Cabinet of Finland

The headquarters of the Cabinet on Senate Square, Helsinki, seen flying the State flag.

The Cabinet of Finland (also called the Council of State, Finnish: valtioneuvosto, Swedish: statsrådet; officially rendered Finnish Government) is the body that directs the Government of Finland. However, in governmental translations to English, the distinction is often blurred between cabinet and government in the wider sense. This wider sense includes the Parliament of Finland (on which the cabinet is dependent), the governmental agencies that are directed by the Cabinet, and the independent judicial branch of government. Despite of the occasional blurring by translators, the difference is significant. The Cabinet is directly responsible to the parliament and may be dismissed by a motion of no confidence. The President, according to the 2000 constitution, formally appoints the cabinet, but the daily working is the responsibility of the Prime Minister.

In 1918, after Finland's independence, the Cabinet, that in the Grand Duchy of Finland had been called the Senate of Finland, was reorganized and renamed to the Council of State. One of the main objectives of that reform was to separate the judiciary from the executive branch.

According to the recent revision of the Constitution of Finland (as of 2000), the power over foreign affairs is retained by the president, as it also is in France, although with a narrow definition of foreign affairs that excludes influence over preparations of decisions within the European Union. International treaties and declaration of war are within the authority of the parliament.

Matters within the authority of the Cabinet are decided at plenary meetings, with a quorum of five ministers present, in the case of matters of wide importance and matters that are significant for reasons of principle. Less important matters are decided within the respective ministries.

Matters within the authority of the President are decided at plenary meetings of the Cabinet, with the exception of appointments, pardon, and calling of extraordinary elections.

Formation

After election, the party in plurality has the privilege to appoint a negotiator to form the government. In practice, this person is the leader of the party and becomes the Prime Minister. Since 1972, all cabinets have been formed as coalitions of multiple parties that together constitute a parliamentary majority. In an intense period after elections, the negotiator will attempt to forge a consensus between the participating parties on the issues to be prosecuted during the tenure of the government. This will then be written down in a government platform.

Following from President Urho Kekkonen's excessive direction over the government formation process, the 2000 constitution limited the President's power in government formation. Today, the President only formally appoints the government, but cannot select or remove individual members.

Current Council of State

The current Council of State, the 72nd since Finland's independence, was inaugurated by President Sauli Niinistö on 29 May 2015.^[1]

The current Council of State is a Center-right, 14-minister coalition consisting of the Centre Party (Suomen Keskusta), the Finns Party (Perussuomalaiset), and the National Coalition Party (Kansallinen Kokoomus).^[1]

The Chancellor of Justice is not a member of the Council of State but must by law attend its every meeting.

Previous Senates

Number	Senate	Term of office	Type of government	Parties in government	Number of MP's
1.	Svinhufvud's first senate	27 November 1917 – 27 May 1918	Majority	Young Finnish Party, Swedish People's Party, Finnish Party, Agrarian League	103/200
2.	Paasikivi's first senate	27 May 1918 – 27 November 1918	Majority	Young Finnish Party, Swedish People's Party, Finnish Party, Agrarian League	103/200

