Finnish Council of State

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The Council of State (Finnish: Valtioneuvosto, Swedish: Statsrådet) is Finland's cabinet; it directs the Government of Finland. However, in governmental translations to English, the distinction is often blurred between cabinet and government in the wider sense that includes the Parliament of Finland, on which the cabinet is dependent, the governmental agencies directed by the Cabinet, and the independent judicial branch of government; although this distinction is significant.

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.

With the constitution of 2000, Finland adheres de jure to the principles of Parliamentarism, although de facto all presidents since Kyösti Kallio (1936–1940) have chosen to appoint cabinets supported or tolerated by parliamentary majorities.

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.

[edit] Current Council of State

The current Council of State, the 69th to be formed since Finland's independence, was appointed by President Tarja Halonen on June 24, 2003. The current Council of State is a coalition comprising the Social Democrats (SDP), the Centre Party (KESK) and the Swedish People's Party (SFP).

The Social Democratic Party announced on September 9, 2005 a reshuffle of its cabinet ministers. The switch took effect on September 23, 2005. SDP chairman Eero Heinäluoma, elected as party head in June 2005, became the new Finance Minister and Susanna Huovinen became the new Minister of Transport and Communications. To make room for Mr. Heinäluoma, Antti Kalliomäki moved from Finance to Education with the former Minister of Education Tuula Haatainen becaming the Minister of Social Affairs and Health (formerly Sinikka Mönkäre). To accommodate Ms. Huovinen in the cabinet, former Minister of Transport and Communications Leena Luhtanen took the position of the Minister of Justice (formerly Johannes Koskinen).

The Chancellor of Justice is an ex officio non-voting member of the Council of State.

Position	Minister	Party
Prime minister	Matti Vanhanen	Centre Party
Minister of Finance, Deputy Prime Minister	Eero Heinäluoma	SDP
Minister of Foreign Affairs	Erkki Tuomioja	SDP
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development	Paula Lehtomäki	Centre Party
Minister of Justice	Leena Luhtanen	SDP
Minister of the Interior	Kari Rajamäki	SDP
Minister of Regional and Municipal Affairs	Hannes Manninen	Centre Party
Minister of Defence	Seppo Kääriäinen	Centre Party
Coordinate Minister for Finance	Ulla-Maj Wideroos	SFP
Minister of Education	Antti Kalliomäki	SDP
Minister of Culture	Tanja Saarela	Centre Party
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry	Juha Korkeaoja	Centre Party
Minister of Transport and Communications	Susanna Huovinen	SDP
Minister of Trade and Industry	Mauri Pekkarinen	Centre Party
Minister of Social Affairs and Health	Tuula Haatainen	SDP
Minister of Health and Social Services	Liisa Hyssälä	Centre Party
Minister of Labour	Tarja Filatov	SDP
Minister of the Environment	Jan-Erik Enestam	SFP