22.12.1928
Aimo Kaarlo Cajander	National Progressive Party	22.12.1928 – 16.8.1929
Juho Niukkanen	Agrarian League	16.8.1929 – 4.7.1930
Albin Manner Hugo Österman	Agrarian League Non-partisan	10.7.1930 – 21.3.1931 10.7.1930 – 21.3.1931
Jalo Lahdensuo	Agrarian League	21.3.1931 – 14.12.1932
Arvi Oksala	Non-partisan	14.12.1932 – 7.10.1936
Arvi Oksala	Non-partisan	7.10.1936 – 12.3.1937
Juho Niukkanen	Agrarian League	12.3.1937 – 1.12.1939
Juho Niukkanen	Agrarian League	1.12.1939 – 27.3.1940
Rudolf Walden	Non-partisan	27.3.1940 – 4.1.1941
Rudolf Walden	Non-partisan	4.1.1941 – 5.3.1943
Rudolf Walden	Non-partisan	5.3.1943 – 8.8.1944
Rudolf Walden	Non-partisan	8.8.1944 – 21.9.1944
Rudolf Walden	Non-partisan	21.9.1944 – 17.11.1944
Rudolf Walden Väinö Valve	Non-partisan Non-partisan	17.11.1944 – 1.12.1944 1.12.1944 – 17.4.1945
Mauno Pekkala	Finnish People's Democratic League	17.4.1945 – 26.3.1946
Mauno Pekkala Yrjö Kallinen	Finnish People's Democratic League Social Democratic Party	26.3.1946 – 27.3.1946 27.3.1946 – 29.7.1948
Emil Skog	Social Democratic Party	29.7.1948 – 17.3.1950
Kustaa Tiitu	Agrarian League	17.3.1950 – 17.1.1951
Emil Skog	Social Democratic Party	17.1.1951 – 20.9.1951
Emil Skog	Social Democratic Party	20.9.1951 – 9.7.1953
Kauno Kleemola	Agrarian League	9.7.1953 – 17.11.1953
Päiviö Hetemäki	National Coalition Party	17.11.1953 – 5.5.1954
Emil Skog	Social Democratic Party	5.5.1954 – 20.10.1954
Kauno Kleemola	Agrarian League	3.3.1956 – 27.5.1957
Atte Pakkanen Pekka Malinen	Agrarian League People's Party	27.5.1957 – 2.9.1957 2.9.1957 – 29.11.1957
Kalle Lehmus	Non-partisan	29.11.1957 – 26.4.1958
Edvard Björkenheim	Non-partisan	26.4.1958 – 29.8.1958
Toivo Wiherheimo	National Coalition Party	29.8.1958 – 13.1.1959
Leo Häppölä	Agrarian League	13.1.1959 – 14.7.1961
Edvard Björkenheim	Agrarian League	26.4.1958 – 29.8.1958
Arvo Pentti	Agrarian League	13.4.1962 – 18.12.1963
Kaarlo Leinonen	Non-partisan	18.12.1963 – 12.9.1964
Arvo Pentti	Agrarian League	12.9.1964 – 27.5.1966
Sulo Suorttanen	Centre Party	27.5.1966–22.3.1968
Sulo Suorttanen	Centre Party	22.3.1968 – 14.5.1970
Arvo Pentti	Non-partisan	14.5.1970 – 15.7.1970
Kristian Gestrin	Swedish People's Party	15.7.1970 – 29.10.1971
Arvo Pentti	Non-partisan	29.10.1971 – 23.2.1972
Sulo Hostila	Social Democratic Party	23.2.1972 – 4.9.1972
Kristian Gestrin Carl-Olaf Homén	Swedish People's Party	4.9.1972 – 30.9.1974 1.10.1974 – 13.6.1975
Erkki Huurtamo	Non-partisan	13.6.1975 – 30.11.1975
Ingvar S. Melin	Swedish People's Party	30.11.1975 – 29.9.1976
Seppo Westerlund	Liberal People's Party	29.9.1976 – 15.5.1977
Taisto Tähkämaa	Centre Party	15.5.1977 – 26.5.1979
Lasse Äikäs	Centre Party	26.5.1979 – 19.2.1982
Juhani Saukkonen	Centre Party	19.2.1982 – 6.5.1983
Veikko Pihlajamäki	Centre Party	6.5.1983 – 30.4.1987
Ole Norrback Elisabeth Rehn	Swedish People's Party Swedish People's Party	30.4.1987 – 13.6.1990 13.6.1990 – 26.4.1991
Elisabeth Rehn Jan-Erik Enestam	Swedish People's Party Swedish People's Party	26.4.1991 – 1.1.1995 2.1.1995 – 13.4.1995
Anneli Taina	National Coalition Party	13.4.1995 – 15.4.1999
Jan-Erik Enestam	Swedish People's Party	15.4.1999 – 17.4.2003
Matti Vanhanen	Centre Party	17.4.2003 – 24.6.2003
Seppo Kääriäinen	Centre Party	24.6.2003 – 19.4.2007
Jyri Häkämies	National Coalition Party	19.4.2007 – 22.6.2010
Jyri Häkämies	National Coalition Party	22.6.2010 – 22.6.2011
Stefan Wallin Carl Haglund	Swedish People's Party Swedish People's Party	22.6.2011 – 5.7.2012 5.7.2012 – 24.6.2014
Carl Haglund	Swedish People's Party	24.6.2014 – 29.5.2015
Jussi Niinistö	True Finns	29.5.2015 –

See also

• Minister of Defence

External links

• The Ministry of Defence of Finland