Minister of Defence (Finland)

The Minister of Defence (Finnish: puolustusministeri, Swedish: försvarsminister) is a member of the Finnish Council of State. As the head of the Ministry of Defence, the minister is responsible for the administration of national defence. The ministry is headquartered in Helsinki. The current Minister of Defence is Antti Häkkänen.

Minister of Defence of the Republic of Finland
Puolustusministeri
Försvarsminister
Flag of the Minister of Defence
Incumbent
Antti Häkkänen
since 20 June 2023
Ministry of Defence
Member ofCabinet
SeatHelsinki, Finland
NominatorPrime Minister
AppointerPresident
Term lengthFour years (de facto)
Formation1918 (1918)
First holderWilhelm Thesleff
Websitewww.defmin.fi/english

From June to November 1918 the post was called Chief of the War Department, and from then until 1922 the post was called the Minister of War.

The President of the Republic is the commander-in-chief of the Finnish Defence Forces. The commander of the military forces is the Chief of Defence.

Ministry offices

Finnish Ministry of Defence Offices consists of two wings:

  • South Makasiinikatu 8 since - Built by CL Engel as barracks for the Finnish Guard in 1922 and destroyed in 1944 and rebuilt by retaining the original walls from 1954-1956 and used as Defense Headquarters since 1956[1]
  • Fabiansgatan 2 - newer wing was built in 1961 by Finnish architects Viljo Revell and Heikki Castrén.

Previous ministry offices

  • Eteläesplanadi 10 - 1918-1921 it was located here and now home to Ministry of Justice
  • Korkeavuorenkatu 21 (Ohrana House) - relocated in 1921 and here until beginning of World War II; now Finnish Border Guard Headquarters
  • Snellmaninkatu 4-6 - moved here 1941 to 1956 which now home to Finnish Financial Supervision Authority

List of ministers of defence

[2][3]