Previous Councils of State

Number	Government	Term of office	Type of government	Parties in government	Number of MP's
1.	Ingman's first cabinet	27 November 1918 – 17 April 1919	Majority	National Coalition Party, Swedish People's Party, National Progressive Party	77/200 or 77/108
2.	K. Castrén's cabinet	17 April 1919 – 15 August 1919	Minority	Swedish People's Party, National Progressive Party, Agrarian League	90/200
3.	Vennola's first cabinet	15 August 1919 – 15 March 1920	Minority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League	68/200
4.	Erich's cabinet	15 March 1920 – 9 April 1921	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, National Coalition Party, Swedish People's Party	118/200
5.	Vennola's second cabinet	9 April 1921 – 6 June 1922	Minority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League	68/200
6.	Cajander's first cabinet	2 June 1922 – 14 November 1922	caretaker government	–	–
7.	Kallio's first cabinet	14 November 1922 – 18 January 1924	Minority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League	60/200
8.	Cajander's second cabinet	18 January 1924 – 31 May 1924	caretaker government	–	–
9.	Ingman's second cabinet	31 May 1924 – 31 March 1925	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, National Coalition Party, Swedish People's Party	122/200
10.	Antti Tulenheimo's cabinet	31 March 1925 – 31 December 1925	Minority	Agrarian League, National Coalition Party	82/200
11.	Kallio's second cabinet	31 December 1925 – 13 December 1926	Minority	Agrarian League, National Coalition Party	82/200
12.	Tanner's cabinet	13 December 1926 – 17 December 1927	Minority	Social Democratic Party	52/100
13.	Sunila's first cabinet	17 December 1927 – 22 December 1928	Minority	Agrarian League	52/100
14.	Mantere's cabinet	22 December 1928 – 16 August 1929	Minority	National Progressive Party	10/200
15.	Kyösti Kallio's third cabinet	16 August 1929 – 4 July 1930	Minority	Agrarian League	60/200
16.	Svinhufvud's second cabinet	4 July 1930 – 21 March 1931	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, National Coalition Party, Swedish People's Party	132/200
17.	Sunila's second cabinet	21 March 1931 – 14 December 1932	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, National Coalition Party, Swedish People's Party	132/200
18.	Kivimäki's cabinet	14 December 1932 – 10 October 1936	Minority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party	85/200
19.	Kyösti Kallio's fourth cabinet	7 October 1936 – 12 March 1937	Minority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League	60/200
20.	A.Cajander's third cabinet	3 March 1937 – 1 December 1939	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party	164/200
21.	Risto Ryti's first cabinet	1 December 1939 – 3 March 1940	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party	165/200
22.	Risto Ryti's second cabinet	27 March 1940 – 4 December 1941	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party, National Coalition Party	190/200
23.	Rangell's cabinet	4 January 1941 – 5 March 1943	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party, National Coalition Party Patriotic People's Movement	198/200
24.	Edwin Linkomies' cabinet	5 March 1943 – 8 September 1944	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party, National Coalition Party	190/200
25.	Hackzell's cabinet	8 September 1944 – 21 October 1944	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party, National Coalition Party	190/200
26.	U. Castrén's cabinet	21 October 1944 – 17 November 1944	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party, National Coalition Party	190/200
27.	Paasikivi's second cabinet	17 November 1944 – 17 April 1945	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party, Finnish People's Democratic League	165/200
28.	Paasikivi's third cabinet	17 April 1945 – 26 March 1946	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party, Finnish People's Democratic League	171/200
29.	Mauno Pekkala's cabinet	26 March 1946 – 29 August 1948	Majority	Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party, Finnish People's Democratic League	162/200
30.	Fagerholm's first cabinet	29 August 1948 – 17 March 1950	Minority	Social Democratic Party	54/200
31.	Kekkonen's first cabinet	17 March 1950 – 17 January 1951	Minority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party	75/200
32.	Urho Kekkonen's second cabinet	17 January 1951 – 20 October 1951	Majority	National Progressive Party, Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party	129/200
33.	Kekkonen's third cabinet	20 October 1951 – 9 August 1953	Minority	Agrarian League, Social Democratic Party, Swedish People's Party	119/200
34.	Kekkonen's fourth cabinet	9 August 1953 – 17 November 1953	Minority	Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party	66/200
35.	Sakari Tuomioja's cabinet	17 November 1953 – 5 May 1954	caretaker government	–	53/200
36.	Törngren's cabinet	5 May 1954 – 20 October 1954	Majority	Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party, Agrarian League	120/200
37.	Kekkonen's fifth cabinet	20 October 1954 – 3 March 1956	Majority	Agrarian League, Social Democratic Party	107/200
38.	Fagerholm's second cabinet	3 March 1956 – 27 May 1957	Majority	Agrarian League, Social Democratic Party, Swedish People's Party	120/200
39.	Sukselainen's first cabinet	27 April 1957 – 29 November 1957	Minority	Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders, Finnish People's Party	79/200
