Katainen Cabinet

Jyrki Katainen's cabinet

72nd Cabinet of Finland
Date formed 22 June 2011
Date dissolved 24 June 2014
People and organisations
Head of government Jyrki Katainen
Head of state Tarja Halonen (2011-2012)
Sauli Niinistö (2012-2014)
Number of ministers 19
Member party National Coalition Party
Social Democratic Party (SDP)
Green League
Left Alliance (until April 2014)
Swedish People's Party (SPP)
Christian Democrats
History
Election(s) 2011 parliamentary election
Outgoing formation Resignation of Jyrki Katainen
Predecessor Mari Kiviniemi's cabinet
Successor Alexander Stubb's cabinet

Jyrki Katainen's cabinet (June 22, 2011[1]—June 24, 2014) was the 72nd cabinet of Finland, formed as a result of the 2011 post-parliamentary election negotiations between the Finnish parliamentary parties. Led by Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen of the National Coalition Party (NCP), 12 ministers of the 19-minister government represented the NCP and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), while the Left Alliance, the Green League, the Swedish People's Party (SPP) and the Christian Democrats share seven minister portfolios. On June 22, the Parliament confirmed Katainen's election as the Prime Minister and President Tarja Halonen inaugurated the government. Two Left Alliance MPs voted against Katainen, for which they were formally reprimanded by the Left Alliance's parliamentary group (and later expelled from the group).[1][2] On 25 March, 2014, the rest of Left Alliance left the cabinet over dispute on a package of spending cuts and tax rises.[3]

In June 2014 Katainen stepped down as party chairman and Prime Minister of Finland for a new position in the European Union.[4] Katainen was replaced by Alexander Stubb as chairman of the National Coalition Party and thus chosen to be the next Prime Minister. Katainen's cabinet will be succeeded by the cabinet of Alexander Stubb on 24 June 2014.

Portfolios

The NCP had six ministers in the Cabinet as did the SDP. The Left Alliance, the Green League and the SPP had two ministers each and the Christian Democrats had one.[5] The NCP,[6] SDP,[6] Left Alliance,[6][7] SPP[6] and Christian Democrats[8] announced their propositions for ministerial portfolios during the weekend of June 17—19 and the Green League announced its ministers designate on June 20.[9]

Portfolio Minister Tookoffice Leftoffice Party
Prime Minister Jyrki KatainenJune 22, 2011June 24, 2014National Coalition
Minister of Finance
Deputy Prime Minister
 Jutta UrpilainenJune 22, 2011June 6, 2014Social Democratic
 Antti RinneJune 6, 2014June 24, 2014Social Democratic
Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki TuomiojaJune 22, 2011June 24, 2014Social Democratic
Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexander StubbJune 22, 2011June 24, 2014National Coalition
Minister of Justice Anna-Maja HenrikssonJune 22, 2011June 24, 2014Swedish People's
Minister of the Interior Päivi RäsänenJune 22, 2011June 24, 2014Christian Democrat
Minister for International Development and ownership steering issues at the Prime Minister’s Office Heidi HautalaJune 22, 2011October 17, 2013Green League
 Pekka HaavistoOctober 17, 2013June 24, 2014Green League
Minister of Defence Stefan WallinJune 22, 2011July 5, 2012Swedish People's
 Carl HaglundJuly 5, 2012June 24, 2014Swedish People's
Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Henna VirkkunenJune 22, 2011June 24, 2014National Coalition
Minister of Education and Science Jukka GustafssonJune 22, 2011May 24, 2013Social Democratic
 Krista KiuruMay 24, 2013June 24, 2014Social Democratic
Minister of Culture and Sport Paavo ArhinmäkiJune 22, 2011April 4, 2014Left Alliance
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jari KoskinenJune 22, 2011June 24, 2014National Coalition
Minister of Transport Merja KyllönenJune 22, 2011April 4, 2014Left Alliance
Minister of Housing and Communications Krista KiuruJune 22, 2011May 24, 2013Social Democratic
 Pia ViitanenMay 24, 2013June 24, 2014Social Democratic
Minister of Economic Affairs Jyri HäkämiesJune 22, 2011November 16, 2012National Coalition
 Jan VapaavuoriNovember 16, 2012June 24, 2014National Coalition
Minister of Social Affairs and Health Paula RisikkoJune 22, 2011June 24, 2014National Coalition
Minister of Health and Social Services Maria Guzenina-RichardsonJune 22, 2011May 24, 2013Social Democratic
 Susanna HuovinenMay 24, 2013June 24, 2014Social Democratic
Minister of Labour Lauri IhalainenJune 22, 2011June 24, 2014Social Democratic
Minister of the Environment Ville NiinistöJune 22, 2011June 24, 2014Green League