No. Portrait MinisterTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Vilhelm Thesleff
Vilhelm Thesleff
(1880–1941)
27 May 191827 November 1918184 daysIndependentPaasikivi I
2
Rudolf Walden
Rudolf Walden
(1878–1946)
27 November 191815 August 1919261 daysIndependentIngman
K. Castrén
3
Karl Emil Berg
Karl Emil Berg
(1869–1921)
15 August 191915 March 1920213 daysIndependentVennola I
4
Bruno Jalander
Bruno Jalander
(1872–1966)
15 March 19209 April 19211 year, 25 daysIndependentErich
5
Onni Hämäläinen
Onni Hämäläinen
(1885–1954)
9 April 19213 September 1921147 daysIndependentVennola II
(4)
Bruno Jalander
Bruno Jalander
(1872–1966)
3 September 192122 June 19231 year, 292 daysIndependentVennola II
Cajander I
Kallio I
6
Kyösti Kallio
Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
22 June 192316 August 192355 daysCentreKallio I
7
Vilho Nenonen
Vilho Nenonen
(1883–1960)
16 August 192318 January 1924155 daysIndependentKallio I
8
Viktor Henrik Schvindt
Viktor Henrik Schvindt
(1866–1928)
18 January 192411 March 192453 daysIndependentCajander II
9
Ivar Aminoff
Ivar Aminoff
(1868–1931)
11 March 192431 May 192481 daysIndependentCajander II
10
Lauri Malmberg
Lauri Malmberg
(1888–1948)
31 May 192431 March 1925304 daysIndependentIngman II
11
Aleksander Lampén
Aleksander Lampén
(1879–1935)
31 March 192531 December 1925275 daysNational CoalitionTulenheimo
12
Leonard Hjelmman
Leonard Hjelmman
(1869–1952)
31 December 192513 December 1926347 daysNational CoalitionKallio II
13
Kaarlo Heinonen
Kaarlo Heinonen
(1878–1944)
13 December 192617 December 19271 year, 4 daysSDPTanner
14
Jalo Lahdensuo
Jalo Lahdensuo
(1882–1973)
17 December 192722 December 19281 year, 5 daysCentreSunila I
15
Aimo Cajander
Aimo Cajander
(1879–1943)
22 December 192816 August 1929237 daysNational ProgressiveMantere
16
Juho Niukkanen
Juho Niukkanen
(1888–1954)
16 August 19294 July 1930322 daysCentreKallio III
17
Albin Manner
Albin Manner
(1888–1954)
10 July 193021 March 1931254 daysCentreSvinhufvud II
(14)
Jalo Lahdensuo
Jalo Lahdensuo
(1882–1973)
21 March 193114 December 19321 year, 268 daysCentreSunila II
18
Arvi Oksala
Arvi Oksala
(1891–1949)
14 December 193212 March 19374 years, 88 daysIndependentKivimäki
Kallio IV
(16)
Juho Niukkanen
Juho Niukkanen
(1888–1954)
12 March 193727 March 19403 years, 15 daysCentreCajander III
Ryti I
(2)
Rudolf Walden
Rudolf Walden
(1878–1946)
27 March 19401 December 19444 years, 249 daysIndependentRyti II
Rangell
Linkomies
Hackzell
U. Castrén
Paasikivi II
19
Väinö Valve
Väinö Valve
(1895–1995)
1 December 194417 April 1945137 daysIndependentPaasikivi II
20
Mauno Pekkala
Mauno Pekkala
(1890–1952)
17 April 194527 March 1946344 daysLeft AlliancePaasikivi III
Pekkala
21
Yrjö Kallinen
Yrjö Kallinen
(1886–1976)
27 March 194629 July 19482 years, 124 daysSDPPekkala
22
Emil Skog
Emil Skog
(1897–1981)
29 July 194817 March 19501 year, 231 daysSDPFagerholm I
23
Kustaa Tiitu
Kustaa Tiitu
(1896–1990)
17 March 195017 January 1951306 daysCentreKekkonen I
(22)
Emil Skog
Emil Skog
(1897–1981)
17 January 19519 July 19532 years, 173 daysSDPKekkonen II-III
24
Kauno Kleemola
Kauno Kleemola
(1906–1965)
9 July 195317 November 1953131 daysCentreKekkonen IV
25
Päiviö Hetemäki
Päiviö Hetemäki
(1913–1980)
17 November 19535 May 1954169 daysNational CoalitionTuomioja
(22)
Emil Skog
Emil Skog
(1897–1981)
5 May 195427 May 19573 years, 22 daysSDPTörngren
Kekkonen V
Fagerholm II
26
Atte Pakkanen
Atte Pakkanen
(1912–1994)
27 May 19572 September 195798 daysCentreSukselainen I
27
Pekka Malinen
Pekka Malinen
(1921–2004)
2 September 195729 November 195788 daysLiberalsSukselainen I
28
Kalle Lehmus
Kalle Lehmus
(1907–1987)
29 November 195726 April 1958148 daysIndependentvon Fieandt
29
Edvard Björkenheim
Edvard Björkenheim
(1901–1965)
26 April 195829 August 1958125 daysIndependentKuuskoski
30
Toivo Wiherheimo
Toivo Wiherheimo
(1898–1970)
