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The Finnish Government (Finnish: Suomen valtioneuvosto; Swedish: Finlands statsråd; lit. 'Finland's council of state')[2][3] is the executive branch and cabinet of Finland, which directs the politics of Finland and is the main source of legislation proposed to the Parliament. The Government has collective ministerial responsibility and represents Finland in the Council of the European Union. In the incumbent Orpo Cabinet, the Government comprises 19 ministers leading 12 ministries.
| Finnish Government | |
|---|---|
| Finnish: Suomen valtioneuvosto Swedish: Finlands statsråd | |
 | |
| Overview | |
| Established | 27 November 1917 |
| State | Republic of Finland |
| Leader | Prime Minister of Finland |
| Appointed by | President of Finland |
| Main organ | Prime Minister's Office |
| Ministries | 12 (list) |
| Responsible to | Parliament of Finland |
| Annual budget | €55.8 billion[1] (2018) |
| Headquarters | Government Palace Snellmaninkatu 1 A, Helsinki, Finland |
| Website | government.fi |
Majority coalition governments have become the foundation of the Finnish Government; apart from a few historical exceptions, a Government is usually assembled by the representatives of two major parties and a number of smaller parties.[4]
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The Government is the most important executive body of Finland composed of the ministers.[5][6][7] Its supreme powers are based on Section 3, Chapter 1 of the Constitution of Finland (and the subordinate Government Act of 2003[8]):
The governmental powers are exercised by the President of the Republic and the Government, the members of which shall have the confidence of the Parliament.[9]
Cabinet and ministers
The Government is led by the Prime Minister, considered practically the most powerful single office holder in Finland and often the leader of the largest political party.
The Government is composed of 11 ministries plus the Prime Minister's Office. Each ministry is led by at least one minister. Unlike the varying number and portfolios of ministers, the number and names of the ministries are fixed in law.[10][11] All ministers sit in the Government.
The Government itself proposes the number of ministers and their roles for the Parliament of Finland to confirm, and it is possible to reshuffle portfolios during the life of a Government. There are no senior or junior ministers, and ministers without portfolio are no longer permitted under the 2000 constitution. Ministers are not required to be Members of Parliament (MPs), although they often are. Each minister is assisted by a secretary of state (Finnish: valtiosihteeri; Swedish: statssekreterare), a political appointee who serves at the pleasure of the minister.[5][6][7]
Although ministers' portfolios are divided among the participating political parties, the Government has collective ministerial responsibility, and the ministers are expected to follow a government programme agreed upon during government formation talks.
List of the ministries
| Ministry | Finnish name[12] | Swedish name |
|---|---|---|
| Prime Minister's Office | valtioneuvoston kanslia | statsrådets kansli |
| Ministry for Foreign Affairs | ulkoministeriö | utrikesministeriet |
| Ministry of Justice | oikeusministeriö | justitieministeriet |
| Ministry of the Interior | sisäministeriö | inrikesministeriet |
| Ministry of Defence | puolustusministeriö | försvarsministeriet |
| Ministry of Finance | valtiovarainministeriö | finansministeriet |
| Ministry of Education and Culture | opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriö | undervisnings- och kulturministeriet |
| Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry | maa- ja metsätalousministeriö | jord- och skogsbruksministeriet |
| Ministry of Transport and Communications | liikenne- ja viestintäministeriö | kommunikationsministeriet |
| Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment | työ- ja elinkeinoministeriö | arbets- och näringsministeriet |
| Ministry of Social Affairs and Health | sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö | social- och hälsovårdsministeriet |
| Ministry of the Environment | ympäristöministeriö | miljöministeriet |
Ministerial committees
The Prime Minister may sit with a subset of the Government in a ministerial committee (cabinet committee), when it is not necessary or desirable to have the entire Government convene. There are government-specific and optional ministerial committees in addition to the four statutory ministerial committees:[5][6][7]
- Ministerial Finance Committee (raha-asiainvaliokunta);
- Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy (ulko- ja turvallisuuspoliittinen ministerivaliokunta; officially since 1922 and unofficially before that);
- Ministerial Committee on Economic Policy (talouspoliittinen ministerivaliokunta; officially since 1977 and unofficially before that); and
- Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs (Euroopan unionia koskevien asioiden ministerivaliokunta; established in 1995 to replace the Ministerial Committee on European Economic Community Affairs).
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The Government initiates the majority of legislation. A proposed act (Finnish: laki; Swedish: lag) is drafted in the respective ministry under the direction of its minister, after which it is reviewed by the Government and forwarded as a government proposal (Finnish: hallituksen esitys; Swedish: regeringens proposition) to Parliament for processing and possible amendments. However, since coalition governments have become the norm in Finland, the parties represented in the Government usually form the majority in the parliament, making the process somewhat more harmonious. Since 1957, all governments have been majority governments. Before a proposal is enacted into law, it must be confirmed by the President of Finland. As such, the president has the power of a delaying veto as a check against majority politics and potential violations of international agreements. Periods of cohabitation, wherein the president and the government represent different political positions, can create strife. The president's veto can be overridden by the Parliament, although this is in practice not done. Parties can also agree to not to vote along party lines but to leave the decision to individual MPs, although this is uncommon.[5]
While the Parliament passes acts, the Government or an individual ministry issues decrees (Finnish: asetus; Swedish: förordning) as delegated legislation. Decrees clarify, specify, and guide the implementation of an act of Parliament, but cannot contradict it. They are similar to US standing executive orders. A typical example is specifying the actual monetary sums for benefits described in general terms in an act.[5] Decrees form an important body of law alongside acts of Parliament.
