| Prime Minister of the Republic of Finland |
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Coat of Arms of Finland |
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| Residence | Kesäranta |
| Appointer | President of Finland |
| Term length | Duration of parliamentary convocation, coalition or upon resignation and removal |
| Inaugural holder | Lauri Ingman |
| Formation | 27 November 1918 |
| Website | official website |
| Finland |
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The Prime Minister (Finnish: pääministeri, Swedish: statsminister) is the Head of Government of Finland. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President, who is the Head of State. The current Prime Minister is Jyrki Katainen of the National Coalition Party.
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Under the provisions of the new Constitution of Finland (enacted in 2000), the President nominates a Prime Minister after the parties in the Eduskunta/Riksdag (Parliament) have negotiated the distribution of seats in the new Council of State and the government's programme. Parliament must ratify the nominated Prime Minister with an absolute majority in a vote without other candidates. If the nominee doesn't receive sufficient support, then a new round of negotiations and a second nomination by the President follows. If the second nominee also fails to gain an absolute majority, then a third vote occurs, in which any member of Parliament can nominate a candidate; in this round a plurality is sufficient for election. The President's formal appointment follows Parliament's election.
The above procedure was first used to elect Anneli Jäätteenmäki to the Prime Ministership in 2003. Previously it was assumed that the President would nominate the candidate who in a third round of voting would have gained a relative majority, usually the leader of the largest party. Before the new Constitution came into force, full formal powers to appoint the Prime Minister and the rest of the Council of State had been the privilege of the President, who was free to diverge from parliamentary principles, although ministers appointed had to have the confidence of the Parliament.
The Prime Minister nominates the remaining members of the Council of State, who are then, with the consent of Parliament, appointed by the President.
In 1918, the Finnish Senate was transformed into the Council of State (or cabinet) of Finland, and the position of Vice-Chairman of the Economic Division of the Senate was transformed into that of a Prime Minister. Kesäranta (in Swedish Villa Bjälbo), located in the Meilahti area of Helsinki, has been the official residence of the Prime Minister of Finland since 1919.
Since its independence (declared on 6 December 1917), Finland has had 71 cabinets,[1] including the current one, the longest lasting being the two cabinets of Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, both lasting 1,464 days.
The salary of the prime minister is by law the same as the salary of the Speaker of the Parliament, which is €11,675 a month (from 1 May 2011). In addition, the prime minister receives a half of the parliamentary salary to which he or she is entitled as a sitting member of Parliament. The full parliamentary salary is currently (as of 1 May 2011) at least €6,335 a month, so the Finnish prime minister receives at least €14,842 per month in total. The salary is subject to normal income tax.
The prime minister is entitled to a thirty days' leave (holiday) during each calendar year. The maintenance, staff and services of the official residence (Kesäranta) is paid by the government. The prime minister has transportation and security services at his disposal at all times.
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Prime_ministers_of_Finland Prime ministers of Finland] at Wikimedia Commons
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