Prior to being appointed minister, Hautala, Haglund and Koskinen were not MPs. Hautala and Haglund were MEPs, while Koskinen was a board member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Resignation

Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala resigned the government in October 2013. This was linked to Greenpeace demonstrations against Petroleum exploration in the Arctic by the Finnish state-owned firm Arctia Shipping and Gazprom Prirazlomnoye field in September 2013.[10]

On 25 March, 2014, the Left Alliance left the cabinet over dispute on a package of spending cuts and tax rises. Their ministerial portfolios were redistributed among the biggest parties, but no new ministers were appointed. Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Henna Virkkunen was given the chores of the Minister of Transport, while Minister of Housing and Communications Pia Viitanen became in charge of Culture and Sport.

Government platform

On June 17, the new government announced its platform[11] for the upcoming years of 2011—2015. Upon its announcement, Helsingin Sanomat highlighted its main points as follows:[12]

Economy

Budget cuts and tax increases

  • budget cuts:
  • equalization payments from the state to municipalities: –€ 600 million
  • military spending: –€ 200 million
  • level of development aid will be frozen in 2013 and 2014
  • industrial subsidies: –€ 100 million
  • compensations for costs of medications included in the medical insurance: –€ 100 million
  • increases in taxation:
  • Capital gain tax (e.g. on sales profits, rent income, dividends) will go up to 30 %; the tax will be 32 % on the part exceeding € 50,000 per year (as opposed to the previous flat tax on all capital income)
  • gasoline tax will increase by 10 %
  • taxes on car ownership, alcohol, tobacco, sweets and soft drinks will increase
  • tax-deductibility on interest payments of mortgages will decrease gradually from 100 % down to 75 % by the end of the parliamentary term
  • tax-deductibility on purchased household services (e.g. cleaning) will be reduced to € 2,000 per year
  • a new tax of 9 % will be imposed on subscriptions to newspapers and journals (as opposed to their previous tax-freedom)

Social benefits

Municipality reform

Work careers

  • prevention of work incapacity
  • development of professional skills

European Union

Energy

Immigration

Finnish Broadcasting Company

Abortion

Geriatric care

Finnish income gap

The gap between the top earners and those worst-off grew during Katainen government.[13] Government made many decisions that favored the most rich, e.g. removed the tax from the business angel investments that are risky but can be very lucrative and mostly applies the most rich persons. Many tax allowances favor the rich, e.g. the household renovation reduction and private retirement funds.

Citizens' initiatives

The Finnish Parliament during Jyrki Katainen's cabinet received the first citizens' initiatives. The first citizens' initiative aimed to ban fur farming, but it was rejected on 19 June 2013 by the Parliament.[14][15] Five more initiatives followed concerning themes such as same-sex marriage, changes in anti-piracy laws and abolishing mandatory Swedish.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Uusi hallitus nimitettiin". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish) (Sanoma News). Suomen Tietotoimisto. June 22, 2011. Retrieved June 24, 2011.
  2. "Mustajärvi ja Yrttiaho ulos vasemmistoliiton eduskuntaryhmästä". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Sanoma News. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  3. "Left Alliance leaves government". YLE. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  4. Viita, Kasper (June 13, 2014). "Finland Prepares for Prime Minister Switch as Katainen Quits". Bloomberg.
  5. "Uuden hallituksen salkkujako". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish) (Sanoma News). June 17, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Perhe? Koulutus? Työkokemus? Tässä ovat uudet ministerimme" (in Finnish). MTV3. June 18, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  7. "Puoluevaltuusto ja eduskuntaryhmä päättävät hallitukseen osallistumisesta" (in Finnish). Left Alliance. June 17, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  8. Laitinen, Joonas (June 18, 2011). "Kristillisten Päivi Räsänen ottaa vastuun maahanmuuttoasioista". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish) (Sanoma News). Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  9. "Niinistö ympäristöministeriksi, Hautala kehitysyhteistyöministeriksi" (in Finnish). Yleisradio. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  10. Hautala steps down over Greenpeace furore yle 11.10.2013
  11. "Neuvottelutulos hallitusohjelmasta" (pdf) (in Finnish). Cabinet of Finland. June 17, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  12. "Hallitusohjelman pääkohdat". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish) (Sanoma News). Suomen Tietotoimisto. June 17, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  13. Finnish income gap creeps wider 1.11.2013
  14. Parliament says no to fur-farming ban Parliament says no to fur-farming ban yle 19.6.2012
  15. Turkistarhauksen kielto kaatui äänin 146-36 yle 19.6.2012
Preceded by
Mari Kiviniemi's cabinet
Jyrki Katainen's cabinet
June 22, 2011 — June 24, 2014
Succeeded by
Alexander Stubb's cabinet
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