Valtioneuvos
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Valtioneuvos ("Councillor of State") is a Finnish title of honor awarded by the President for statesmen. It is in the highest class of the titles of honor (along with vuorineuvos). The title has been awarded eight times in independent Finland since 1917:
- Juho Kusti Paasikivi — Senator, Prime Minister, President (1930)
- Emil Nestor Setälä — Senator, Professor (1934)
- Eero Yrjö Pehkonen — Senator, Provincial Governor (1948)
- Karl-August Fagerholm — Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament (1969)
- Martti Miettunen — Provincial Governor, Prime Minister (1977)
- Johannes Virolainen — Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament (1989)
- Harri Holkeri — Bank of Finland Chairman, Prime Minister (1998)
- Riitta Uosukainen — Minister of Education, Speaker of Parliament (2004)
Former Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen declined the honor, commenting that no one outside Finland knows what valtioneuvos is, and that he is satisfied with "former Prime Minister".
