Minister for Foreign Affairs (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 Elina Valtonen of National Coalition Party.

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[3]

No. Portrait MinisterTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyCabinet
1
Otto Stenroth
Otto Stenroth
(1861–1939)
27 May 191827 November 1918184 daysYoung FinnishPaasikivi I
2
Carl Enckell
Carl Enckell
(1876–1959)
27 November 191828 April 1919152 daysIndependentIngman I
K. Castrén
3
Rudolf Holsti
Rudolf Holsti
(1881–1945)
28 April 191920 May 19223 years, 22 daysNational ProgressiveK. Castrén
Vennola I
Erich
Vennola II
(2)
Carl Enckell
Carl Enckell
(1876–1959)
2 June 192214 November 1922165 daysIndependentCajander I
4
Juho Vennola
Juho Vennola
(1872–1938)
14 November 192218 January 19241 year, 65 daysNational ProgressiveKallio I
(2)
Carl Enckell
Carl Enckell
(1876–1959)
18 January 192431 May 1924134 daysIndependentCajander II
5
Hjalmar Procopé
Hjalmar Procopé
(1889–1954)
31 May 192431 March 1925304 daysRKPIngman II
6
Gustaf Idman
Gustaf Idman
(1885–1961)
31 March 192531 December 1925275 daysIndependentTulenheimo
7
Emil Nestor Setälä
Emil Nestor Setälä
(1864–1935)
31 December 192513 December 1926347 daysNational CoalitionKallio II
8
Väinö Voionmaa
Väinö Voionmaa
(1869–1947)
13 December 192617 December 19271 year, 4 daysSDPTanner
(5)
Hjalmar Procopé
Hjalmar Procopé
(1889–1954)
17 December 192721 March 19313 years, 94 daysIndependentSunila I
Mantere
Kallio III
Svinhufvud II
9
Aarno Yrjö-Koskinen
Aarno Yrjö-Koskinen
(1885–1951)
21 March 193114 December 19321 year, 268 daysNational CoalitionSunila II
10
Antti Hackzell
Antti Hackzell
(1881–1946)
14 December 19327 October 19363 years, 298 daysIndependentKivimäki
(3)
Rudolf Holsti
Rudolf Holsti
(1881–1945)
7 October 193616 November 19382 years, 40 daysNational ProgressiveKallio IV
Cajander III
(8)
Väinö Voionmaa
Väinö Voionmaa
(1869–1947)
16 November 19381 December 193815 daysSDPCajander III
11
Eljas Erkko
Eljas Erkko
(1895–1965)
12 December 19381 December 1939354 daysNational ProgressiveCajander III
12
Väinö Tanner
Väinö Tanner
(1881–1966)
1 December 193927 March 1940117 daysSDPRyti I
13
Rolf Witting
Rolf Witting
(1879–1944)
27 March 19405 March 19432 years, 343 daysRKPRyti II
Rangell
14
Carl Henrik Ramsay
Carl Henrik Ramsay
(1886–1951)
5 March 19438 August 19441 year, 156 daysRKPLinkomies
(2)
Carl Enckell
Carl Enckell
(1876–1959)
8 August 194417 March 19505 years, 221 daysIndependentHackzell
U. Castrén
Paasikivi II-III
Pekkala
Fagerholm I
15
Åke Gartz
Åke Gartz
(1888–1974)
17 March 195020 September 19511 year, 187 daysIndependentKekkonen I-II
16
Sakari Tuomioja
Sakari Tuomioja
(1911–1964)
20 September 195126 November 19521 year, 67 daysIndependentKekkonen III
17
Urho Kekkonen
Urho Kekkonen
(1900–1986)
26 November 19529 July 1953225 daysCentreKekkonen III
18
Ralf Törngren
Ralf Törngren
(1899–1961)
9 July 19535 May 1954300 daysRKPKekkonen IV
Tuomioja
(17)
Urho Kekkonen
Urho Kekkonen
(1900–1986)
5 May 195420 October 1954168 daysCentreTörngren
19
Johannes Virolainen
Johannes Virolainen
(1914–2000)
20 October 19543 March 19561 year, 135 daysCentreKekkonen V
(18)
Ralf Törngren
Ralf Törngren
(1899–1961)
3 March 195627 May 19571 year, 85 daysRKPFagerholm II
(19)
Johannes Virolainen
Johannes Virolainen
(1914–2000)
27 May 195729 November 1957186 daysCentreSukselainen I
20
Paavo Hynninen
Paavo Hynninen
(1883–1960)
29 November 195729 August 1958273 daysIndependentFieandt
