Minister for Foreign Affairs (Finland)

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politics and government of
Finland

The Minister for Foreign Affairs (Finnish: ulkoministeri, Swedish: utrikesminister) handles the Finnish Government's foreign policy and relations, and is in charge of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.[1] The Minister for Foreign Trade and Development is also associated with this ministry.

The current Minister for Foreign Affairs is Timo Soini of Blue Reform.

Constitutional mandate

Section 93 (Competence in the area of foreign policy issues) of the Constitution of Finland says the following:[2]

The foreign policy of Finland is directed by the President of the Republic in co-operation with the Government.

However, the Parliament accepts Finland’s international obligations and their denouncement and decides on the bringing into force of Finland’s international obligations in so far as provided in this Constitution. The President decides on matters of war and peace, with the consent of the Parliament.

The Government is responsible for the national preparation of the decisions to be made in the European Union, and decides on the concomitant Finnish measures, unless the decision requires the approval of the Parliament.

The Parliament participates in the national preparation of decisions to be made in the European Union, as provided in this Constitution.

The communication of important foreign policy positions to foreign States and international organisations is the responsibility of the Minister with competence in foreign affairs.

This last paragraph specifies the constitutional responsibility of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

List of Ministers for Foreign Affairs

Minister for Foreign AffairsParty In office [3]
Otto StenrothYoung Finnish Party 1918
Carl EnckellNon-partisan 1918-1919
Rudolf HolstiNational Progressive Party 1919-1922
Carl EnckellNon-partisan 1922
Juho VennolaNational Progressive Party 1922-1924
Carl EnckellNon-partisan 1924
Hjalmar ProcopéSwedish People's Party 1924-1925
Gustaf IdmanNon-partisan 1925
Emil Nestor SetäläNational Coalition Party 1925-1926
Väinö VoionmaaSocial Democratic Party 1926-1927
Hjalmar ProcopéNon-partisan 1927-1931
Aarno Yrjö-KoskinenNational Coalition Party 1931-1932
Antti HackzellNon-partisan 1932-1936
Rudolf HolstiNational Progressive Party 1936-1938
Väinö VoionmaaSocial Democratic Party 1938
Eljas ErkkoNational Progressive Party 1938-1939
Väinö TannerSocial Democratic Party 1939-1940
Rolf WittingSwedish People's Party 1940-1943
Carl Henrik RamsaySwedish People's Party 1943-1944
Carl EnckellNon-partisan 1944-1950
Åke GartzNon-partisan 1950-1951
Sakari TuomiojaNon-partisan 1951-1952
Urho KekkonenAgrarian League 1952-1953
Ralf TörngrenSwedish People's Party 1953-1954
Urho KekkonenAgrarian League 1954
Johannes VirolainenAgrarian League 1954-1956
Ralf TörngrenSwedish People's Party 1956-1957
Johannes VirolainenAgrarian League 1957
Paavo HynninenNon-partisan 1957-1958
Johannes VirolainenAgrarian League 1958
Karl-August FagerholmSocial Democratic Party 1958-1959
Ralf TörngrenSwedish People's Party 1959-1961
Ahti KarjalainenAgrarian League 1961-1962
Veli MerikoskiPeople's Party 1962-1963
Jaakko HallamaNon-partisan 1963-1964
Ahti KarjalainenCentre Party 1964-1970
Väinö LeskinenSocial Democratic Party 1970-1971
Olavi J. MattilaNon-partisan 1971-1972
Kalevi SorsaSocial Democratic Party 1972
Ahti KarjalainenCentre Party 1972-1975
Olavi J. MattilaNon-partisan 1975
Kalevi SorsaSocial Democratic Party 1975-1976
Keijo KorhonenCentre Party 1976-1977
Paavo VäyrynenCentre Party 1977-1982
Pär StenbäckSwedish People's Party 1982-1983
Paavo VäyrynenCentre Party 1983-1987
Kalevi SorsaSocial Democratic Party 1987-1989
Pertti PaasioSocial Democratic Party 1989 - 1991
Paavo VäyrynenCentre Party 1991 - 1993
Heikki HaavistoCentre Party 1993 - 1995
Paavo RantanenNon-partisan 1995
Tarja HalonenSocial Democratic Party 1995 - 2000
Erkki TuomiojaSocial Democratic Party 2000- 2007
Ilkka KanervaNational Coalition Party 2007- 2008
Alexander StubbNational Coalition Party 2008- 2011
Erkki TuomiojaSocial Democratic Party 2011- 2015
Timo SoiniFinns Party / Blue Reform 2015-

See also

References

  1. "The organisation of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs". Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  2. Constitution of Finland. Finnish Government. 2000.
  3. "List of Ministers of Foreign Affairs". Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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