Finnish Government


The Finnish Government 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 Marin Cabinet, the Government comprises 19 ministers leading 12 ministries.
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.

Composition

The Government is the most important executive body of Finland composed of the ministers. Its supreme powers are based on Section 3, Chapter 1 of the Constitution of Finland :
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.

Cabinet, ministers, ministries

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. 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, although they often are. Each minister is assisted by a secretary of state, a political appointee who serves at the pleasure of the minister.
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

Ministerial committees

The Prime Minister may sit with a subset of the Government in a ministerial 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:
The Government initiates the majority of legislation. A proposed act 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 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.
While the Parliament passes acts, the Government or an individual ministry issues decrees 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. Decrees form an important body of law alongside acts of Parliament.

Budget

State funds can be spent only in the framework of the state budget, 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. For 2018, the central state budget was €55.8 billion, not including municipal budgets and non-departmental bodies like state-owned enterprises.

Incumbent Government

The current Marin cabinet is Finland's 76th Government, which was inaugurated on 10 December 2019. It consists of 19 ministers and 5 parties: Social Democratic Party, Centre Party, Green League, Left Alliance and Swedish People's Party.

Ministers

The incumbent 19 ministers and their associated portfolios are listed below.

List of Governments

The following is a list of all Finnish Governments since 1917.
GovernmentTook officeSeatsParties
Svinhufvud's senate27 November 1917103/200Young Finnish Party
Swedish People's Party
Finnish Party
Agrarian League
Paasikivi's senate27 May 1918103/200Young Finnish Party
Swedish People's Party
Finnish Party
Agrarian League
Ingman's cabinet27 November 191877/200
77/108
National Coalition Party
Swedish People's Party
National Progressive Party
K. Castrén's cabinet17 April 191990/200Swedish People's Party
National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Vennola's cabinet15 August 191968/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Erich's cabinet15 March 1920118/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
National Coalition Party
Swedish People's Party
Vennola's second cabinet9 April 192168/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Cajander's cabinet2 June 1922
Kallio's cabinet14 November 192260/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Cajander's second cabinet18 January 1924
Ingman's second cabinet31 May 1924122/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
National Coalition Party
Swedish People's Party
Tulenheimo's cabinet31 March 192582/200Agrarian League
National Coalition Party
Kallio's second cabinet31 December 192582/200Agrarian League
National Coalition Party
Tanner's cabinet13 December 192652/200Social Democratic Party
Sunila's cabinet17 December 192752/200Agrarian League
Mantere's cabinet22 December 192810/200National Progressive Party
Kallio's third cabinet16 August 192960/200Agrarian League
Svinhufvud's second cabinet4 July 1930132/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
National Coalition Party
Swedish People's Party
Sunila's second cabinet21 March 1931132/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
National Coalition Party
Swedish People's Party
Kivimäki's cabinet14 December 193285/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Kallio's fourth cabinet7 October 193660/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Cajander's third cabinet3 March 1937164/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
Ryti's cabinet1 December 1939165/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
Ryti's second cabinet27 March 1940190/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
National Coalition Party
Rangell's cabinet4 January 1941198/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
National Coalition Party
Patriotic People's Movement
Linkomies' cabinet5 March 1943190/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
National Coalition Party
Hackzell's cabinet8 September 1944190/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
National Coalition Party
U. Castrén's cabinet21 October 1944190/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
National Coalition Party
Paasikivi's second cabinet17 November 1944165/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
Finnish People's Democratic League
Paasikivi's third cabinet17 April 1945171/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