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State funds can be spent only in the framework of the state budget (Finnish: valtion talousarvio; Swedish: statsbudget), which must be confirmed by Parliament. The Government drafts the annual budget and introduces it to Parliament for discussion and approval. If the Government requires more funds mid-year, they have to submit an additional budget proposal to Parliament.[5] For 2018, the central state budget was €55.8 billion, not including municipal budgets and non-departmental bodies like state-owned enterprises.[13]
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The current Orpo cabinet is Finland's 77th Government, which was inaugurated on 20 June 2023. Out of the total 19 ministerial posts, eight ministers are from the National Coalition, seven from the Finns, three from the Swedish People's Party, and one from the Christian Democrats.
The incumbent 19 ministers and their associated portfolios are listed below:
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The following is a list of all Finnish governments since 1917.[14]
| Government | Took office | Seats | Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Svinhufvud's senate | 27 November 1917 | 103/200 | Young Finnish Party Swedish People's Party Finnish Party Agrarian League |
| Paasikivi's senate | 27 May 1918 | 103/200 | Young Finnish Party Swedish People's Party Finnish Party Agrarian League |
| Ingman's cabinet | 27 November 1918 | 77/200
77/108 |
National Coalition Party Swedish People's Party National Progressive Party |
| K. Castrén's cabinet | 17 April 1919 | 90/200 | Swedish People's Party National Progressive Party Agrarian League |
| Vennola's cabinet | 15 August 1919 | 68/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League |
| Erich's cabinet | 15 March 1920 | 118/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League National Coalition Party Swedish People's Party |
| Vennola's second cabinet | 9 April 1921 | 68/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League |
| Cajander's cabinet | 2 June 1922 | – | – |
| Kallio's cabinet | 14 November 1922 | 60/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League |
| Cajander's second cabinet | 18 January 1924 | – | – |
| Ingman's second cabinet | 31 May 1924 | 122/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League National Coalition Party Swedish People's Party |
| Tulenheimo's cabinet | 31 March 1925 | 82/200 | Agrarian League National Coalition Party |
| Kallio's second cabinet | 31 December 1925 | 82/200 | Agrarian League National Coalition Party |
| Tanner's cabinet | 13 December 1926 | 52/200 | Social Democratic Party |
| Sunila's cabinet | 17 December 1927 | 52/200 | Agrarian League |
| Mantere's cabinet | 22 December 1928 | 10/200 | National Progressive Party |
| Kallio's third cabinet | 16 August 1929 | 60/200 | Agrarian League |
| Svinhufvud's second cabinet | 4 July 1930 | 132/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League National Coalition Party Swedish People's Party |
| Sunila's second cabinet | 21 March 1931 | 132/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League National Coalition Party Swedish People's Party |
| Kivimäki's cabinet | 14 December 1932 | 85/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League Swedish People's Party |
| Kallio's fourth cabinet | 7 October 1936 | 60/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League |
| Cajander's third cabinet | 3 March 1937 | 164/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party |
| Ryti's cabinet | 1 December 1939 | 165/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party |
| Ryti's second cabinet | 27 March 1940 | 190/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party National Coalition Party |
| Rangell's cabinet | 4 January 1941 | 198/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party National Coalition Party Patriotic People's Movement |
| Linkomies' cabinet | 5 March 1943 | 190/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party National Coalition Party |
| Hackzell's cabinet | 8 September 1944 | 190/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party National Coalition Party |
| U. Castrén's cabinet | 21 October 1944 | 190/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party National Coalition Party |
| Paasikivi's second cabinet | 17 November 1944 | 165/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party Finnish People's Democratic League |
| Paasikivi's third cabinet | 17 April 1945 | 171/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party Finnish People's Democratic League |
| Pekkala's cabinet | 26 March 1946 | 162/200 | Agrarian League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party Finnish People's Democratic League |
| Fagerholm's cabinet | 29 August 1948 | 54/200 | Social Democratic Party |
| Kekkonen's cabinet | 17 March 1950 | 75/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League Swedish People's Party |
| Kekkonen's second cabinet | 17 January 1951 | 129/200 | National Progressive Party Agrarian League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party |
| Kekkonen's third cabinet | 20 October 1951 | 119/200 | Agrarian League Social Democratic Party Swedish People's Party |