40.	Von Fieandt's cabinet	29 November 1957 – 26 April 1958	caretaker government	–	–
41.	Kuuskoski's cabinet	26 April 1958 – 29 September 1958	caretaker government	–	–
42.	Karl-August Fagerholm's third cabinet	29 September 1958 – 13 January 1959	Majority	Social Democratic Party, Agrarian League, National Coalition Party, Finnish People's Party, Swedish People's Party	152/200
43.	Sukselainen's second cabinet	13 January 1959 – 14 August 1961	Minority	Agrarian League, Swedish People's Party	62/200
44.	Miettunen's first cabinet	14 August 1961 – 13 April 1962	Minority	Agrarian League	48/200
45.	Karjalainen's first cabinet	13 April 1962 – 18 December 1963	Majority	Agrarian League, Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders, Swedish People's Party, National Coalition Party, Finnish People's Party	114/200
46.	Lehto's cabinet	18 December 1963 – 12 October 1964	caretaker government	–	–
47.	Virolainen's Cabinet	12 October 1964 – 27 May 1966	Majority	Centre Party, National Coalition Party, Swedish People's Party, Finnish People's Party	112/200
48.	Paasio's first cabinet	27 May 1966 – 22 March 1968	Majority	Finnish People's Democratic League, Social Democratic Party, Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders, Centre Party	152/200
49.	Koivisto's first cabinet	22 March 1968 – 14 May 1970	Majority	Social Democratic Party, Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders, Centre Party, Swedish People's Party, Finnish People's Democratic League	164/200
50.	Aura's First cabinet	14 May 1970 – 15 August 1970	caretaker government	–	–
51.	Ahti Karjalainen's second cabinet	15 August 1970 – 29 October 1971	Majority	Social Democratic Party, Centre Party, Swedish People's Party, Liberals	144/200
52.	Aura's second cabinet	29 October 1971 – 23 February 1972	caretaker government	–	–
53.	Paasio's second cabinet	23 February 1972 – 4 October 1972	Minority	Social Democratic Party	55/200
54.	Sorsa's first cabinet	4 October 1972 – 13 June 1975	Majority	Centre Party, Swedish People's Party, Liberals, Social Democratic Party	109/200
55.	Liinamaa's cabinet	13 June 1975 – 30 November 1975	caretaker government	–	–
56.	Miettunen's second cabinet	30 November 1975 – 29 October 1976	Majority	Finnish People's Democratic League, Centre Party, Swedish People's Party, Liberals, Social Democratic Party	152/200
57.	Miettunen's third cabinet	29 October 1976 – 15 May 1977	Minority	Centre Party, Swedish People's Party, Liberals	58/200
58.	Sorsa's second cabinet	15 May 1977 – 26 May 1979	Majority	Finnish People's Democratic League, Swedish People's Party, Liberals, Social Democratic Party, Centre Party	152/200
59.	Koivisto's second cabinet	26 May 1979 – 19 February 1982	Majority	Finnish People's Democratic League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party, Centre Party	133/200
60.	Sorsa's third cabinet	19 February 1982 – 6 May 1983	Majority	Finnish People's Democratic League, Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party, Centre Party	133/200 and 102/200
61.	Sorsa's fourth cabinet	6 May 1983 – 30 April 1987	Majority	Swedish People's Party, Social Democratic Party, Centre Party, Finnish Rural Party	123/200
62.	Holkeri's cabinet	30 April 1987 – 26 April 1991	Majority	National Coalition Party, Social Democratic Party, Swedish People's Party, Finnish Rural Party	131/200
63.	Esko Aho's cabinet	26 April 1991 – 13 April 1995	Majority	Centre Party, National Coalition Party, Swedish People's Party, Christian Democrats	115/200
64.	Lipponen's first cabinet	13 April 1995 – 15 April 1999	Majority	National Coalition Party, Social Democratic Party, Swedish People's Party, Left Alliance, Green League	145/200
65.	Paavo Lipponen's second Cabinet	15 April 1999 – 17 April 2003	Majority	National Coalition Party, Social Democratic Party, Swedish People's Party, Left Alliance, Green League (−2002)	140/200 and 129/200
66.	Anneli Jäätteenmäki's Cabinet	17 April – 24 June 2003	Majority	Centre Party, Social Democratic Party, Swedish People's Party	117/200
67.	Matti Vanhanen's first cabinet	24 June 2003 – 19 April 2007	Majority	Centre Party, Social Democratic Party, Swedish People's Party	117/200
68.	Matti Vanhanen's second cabinet	19 April 2007 – 22 June 2010	Majority	Centre Party, National Coalition Party, Green League, Swedish People's Party	126/200
69.	Mari Kiviniemi's cabinet	22 June 2010 – 22 June 2011	Majority	Centre Party, National Coalition Party, Green League, Swedish People's Party	126/200
70.	Jyrki Katainen's cabinet	22 June 2011 — 24 June 2014	Majority	National Coalition Party, Social Democratic Party, Left Alliance (−2014), Green League, Swedish People's Party, Christian Democrats	124/200 and 112/200
71.	Alexander Stubb's cabinet	24 June 2014 — 29 May 2015	Majority	National Coalition Party, Social Democratic Party, Green League (−2014), Swedish People's Party, Christian Democrats	112/200 and 102/200
72.	Juha Sipilä's cabinet	29 May 2015 —	Majority	Centre Party, Finns Party, National Coalition Party	124/200

See also

• Council of State
• Minister for Foreign Affairs (Finland)
• Minister of Justice (Finland)
• Minister of Defence (Finland)
• Minister of Finance (Finland)
• Minister of the Interior (Finland)

References

1. "Prime Minister Sipilä's Government". Government of Finland. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.

External links

• The Finnish Government – Official site