29 August 195813 January 1959137 daysNational CoalitionFagerholm II
31
Leo Häppölä
Leo Häppölä
(1911–1998)
13 January 195914 July 19612 years, 182 daysCentreSukselainen II
(29)
Edvard Björkenheim
Edvard Björkenheim
(1901–1965)
14 July 196113 April 1962273 daysCentreMiettunen I
32
Arvo Pentti
Arvo Pentti
(1915–1986)
13 April 196218 December 19631 year, 249 daysCentreKarjalainen I
33
Kaarlo Leinonen
Kaarlo Leinonen
(1914–1975)
18 December 196312 September 1964269 daysIndependentLehto
(32)
Arvo Pentti
Arvo Pentti
(1915–1986)
12 September 196427 May 19661 year, 257 daysCentreVirolainen
34
Sulo Suorttanen
Sulo Suorttanen
(1921–2005)
27 May 196614 May 19703 years, 352 daysCentrePaasio I
Koivisto I
(32)
Arvo Pentti
Arvo Pentti
(1915–1986)
14 May 197015 July 197062 daysIndependentAura I
35
Kristian Gestrin
Kristian Gestrin
(1929–1990)
15 July 197029 October 19711 year, 106 daysRKPKarjalainen II
(32)
Arvo Pentti
Arvo Pentti
(1915–1986)
29 October 197123 February 1972117 daysIndependentAura II
36
Sulo Hostila
Sulo Hostila
(1920–2002)
23 February 19724 September 1972194 daysSDPPaasio II
(35)
Kristian Gestrin
Kristian Gestrin
(1929–1990)
4 September 197230 September 19742 years, 26 daysRKPSorsa I
37
Carl-Olaf Homén
Carl-Olaf Homén
(born 1936)
1 October 197413 June 1975255 daysRKPSorsa I
38
Erkki Huurtamo
Erkki Huurtamo
(1917–1999)
13 June 197530 November 1975170 daysIndependentLiinamaa
39
Ingvar S. Melin
Ingvar S. Melin
(1932–2011)
30 November 197529 September 1976304 daysRKPMiettunen II
40
Seppo Westerlund
Seppo Westerlund
(1930–2014)
29 September 197615 May 1977228 daysLiberalsMiettunen II
41
Taisto Tähkämaa
Taisto Tähkämaa
(born 1924)
15 May 197726 May 19792 years, 11 daysCentreSorsa II
42
Lasse Äikäs
Lasse Äikäs
(1932–1988)
26 May 197919 February 19822 years, 269 daysCentreKoivisto II
43
Juhani Saukkonen
Juhani Saukkonen
(born 1937)
19 February 19826 May 19831 year, 76 daysCentreSorsa III
44
Veikko Pihlajamäki
Veikko Pihlajamäki
(1922–2007)
6 May 198330 April 19873 years, 359 daysCentreSorsa IV
45
Ole Norrback
Ole Norrback
(born 1941)
30 April 198713 June 19903 years, 44 daysRKPHolkeri
46
Elisabeth Rehn
Elisabeth Rehn
(born 1935)
13 June 19901 January 19954 years, 202 daysRKPHolkeri
Aho
47
Jan-Erik Enestam
Jan-Erik Enestam
(born 1947)
2 January 199513 April 1995101 daysRKPAho
48
Anneli Taina
Anneli Taina
(born 1951)
13 April 199515 April 19994 years, 2 daysNational CoalitionLipponen I
(47)
Jan-Erik Enestam
Jan-Erik Enestam
(born 1947)
15 April 199917 April 20034 years, 2 daysRKPLipponen II
49
Matti Vanhanen
Matti Vanhanen
(born 1955)
17 April 200324 June 200368 daysCentreJäätteenmäki
50
Seppo Kääriäinen
Seppo Kääriäinen
(born 1948)
24 June 200319 April 20073 years, 299 daysCentreVanhanen I
51
Jyri Häkämies
Jyri Häkämies
(born 1961)
19 April 200722 June 20114 years, 64 daysNational CoalitionVanhanen II
Kiviniemi
52
Stefan Wallin
Stefan Wallin
(born 1967)
22 June 20115 July 20121 year, 13 daysRKPKatainen
53
Carl Haglund
Carl Haglund
(born 1979)
5 July 201229 May 20152 years, 328 daysRKPKatainen
Stubb
54
Jussi Niinistö
Jussi Niinistö
(born 1970)
29 May 20156 June 20194 years, 8 daysFinnsSipilä
55
Antti Kaikkonen
Antti Kaikkonen
(born 1974)
6 June 20195 January 20233 years, 213 daysCentreRinne
Marin
56
Mikko Savola
Mikko Savola
(born 1981)
5 January 202328 February 202354 daysCentreMarin
(55)
Antti Kaikkonen
Antti Kaikkonen
(born 1974)
28 February 202320 June 2023112 daysCentreMarin
57
Antti Häkkänen
Antti Häkkänen
(born 1985)
20 June 2023Incumbent129 daysNational CoalitionOrpo

See also

References

  1. http://www.defmin.fi/ministerio/puolustusministerio/historiaa (Finnish)
  2. "Council of State - Ministers of War". Valtioneuvosto.fi. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  3. "Council of State - Ministers of Defence". Valtioneuvosto.fi. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
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