Kuuskoski
(19)
Johannes Virolainen
Johannes Virolainen
(1914–2000)
29 August 19584 December 195897 daysCentreFagerholm III
21
Karl-August Fagerholm
Karl-August Fagerholm
(1901–1984)
4 December 195813 January 195940 daysSDPFagerholm III
(18)
Ralf Törngren
Ralf Törngren
(1899–1961)
13 January 195916 May 19612 years, 123 daysRKPSukselainen II
22
V. J. Sukselainen
V. J. Sukselainen
(1906–1995)
Acting
16 May 196119 June 196134 daysCentreSukselainen II
23
Ahti Karjalainen
Ahti Karjalainen
(1923–1990)
19 June 196113 April 1962298 daysCentreSukselainen II
Miettunen I
24
Veli Merikoski
Veli Merikoski
(1905–1982)
13 April 196218 December 19631 year, 249 daysLiberalsKarjalainen I
25
Jaakko Hallama
Jaakko Hallama
(1917–1996)
18 December 196312 September 1964269 daysIndependentLehto
(23)
Ahti Karjalainen
Ahti Karjalainen
(1923–1990)
12 September 196414 May 19705 years, 244 daysCentreVirolainen
Paasio I
Koivisto I
26
Väinö Leskinen
Väinö Leskinen
(1917–1972)
14 May 197029 October 19711 year, 168 daysIndependentAura I
Karjalainen II
27
Olavi J. Mattila
Olavi J. Mattila
(1918–2013)
29 October 197123 February 1972117 daysIndependentAura II
28
Kalevi Sorsa
Kalevi Sorsa
(1930–2004)
23 February 19724 September 1972194 daysSDPPaasio II
(23)
Ahti Karjalainen
Ahti Karjalainen
(1923–1990)
4 September 197213 June 19752 years, 282 daysCentreSorsa I
(27)
Olavi J. Mattila
Olavi J. Mattila
(1918–2013)
13 June 197530 November 1975170 daysIndependentLiinamaa
(28)
Kalevi Sorsa
Kalevi Sorsa
(1930–2004)
30 November 197529 September 1976304 daysSDPMiettunen II
29
Keijo Korhonen
Keijo Korhonen
(1934–2022)
29 September 197615 May 1977228 daysCentreMiettunen III
30
Paavo Väyrynen
Paavo Väyrynen
(born 1946)
15 May 197719 February 19824 years, 280 daysCentreSorsa II
Koivisto II
31
Pär Stenbäck
Pär Stenbäck
(born 1941)
19 February 19826 May 19831 year, 76 daysRKPSorsa III
(30)
Paavo Väyrynen
Paavo Väyrynen
(born 1946)
6 May 198330 April 19873 years, 359 daysCentreSorsa IV
(28)
Kalevi Sorsa
Kalevi Sorsa
(1930–2004)
30 April 198731 January 19891 year, 276 daysSDPHolkeri
32
Pertti Paasio
Pertti Paasio
(1939–2020)
31 January 198926 April 19912 years, 85 daysSDPHolkeri
(30)
Paavo Väyrynen
Paavo Väyrynen
(born 1946)
26 April 19915 May 19932 years, 9 daysCentreAho
33
Heikki Haavisto
Heikki Haavisto
(1935–2022)
5 May 19933 February 19951 year, 274 daysCentreAho
34
Paavo Rantanen
Paavo Rantanen
(born 1934)
3 February 199513 April 199569 daysIndependentAho
35
Tarja Halonen
Tarja Halonen
(born 1943)
13 April 199525 February 20004 years, 318 daysSDPLipponen I-II
36
Erkki Tuomioja
Erkki Tuomioja
(born 1946)
25 February 200019 April 20077 years, 53 daysSDPLipponen II
Jäätteenmakki
Vanhanen I
37
Ilkka Kanerva
Ilkka Kanerva
(1948–2022)
19 April 20074 April 2008351 daysNational CoalitionVanhanen II
38
Alexander Stubb
Alexander Stubb
(born 1968)
4 April 200822 June 20113 years, 79 daysNational CoalitionVanhanen II
Kiviniemi
(36)
Erkki Tuomioja
Erkki Tuomioja
(born 1946)
22 June 201129 May 20153 years, 341 daysSDPKatainen
Stubb
39
Timo Soini
Timo Soini
(born 1962)
29 May 20156 June 20194 years, 8 daysFinnsSipilä
40
Pekka Haavisto
Pekka Haavisto
(born 1958)
6 June 201920 June 20234 years, 14 daysVIHRRinne
Marin
41
Elina Valtonen
Elina Valtonen
(born 1981)
20 June 2023Incumbent129 daysNational CoalitionOrpo

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. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
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