Government of Finland

Finland
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Finland
State Constitution Declaration of Independence Human rights
Executive President (list) Sauli Niinistö Prime Minister (list) Alexander Stubb Cabinet Executive departments
Legislative 37th Parliament Speaker: Juha Sipilä
Judiciary General Courts Supreme Court Courts of Appeal District Courts Administrative Courts Supreme Administrative Court Regional Administrative Courts Prosecutor General Matti Kuusimäki Chancellor of Justice Jaakko Jonkka
Recent elections Parliamentary: 2007 2011 2015 Presidential: 2000 2006 2012 European: 2004 2009 2014
Political parties National Coalition Party (KOK) Social Democratic Party (SDP) Finns Party (formerly True Finns, PS) Centre Party (KESK) Left Alliance (VAS) Green League (VIHR) Swedish People's Party (RKP) Christian Democrats (KD) Politicians
Administrative divisions Regions (Maakunnat, Landskap) Sub-regions (Seutukunnat, Ekonomiska regioner) Municipalities (Kunnat, Kommuner)
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Finland is a republic with a representative democracy governed accordingly to the principles of parliamentarism. Legislative power is vested in the Parliament of Finland (Finnish: eduskunta). Executive power is exercised by the Cabinet, officially termed Council of State (Finnish: valtioneuvosto, Swedish: statsrådet), which is led by the Prime Minister, the Head of Government. Some matters are decided by the President of Finland, the Head of State, in plenary meetings with the Council of State, echoing the constitutional history of a privy council. The President is otherwise not present in the Council, but decides on issues such as personal appointments and pardons on the advice of the relevant minister. In the ministries, matters of secondary importance are decided by individual ministers, advised by the minister's State Secretary. The Prime Minister and the other ministers in the Council of State are responsible for their actions in office to the Parliament.

Head of Government

The Head of Government is the Prime Minister, currently Alexander Stubb, who has held the office since 24 June 2014. The Prime Minister designate is subject to election by the Parliament and, if elected, he or she —along with all the other ministers upon the nomination of the Prime Minister— are appointed by the President of Finland.

Stubb's government is a right-left coalition of the National Coalition Party, Social Democratic Party, Green League, Swedish People's Party and Christian Democrats. Stubb's predecessor Jyrki Katainen was elected Prime Minister in June 2011, after the previous Prime Minister, Mari Kiviniemi, was defeated in the 2011 general election. Kiviniemi's government was a centre-right coalition, consisting of the National Coalition, Centre Party, Green League and Swedish People's Party, whereas Katainen's government was a right-left coalition similar in form to the present government.

Ministries

There are 12 ministries^[1] in the government. As there are more members (ministers) in the Council of State than ministries, some are headed by more than one minister.

• Prime Minister's Office
• Ministry for Foreign Affairs
• Ministry of Justice
• Ministry of the Interior
• Ministry of Defence
• Ministry of Finance
• Ministry of Education and Culture
• Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
• Ministry of Transport and Communications
• Ministry of Employment and the Economy
• Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
• Ministry of the Environment

Council of State

See also

• Politics of Finland
• Parliament of Finland
• President of Finland
• Government of Åland
• Municipalities of Finland
• Government Agencies in Finland
• Comprehensive Income Policy Agreement
• Elections in Finland
• Senate of Finland

External links

• Finnish Government's official web service
• List of Finnish Governments

References

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