Speaker of the Parliament of Finland

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Speaker of Parliament of Finland
Eduskunnan puhemies
Riksdagens talman
Incumbent
Jussi Halla-aho
since 21 June 2023
Parliament of Finland
SeatHelsinki, Finland
AppointerParliament
Term lengthOne year
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Finland
PrecursorSpeaker of the Diet of Finland
Formation1907; 117 years ago (1907)
First holderPehr Evind Svinhufvud
Salary€13,390 monthly[1]
Websitewww.eduskunta.fi

The speaker of the Parliament of Finland (Finnish eduskunnan puhemies, Swedish riksdagens talman), along with two deputy speakers, is elected by Parliament during the first plenary session each year. Speakers are chosen for a year at a time. In addition to their preparing the work in plenary sessions the speakers also play a key role in Parliament's international co-operation, which includes visits by speakers and international delegations as well as participation in numerous interparliamentary organisations.

The speaker and two deputy speakers are elected by parliament from among its members by secret ballot. After the election the speaker and deputy speakers each make the following solemn affirmation before Parliament:

"I, ..., affirm that in my office as speaker I will to the best of my ability defend the rights of the people, parliament and the government of Finland according to the Constitution."

Formally, the speaker ranks second in the protocol, after the president of Finland and before the prime minister of Finland.[2] The speaker is the chairman of the parliament, who grants the floor for speeches and replies, makes voting proposals and decides on the final order of business.[3] An interim speaker is elected for the duration of government formation talks. The speaker's duties are defined in the Constitution of Finland and the parliament's rules of procedure.[4][5]

The title puhemies or talman has, both in Finnish and Swedish, the literal meaning 'spokesman', which has caused mild controversies in terms of sexism in language. However, according to official language authorities, the title is not easy to change to a more gender-neutral alternative due to its "strong connection to the institution and history of the Parliament".[6]

If there is a tie in the Speaker's Council the speaker is given a tie-breaking vote.[7]

List of speakers of the Parliament of Finland[edit]

