Prime Minister of Finland
The Prime Minister (Finnish P��ministeri, Swedish: Statsminister) is the Head of Government in Finland. In 1918 the Senate of Finland was transformed into the Cabinet of Finland, and the position as vice-chairman of the Senate's Economic Division was transformed into that of a prime minister.

The Prime Minister is appointed by the President, who is Head of State.

The President nominates Prime Minister, according to the (new) Constitution of Finland, after the parties of the Parliament (Eduskunta) have negotiated on distribution of seats in Cabinet and on its programme. The Parliament elects Prime Minister with absolute majority (in a voting without counter-candidate). If the nominee hasn't received sufficient support, then a new round of negotiations and a second nomination by the President follows. If also the second nominee fails to gain absolute majority, then a third voting occurs, in which all Members of Parliament can nominate candidates, and relative majority suffice for election. The President's formal appointment follows the Parliament's election.

The procedure above was first used to elect Anneli J��tteenm�ki into office in 2003, when it beforehand was assumed that the President would nominate the candidate who in a third voting would have gained relative majority, i.e. the leader of the largest party.

The previous 85 years full formal powers to appoint the Prime Minister and the rest of the Cabinet had been the privilege of the President, who for instance was free to diverge from principles of Parliamentarism, although the ministers must enjoy the confidence of the Parliament.

Since its independence (declared on December 6th, 1917), Finland has had 86 Cabinets, the longest lasting being the two Cabinets of Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, both lasting 1,464 days.

Table of contents 1 List of Prime Ministers

2 See also

3 External links

List of Prime Ministers

From-To Prime Minister Born/died Party 1917-1918Pehr Evind Svinhufvud 1861-1944Young Finnish Party 1918 Juho Kusti Paasikivi 1870-1956Finnish Party 1918-1919Lauri Ingman 1868-1934National Coalition Party 1919 Kaarlo Castr�n 1860-1938National Progressive Party 1919-1920Juho Vennola 1872-1938National Progressive Party 1920-1921Rafael Erich 1879-1946National Coalition Party 1921-1922Juho Vennola 1872-1938National Progressive Party 1922 Aimo Cajander 1879-1943None (Caretaker cabinet) 1922-1924Ky�sti Kallio 1873�1940Agrarian Party 1924 Aimo Cajander 1879-1943None (Caretaker cabinet) 1924-1925Lauri Ingman 1868-1934National Coalition Party 1925 Antti Tulenheimo 1879-1952National Coalition Party 1925-1926Ky�sti Kallio 1873�1940Agrarian Party 1926-1927V�in� Tanner 1881-1966Social Democratic Party 1927-1928Juho Sunila 1875-1936Agrarian Party 1928-1929Oskari Mantere 1874-1942National Progressive Party 1929-1930Ky�sti Kallio 1873�1940Agrarian Party 1930-1931Pehr Evind Svinhufvud 1861-1944National Coalition Party 1931-1932Juho Sunila 1875-1936Agrarian Party 1932-1936Toivo Kivim�ki 1886-1968National Progressive Party 1936-1937Ky�sti Kallio 1873�1940Agrarian Party 1937-1939Aimo Cajander 1879-1943National Progressive Party 1939-1940Risto Ryti 1889-1956National Progressive Party 1941-1943Johan Wilhelm Rangell 1894-1982National Progressive Party 1943-1944Edwin Linkomies 1894-1963National Coalition Party 1944 Antti Hackzell 1881-1946None 1944 Urho Castren 1886-1965National Coalition Party 1944-1946Juho Kusti Paasikivi 1870-1956National Coalition Party 1946-1948Mauno Pekkala 1890-1952Finnish People's Democratic League 1948-1950Karl-August Fagerholm 1901-1984Social Democratic Party 1950-1953Urho Kekkonen 1900-1986Agrarian Party 1953-1954Sakari Tuomioja 1911-1964None (Caretaker cabinet) 1954 Ralf T�rngren 1899-1961Swedish People's Party 1954-1956Urho Kekkonen 1900-1986Agrarian Party 1956-1957Karl-August Fagerholm 1901-1984Social Democratic Party 1957 Jussi Sukselainen 1906-1995Agrarian Party 1957-1958Rainer von Fieandt 1890-1972None (Caretaker cabinet) 1958 Reino Kuuskoski 1907-1965None (Caretaker cabinet) 1958-1959Karl-August Fagerholm 1901-1984Social Democratic Party 1959-1961Jussi Sukselainen 1906-1995Agrarian Party 1961-1962Martti Miettunen 1907-2002Agrarian Party 1962-1963Ahti Karjalainen 1923-1990Agrarian Party 1963-1964Reino Ragnar Lehto 1898-1966None (Caretaker cabinet) 1964-1966Johannes Virolainen 1914-2000Centre Party 1966-1968Rafael Paasio 1903-1980Social Democratic Party 1968-1970Mauno Koivisto 1932-Social Democratic Party 1970 Teuvo Aura 1912-1999None (Caretaker cabinet) 1970-1971Ahti Karjalainen 1923-1990Centre Party 1971-1971Teuvo Aura 1912-1999None (Caretaker cabinet) 1972 Rafael Paasio 1903-1980Social Democratic Party 1972-1975Kalevi Sorsa 1930-Social Democratic Party 1975 Keijo Liinamaa 1929-1980None (Caretaker cabinet) 1975-1977Martti Miettunen1909-2002Centre Party 1977-1979Kalevi Sorsa 1930-Social Democratic Party 1979-1982Mauno Koivisto 1932-Social Democratic Party 1982-1987Kalevi Sorsa 1930-Social Democratic Party 1987-1991Harri Holkeri 1937-National Coalition Party 1991-1995Esko Aho 1954-Centre Party 1995-2003Paavo Lipponen 1941-Social Democratic Party 2003 Anneli J��tteenm�ki1955-Centre Party 2003- Matti Vanhanen 1955-Centre Party