| Kekkonen's fourth cabinet | 9 August 1953 | 66/200 | Agrarian League Swedish People's Party |
| Sakari Tuomioja's cabinet | 17 November 1953 | 53/200 | – |
| Törngren's cabinet | 5 May 1954 | 120/200 | Agrarian League Swedish People's Party |
| Kekkonen's fifth cabinet | 20 October 1954 | 107/200 | Agrarian League Social Democratic Party |
| Fagerholm's second cabinet | 3 March 1956 | 120/200 | Agrarian League Social Democratic Party Swedish People's Party |
| Sukselainen's cabinet | 27 April 1957 | 79/200 | Agrarian League Swedish People'Party Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders Finnish People's Party |
| von Fieandt's cabinet | 29 November 1957 | – | – |
| Kuuskoski's cabinet | 26 April 1958 | – | – |
| Fagerholm's third cabinet | 29 September 1958 | 152/200 | Social Democratic Party Agrarian League National Coalition Party Finnish People's Party Swedish People's Party |
| Sukselainen's second cabinet | 13 January 1959 | 62/200 | Agrarian League Swedish People's Party |
| Miettunen's cabinet | 14 August 1961 | 48/200 | Agrarian League |
| Karjalainen's cabinet | 13 April 1962 | 114/200 | Agrarian League Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders Swedish People's Party National Coalition Party Finnish People's Party |
| Lehto's cabinet | 18 December 1963 | – | – |
| Virolainen's cabinet | 12 October 1964 | 112/200 | Centre Party National Coalition Party Swedish People's Party Finnish People's Party |
| Paasio's cabinet | 27 May 1966 | 152/200 | Finnish People's Democratic League Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders Centre Party |
| Koivisto's cabinet | 22 March 1968 | 164/200 | Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders Centre Party Swedish People's Party Finnish People's Democratic League |
| Aura's cabinet | 14 May 1970 | – | – |
| Karjalainen's second cabinet | 15 August 1970 | 144/200 | Social Democratic Party Centre Party Swedish People's Party Liberals |
| Aura's second cabinet | 29 October 1971 | – | – |
| Paasio's second cabinet | 23 February 1972 | 55/200 | Social Democratic Party |
| Sorsa's cabinet | 4 October 1972 | 109/200 | Centre Party Swedish People's Party Liberals Social Democratic Party |
| Liinamaa's cabinet | 13 June 1975 | – | – |
| Miettunen's second cabinet | 30 November 1975 | 152/200 | Finnish People's Democratic League Centre Party Swedish People's Party Liberals Social Democratic Party |
| Miettunen's third cabinet | 29 October 1976 | 58/200 | Centre Party Swedish People's Party Liberals |
| Sorsa's second cabinet | 15 May 1977 | 152/200 | Finnish People's Democratic League Swedish People's Party Liberals Social Democratic Party Centre Party |
| Koivisto's second cabinet | 26 May 1979 | 133/200 | Finnish People's Democratic League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party Centre Party |
| Sorsa's third cabinet | 19 February 1982 | 133/200
102/200 |
Finnish People's Democratic League Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party Centre Party |
| Sorsa's fourth cabinet | 6 May 1983 | 123/200 | Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Party Centre Party Finnish Rural Party |
| Holkeri's cabinet | 30 April 1987 | 131/200 | National Coalition Party Social Democratic Party Swedish People's Party Finnish Rural Party |
| Aho's cabinet | 26 April 1991 | 115/200 | Centre Party National Coalition Party Swedish People's Party Christian Democrats |
| Lipponen's cabinet | 13 April 1995 | 145/200 | National Coalition Party Social Democratic Party Swedish People's Party Left Alliance Green League |
| Lipponen's second Cabinet | 15 April 1999 | 140/200
129/200 |
National Coalition Party Social Democratic Party Swedish People's Party Left Alliance Green League (−2002) |
| Jäätteenmäki's Cabinet | 17 April 2003 | 117/200 | Centre Party Social Democratic Party Swedish People's Party |
| Vanhanen's cabinet | 24 June 2003 | 117/200 | Centre Party Social Democratic Party Swedish People's Party |
| Vanhanen's second cabinet | 19 April 2007 | 126/200 | Centre Party National Coalition Party Green League Swedish People's Party |
| Kiviniemi's cabinet | 22 June 2010 | 126/200 | Centre Party National Coalition Party Green League Swedish People's Party |
| Katainen's cabinet | 22 June 2011 | 124/200
112/200 |
National Coalition Party Social Democratic Party Left Alliance (−2014) Green League Swedish People's Party Christian Democrats |
| Stubb's cabinet | 24 June 2014 | 112/200
102/200 |
National Coalition Party Social Democratic Party Green League (−2014) Swedish People's Party Christian Democrats |
| Sipilä's cabinet | 29 May 2015 | 124/200
105/200 |
Centre Party Finns Party (−2017) National Coalition Party Blue Reform (2017−) |
| Rinne's cabinet | 6 June 2019 | 117/200 | Social Democratic Party Centre Party Green League Left Alliance Swedish People's Party |
| Marin's Cabinet | 10 December 2019 | 117/200 | Social Democratic Party Centre Party Green League Left Alliance Swedish People's Party |
| Orpo Cabinet Incumbent |
20 June 2023 | 109/200 | National Coalition Party Finns Party Swedish People's Party Christian Democrats |
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