The Prime Minister (Finnish Pääministeri, 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 Jäätteenmäki 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.
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| From-To | Prime Minister | Born/died | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1917-1918 | Pehr Evind Svinhufvud | 1861-1944 | Young Finnish Party |
| 1918 | Juho Kusti Paasikivi | 1870-1956 | Finnish Party |
| 1918-1919 | Lauri Ingman | 1868-1934 | National Coalition Party |
| 1919 | Kaarlo Castrén | 1860-1938 | National Progressive Party |
| 1919-1920 | Juho Vennola | 1872-1938 | National Progressive Party |
| 1920-1921 | Rafael Erich | 1879-1946 | National Coalition Party |
| 1921-1922 | Juho Vennola | 1872-1938 | National Progressive Party |
| 1922 | Aimo Cajander | 1879-1943 | None (Caretaker cabinet) |
| 1922-1924 | Kyösti Kallio | 1873–1940 | Agrarian Party |
| 1924 | Aimo Cajander | 1879-1943 | None (Caretaker cabinet) |
| 1924-1925 | Lauri Ingman | 1868-1934 | National Coalition Party |
| 1925 | Antti Tulenheimo | 1879-1952 | National Coalition Party |
| 1925-1926 | Kyösti Kallio | 1873–1940 | Agrarian Party |
| 1926-1927 | Väinö Tanner | 1881-1966 | Social Democratic Party |
| 1927-1928 | Juho Sunila | 1875-1936 | Agrarian Party |
| 1928-1929 | Oskari Mantere | 1874-1942 | National Progressive Party |
| 1929-1930 | Kyösti Kallio | 1873–1940 | Agrarian Party |
| 1930-1931 | Pehr Evind Svinhufvud | 1861-1944 | National Coalition Party |
| 1931-1932 | Juho Sunila | 1875-1936 | Agrarian Party |
| 1932-1936 | Toivo Kivimäki | 1886-1968 | National Progressive Party |
| 1936-1937 | Kyösti Kallio | 1873–1940 | Agrarian Party |
| 1937-1939 | Aimo Cajander | 1879-1943 | National Progressive Party |
| 1939-1940 | Risto Ryti | 1889-1956 | National Progressive Party |
| 1941-1943 | Johan Wilhelm Rangell | 1894-1982 | National Progressive Party |
| 1943-1944 | Edwin Linkomies | 1894-1963 | National Coalition Party |
| 1944 | Antti Hackzell | 1881-1946 | None |
| 1944 | Urho Castren | 1886-1965 | National Coalition Party |
| 1944-1946 | Juho Kusti Paasikivi | 1870-1956 | National Coalition Party |
| 1946-1948 | Mauno Pekkala | 1890-1952 | Finnish People's Democratic League |
| 1948-1950 | Karl-August Fagerholm | 1901-1984 | Social Democratic Party |
| 1950-1953 | Urho Kekkonen | 1900-1986 | Agrarian Party |
| 1953-1954 | Sakari Tuomioja | 1911-1964 | None (Caretaker cabinet) |
| 1954 | Ralf Törngren | 1899-1961 | Swedish People's Party |
| 1954-1956 | Urho Kekkonen | 1900-1986 | Agrarian Party |
| 1956-1957 | Karl-August Fagerholm | 1901-1984 | Social Democratic Party |
| 1957 | Jussi Sukselainen | 1906-1995 | Agrarian Party |
| 1957-1958 | Rainer von Fieandt | 1890-1972 | None (Caretaker cabinet) |
| 1958 | Reino Kuuskoski | 1907-1965 | None (Caretaker cabinet) |
| 1958-1959 | Karl-August Fagerholm | 1901-1984 | Social Democratic Party |
| 1959-1961 | Jussi Sukselainen | 1906-1995 | Agrarian Party |
| 1961-1962 | Martti Miettunen | 1907-2002 | Agrarian Party |
| 1962-1963 | Ahti Karjalainen | 1923-1990 | Agrarian Party |
| 1963-1964 | Reino Ragnar Lehto | 1898-1966 | None (Caretaker cabinet) |
| 1964-1966 | Johannes Virolainen | 1914-2000 | Centre Party |
| 1966-1968 | Rafael Paasio | 1903-1980 | Social Democratic Party |
| 1968-1970 | Mauno Koivisto | 1932- | Social Democratic Party |
| 1970 | Teuvo Aura | 1912-1999 | None (Caretaker cabinet) |
| 1970-1971 | Ahti Karjalainen | 1923-1990 | Centre Party |
| 1971-1971 | Teuvo Aura | 1912-1999 | None (Caretaker cabinet) |
| 1972 | Rafael Paasio | 1903-1980 | Social Democratic Party |
| 1972-1975 | Kalevi Sorsa | 1930- | Social Democratic Party |
| 1975 | Keijo Liinamaa | 1929-1980 | None (Caretaker cabinet) |
| 1975-1977 | Martti Miettunen | 1909-2002 | Centre Party |
| 1977-1979 | Kalevi Sorsa | 1930- | Social Democratic Party |
| 1979-1982 | Mauno Koivisto | 1932- | Social Democratic Party |
| 1982-1987 | Kalevi Sorsa | 1930- | Social Democratic Party |
| 1987-1991 | Harri Holkeri | 1937- | National Coalition Party |
| 1991-1995 | Esko Aho | 1954- | Centre Party |
| 1995-2003 | Paavo Lipponen | 1941- | Social Democratic Party |
| 2003 | Anneli Jäätteenmäki | 1955- | Centre Party |
| 2003- | Matti Vanhanen | 1955- | Centre Party |
