Speaker of the Parliament of Finland
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.
| Speaker of Parliament of Republic of Finland | |
|---|---|
| Eduskunnan puhemies Riksdagens talman | |
| Parliament of Finland | |
| Seat | Helsinki, Finland |
| Appointer | Parliament |
| Term length | One year |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Finland |
| Precursor | Speaker of the Diet of Finland |
| Formation | 1907 |
| First holder | Pehr Evind Svinhufvud |
| Salary | €13,390 monthly[1] |
| Website | www.eduskunta.fi |
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]
Political conventions
editElection conventions
editThe speaker as well as deputy speakers are elected in a secret ballot vote where they must receive a majority of the vote. By convention the position of speaker is held by a senior member of parliament from the second largest party in government. The position of first deputy speaker traditionally goes to a senior parliamentarian from the largest party in government. The role of second deputy speaker traditionally belongs to a member of the largest party in parliament that did not receive the speakership or first deputy speakership[8].
This convention usually manifests in elections to the position with lobsided majorities, but sometimes the results are tighter. As an example in 2024 the current speaker, Jussi Halla-Aho, was elected with a reduced majority as a political protest[9][10]. A record low result was reached in 2011 by then speaker Sauli Niinistö when he was re-elected with just 89 votes. As a result he expressed intent to resign, but did not in the end do so after consultation with the parliamentary groups[11][12]
Convention of neutrality
editThe role of the speaker and to a lesser degree deputy speakers in political matters differs from other members of parliament. The speaker is through many ways, though not by law, bound to carrying out his or her office act with neutrality[13][8]. To reinforce this convention the speaker and deputy speakers have no vote in parliament when preciding over it, may not speak in plenary sessions when preciding over it, and are not members of sany legislative committees. Instead the role of the speaker is to represent and lead the institution of parliament. This role of representing parliament also demands neutrality on issues of partisan politics, though the rule is lesser for deputy speakers[14]. This broad convention of neutrality also affords statements from the speaker a great deal of weight in their domain rivaled only by the president[15]. It also means the speaker is not generally seen as a political actor.
List of speakers of the Parliament of Finland
edit
| 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 | ).jpg) |
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 | .jpg) |
Veikko Helle (1911–2005) |
5 February 1976 |
31 January 1978 |
Social Democratic | |
| 21 | .jpg) |
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 (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 | .jpg) |
Esko Aho (born 1954) |
4 April 1991 |
26 April 1991 |
Centre | |
| (23) | |
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 | .jpg) |
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 | _(cropped).jpg) |
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 | .jpg) |
Anu Vehviläinen (born 1963) |
9 June 2020 |
1 February 2022 |
Centre | |
| (39) | |
Matti Vanhanen (born 1955) |
1 February 2022 |
4 April 2023 |
Centre | |
| 41 | _(cropped).jpg) |
Petteri Orpo (born 1969) |
12 April 2023 |
20 June 2023 |
National Coalition | |
| 42 | .jpg) |
Jussi Halla-aho (born 1971) |
21 June 2023 |
Incumbent | Finns | |
List of deputy speakers
edit
First deputy speakersedit
|
Second deputy speakersedit
|
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Eduskunnan puhemiehen palkkioon yli tuhannen euron korotus, toisen kauden kansanedustajien palkkioihin uusi "väliporras"". Helsingin Sanomat. April 17, 2019.
- ↑ Maassa maan tavalla - tunne säännöt ja onnistu. Ulkoasiainministeriön protokollapalvelut (in Finnish). Ulkoasiainministeriö. 2008. p. 32. ISBN 978-952-281-173-8.
- ↑ "The Speaker and Deputy Speakers". Parliament of Finland. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ↑ "Suomen perustuslaki 731/1999". Ajantasainen lainsäädäntö, finlex.fi (in Finnish). Edita. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ↑ "Eduskunnan työjärjestys 40/2000". Ajantasainen lainsäädäntö, finlex.fi (in Finnish). Edita. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ↑ "History of Finnish Parliament". Eduskunta. Archived from the original on 2014-06-06.
- ↑ "The Constitution of Finland" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 19, 2005.
- 1 2 Tiihonen, Olli (2023-06-19). "Yli 14 000 euron palkkapussi ja tehtävä poliittisen kamppailun yläpuolella – tällainen pesti Jussi Halla-ahoa odottaa". mtvuutiset.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2026-07-03.
- ↑ Eduskunnassa protesti: Jussi Halla-aho vain 91 äänellä puhemieheksi (In Finnish) , date of source 6.2.2024
- ↑ Pohjolainen, Pekka (2024-02-06). "Eduskunnan puhemiesvaalista jäi hapan maku – Halla-aho pitää protestia "keskisormen näyttönä" häntä presidentiksi äänestäneille". Suomenmaa.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2026-07-03.
- ↑ "Protesti Halla-ahoa vastaan puhemiesvaalissa – Halla-aho kytki protestin presidentinvaaliin". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 2024-02-06. Retrieved 2026-07-03.
- ↑ "Eduskunta | Myös Niinistö koki puhemiehenä protestin – ja oli vähällä erota tehtävästä". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 2024-02-06. Retrieved 2026-07-03.
- ↑ Karhumaa, Tilda (2023-07-22). "Eduskunnan puhemiehen toimintaa on leimannut arvokkuus, mutta muuttuuko nyt jokin?". Suomenmaa.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 2026-07-03.
- ↑ "Puolueeton puhemies on eduskunnan ihanne – kansanedustajien puhemiesvaalissa antama palaute kannattaa ottaa nöyränä vastaan". Maaseudun Tulevaisuus (in Finnish). 2024-02-09. Retrieved 2026-07-03.
- ↑ Mikkola, Mari, ed. (2008). Mitä, Missä, Milloin 2009 [What,Where,When] (in Finnish). Helsinki: Otava. p. 209. ISBN 9789511219668.
External links
edit
Media related to Speakers of the Parliament of Finland at Wikimedia Commons