Finnish People's Democratic League
Pekkala's cabinet26 March 1946162/200Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
Finnish People's Democratic League
Fagerholm's cabinet29 August 194854/200Social Democratic Party
Kekkonen's cabinet17 March 195075/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Kekkonen's second cabinet17 January 1951129/200National Progressive Party
Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
Kekkonen's third cabinet20 October 1951119/200Agrarian League
Social Democratic Party
Swedish People's Party
Kekkonen's fourth cabinet9 August 195366/200Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Sakari Tuomioja's cabinet17 November 195353/200
Törngren's cabinet5 May 1954120/200Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Kekkonen's fifth cabinet20 October 1954107/200Agrarian League
Social Democratic Party
Fagerholm's second cabinet3 March 1956120/200Agrarian League
Social Democratic Party
Swedish People's Party
Sukselainen's cabinet27 April 195779/200Agrarian League
Swedish People'Party
Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders
Finnish People's Party
von Fieandt's cabinet29 November 1957
Kuuskoski's cabinet26 April 1958
Fagerholm's third cabinet29 September 1958152/200Social Democratic Party
Agrarian League
National Coalition Party
Finnish People's Party
Swedish People's Party
Sukselainen's second cabinet13 January 195962/200Agrarian League
Swedish People's Party
Miettunen's cabinet14 August 196148/200Agrarian League
Karjalainen's cabinet13 April 1962114/200Agrarian League
Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders
Swedish People's Party
National Coalition Party
Finnish People's Party
Lehto's cabinet18 December 1963
Virolainen's cabinet12 October 1964112/200Centre Party
National Coalition Party
Swedish People's Party
Finnish People's Party
Paasio's cabinet27 May 1966152/200Finnish People's Democratic League
Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders
Centre Party
Koivisto's cabinet22 March 1968164/200Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders
Centre Party
Swedish People's Party
Finnish People's Democratic League
Aura's cabinet14 May 1970
Karjalainen's second cabinet15 August 1970144/200Social Democratic Party
Centre Party
Swedish People's Party
Liberals
Aura's second cabinet29 October 1971
Paasio's second cabinet23 February 197255/200Social Democratic Party
Sorsa's cabinet4 October 1972109/200Centre Party
Swedish People's Party
Liberals
Social Democratic Party
Liinamaa's cabinet13 June 1975
Miettunen's second cabinet30 November 1975152/200Finnish People's Democratic League
Centre Party
Swedish People's Party
Liberals
Social Democratic Party
Miettunen's third cabinet29 October 197658/200Centre Party
Swedish People's Party
Liberals
Sorsa's second cabinet15 May 1977152/200Finnish People's Democratic League
Swedish People's Party
Liberals
Social Democratic Party
Centre Party
Koivisto's second cabinet26 May 1979133/200Finnish People's Democratic League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
Centre Party
Sorsa's third cabinet19 February 1982133/200
102/200
Finnish People's Democratic League
Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
Centre Party
Sorsa's fourth cabinet6 May 1983123/200Swedish People's Party
Social Democratic Party
Centre Party
Finnish Rural Party
Holkeri's cabinet30 April 1987131/200National Coalition Party
Social Democratic Party
Swedish People's Party
Finnish Rural Party
Aho's cabinet26 April 1991115/200Centre Party
National Coalition Party
Swedish People's Party
Christian Democrats
Lipponen's cabinet13 April 1995145/200National Coalition Party
Social Democratic Party
Swedish People's Party
Left Alliance
Green League
Lipponen's second Cabinet15 April 1999140/200
129/200
National Coalition Party
Social Democratic Party
Swedish People's Party
Left Alliance
Green League
Jäätteenmäki's Cabinet17 April 2003117/200Centre Party
Social Democratic Party
Swedish People's Party
Vanhanen's cabinet24 June 2003117/200Centre Party
Social Democratic Party
Swedish People's Party
Vanhanen's second cabinet19 April 2007126/200Centre Party
National Coalition Party
Green League
Swedish People's Party
Kiviniemi's cabinet22 June 2010126/200Centre Party
National Coalition Party
Green League
Swedish People's Party
Katainen's cabinet22 June 2011124/200
112/200
National Coalition Party
Social Democratic Party
Left Alliance
Green League
Swedish People's Party
Christian Democrats
Stubb's cabinet24 June 2014112/200
102/200
National Coalition Party
Social Democratic Party
Green League
Swedish People's Party
Christian Democrats
Sipilä's cabinet29 May 2015124/200
105/200
Centre Party
Finns Party
National Coalition Party
Blue Reform
Rinne's cabinet6 June 2019117/200Social Democratic Party
Centre Party
Green League
Left Alliance
Swedish People's Party
Marin's Cabinet
Incumbent
10 December 2019117/200Social Democratic Party
Centre Party
Green League
Left Alliance
Swedish People's Party