Desk of the speaker of the Parliament of Finland
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Party
Took office Left office
1 Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
(1861–1944)
23 May
1907
31 January
1913
Young Finnish
2 Oskari Tokoi
(1873–1963)
3 February
1913
1 February
1914
Social Democratic
3 Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg
(1865–1952)
3 February
1914
3 April
1917
Young Finnish
4 Kullervo Manner
(1880–1939)
4 April
1917
30 October
1917
Social Democratic
5 Johannes Lundson
(1867–1939)
2 November
1917
25 September
1918
Young Finnish
6 Lauri Ingman
(1868–1934)
27 September
1918
4 November
1918
Finnish
7 Ernst Nevanlinna
(1873–1932)
6 November
1918
11 November
1918
Finnish
(6) Lauri Ingman
(1868–1934)
13 November
1918
28 November
1918
Finnish
8 Paavo Virkkunen
(1874–1959)
29 November
1918
31 March
1919
Finnish
9 Lauri Kristian Relander
(1883–1942)
2 April
1919
8 May
1920
Agrarian
10 Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
8 May
1920
29 March
1921
Agrarian
11 Wäinö Wuolijoki
(1872–1947)
31 March
1921
4 September
1922
Social Democratic
(10) Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
6 September
1922
14 November
1922
Agrarian
(11) Wäinö Wuolijoki
(1872–1947)
15 November
1922
31 January
1923
Social Democratic
(8) Paavo Virkkunen
(1874–1959)
2 February
1923
30 April
1924
National Coalition
(10) Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
2 May
1924
31 March
1925
Agrarian
(11) Wäinö Wuolijoki
(1872–1947)
1 April
1925
31 January
1926
Social Democratic
(8) Paavo Virkkunen
(1874–1959)
2 February
1926
1 September
1927
National Coalition
(10) Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
3 September
1927
31 January
1928
Agrarian
(8) Paavo Virkkunen
(1874–1959)
1 February
1928
31 January
1929
National Coalition
(10) Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
1 February
1929
16 August
1929
Agrarian
(8) Paavo Virkkunen
(1874–1959)
17 August
1929
7 July
1930
National Coalition
12 Juho Sunila
(1875–1936)
8 July
1930
20 October
1930
Agrarian
(10) Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
21 October
1930
8 October
1936
Agrarian
13 Väinö Hakkila
(1882–1958)
9 October
1936
4 April
1945
Social Democratic
14 Karl-August Fagerholm
(1901–1984)
6 April
1945
14 July
1948
Social Democratic
15 Urho Kekkonen
(1900–1986)
22 July
1948
21 March
1950
Agrarian
(14) Karl-August Fagerholm
(1901–1984)
23 March
1950
6 March
1956
Social Democratic
16 V. J. Sukselainen
(1906–1995)
9 March
1956
28 May
1957
Agrarian
(14) Karl-August Fagerholm
(1901–1984)
31 May
1957
6 June
1958
Social Democratic
(16) V. J. Sukselainen
(1906–1995)
29 July
1958
14 January
1959
Agrarian
(14) Karl-August Fagerholm
(1901–1984)
14 January
1959
16 February
1962
Social Democratic
17 Kauno Kleemola
(1906–1965)
24 February
1962
12 March
1965
Agrarian
(until 1965)
Centre
(from 1965)
(14) Karl-August Fagerholm
(1901–1984)
23 March
1965
4 April
1966
Social Democratic
18 Rafael Paasio
(1903–1980)
14 April
1966
1 June
1966
Social Democratic
19 Johannes Virolainen
(1914–2000)
3 June
1966
26 March
1968
Centre
(16) V. J. Sukselainen
(1906–1995)
26 March
1968
20 March
1970
Centre
(18) Rafael Paasio
(1903–1980)
3 April
1970
29 February
1972
Social Democratic
(16) V. J. Sukselainen
(1906–1995)
29 February
1972
28 January
1976
Centre
20 Veikko Helle
(1911–2005)
5 February
1976
31 January
1978
Social Democratic
21 Ahti Pekkala
(1924–2014)
1 February
1978
29 May
1979
Centre
(19) Johannes Virolainen
(1914–2000)
5 June
1979
25 March
1983
Centre
22 Erkki Pystynen
(born 1929)
7 April
1983
25 March
1987
National Coalition
23 Ilkka Suominen (2009) Ilkka Suominen
(1939–2022)
2 April
1987
5 May
1987
National Coalition
24 Matti Ahde
(1945–2019)
8 May
1987
1 February
1989
Social Democratic
25 Kalevi Sorsa
(1930–2004)
1 February
1989
21 March
1991
Social Democratic
26 Esko Aho
(born 1954)
4 April
1991
26 April
1991
Centre
(23) Ilkka Suominen (2009) Ilkka Suominen
(1939–2022)
30 April
1991
6 February
1994
National Coalition
27 Riitta Uosukainen
(born 1942)
7 February
1994
23 March
1995
National Coalition
28 Paavo Lipponen
(born 1941)
28 March
1995
19 April
1995
Social Democratic
(27) Riitta Uosukainen
(born 1942)
21 April
1995
23 March
1999
National Coalition
29 Jukka Mikkola
(1943–2018)
30 March
1999
16 April
1999
Social Democratic
(27) Riitta Uosukainen
(born 1942)
20 April
1999
18 March
2003
National Coalition
30 Anneli Jäätteenmäki
(born 1955)
25 March
2003
16 April
2003
Centre
(28) Paavo Lipponen
(born 1941)
22 April
2003
20 March
2007
Social Democratic
31 Timo Kalli
(born 1947)
27 March
2007
20 April
2007
Centre
32 Sauli Niinistö
(born 1948)
24 April
2007
19 April
2011
National Coalition
33 Ben Zyskowicz
(born 1954)
27 April
2011
22 June
2011
National Coalition
34 Eero Heinäluoma
(born 1955)
23 June
2011
21 April
2015
Social Democratic
35 Juha Sipilä
(born 1961)
28 April
2015
29 May
2015
Centre
36 Maria Lohela
(born 1978)
29 May
2015
5 February
2018
Finns
(until 2017)
Blue Reform
(from 2017)
37 Paula Risikko
(born 1960)
5 February
2018
16 April
2019
National Coalition
38 Antti Rinne
(born 1962)
24 April
2019
5 June
2019
Social Democratic
39 Matti Vanhanen
(born 1955)
7 June
2019
9 June
2020
Centre
40 Anu Vehviläinen
(born 1963)
9 June
2020
1 February
2022
Centre
(39) Matti Vanhanen
(born 1955)
1 February
2022
4 April
2023
Centre
41 Petteri Orpo
(born 1969)
12 April
2023
20 June
2023
National Coalition
42 Jussi Halla-aho
(born 1971)
21 June
2023
Incumbent Finns

List of deputy speakers[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Eduskunnan puhemiehen palkkioon yli tuhannen euron korotus, toisen kauden kansanedustajien palkkioihin uusi "väliporras"". Helsingin Sanomat. April 17, 2019.
  2. ^ Maassa maan tavalla - tunne säännöt ja onnistu. Ulkoasiainministeriön protokollapalvelut (in Finnish). Ulkoasiainministeriö. 2008. p. 32. ISBN 978-952-281-173-8.
  3. ^ "The Speaker and Deputy Speakers". Parliament of Finland. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Suomen perustuslaki 731/1999". Ajantasainen lainsäädäntö, finlex.fi (in Finnish). Edita. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Eduskunnan työjärjestys 40/2000". Ajantasainen lainsäädäntö, finlex.fi (in Finnish). Edita. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  6. ^ "History of Finnish Parliament". Eduskunta. Archived from the original on 2014-06-06.
  7. ^ "The Constitution of Finland" (PDF).

External links[edit]