List of prime ministers of Finland

This is a list of prime ministers of Finland since the establishment of that office in 1917.

History[]

In 1918, the Finnish Senate was transformed into the Finnish Government, and the position of Vice-Chairman of the Economic Division of the Senate was transformed into that of a prime minister. Kesäranta (in Swedish Villa Bjälbo), located in the Meilahti neighborhood of Helsinki, has been the official residence of the prime minister of Finland since 1919.

Since its independence (declared on 6 December 1917), Finland has had 75 cabinets,^[1] including the current one, the longest lasting being the cabinet of Prime Minister Juha Sipilä, lasting 1,469 days.^[2]

Before the 1980s cabinets tended to be short-lived: the president was the most important political figure and he had the right to form a new cabinet whenever he wanted. From the 1980s onwards cabinets have tended to serve full terms (although the prime minister may have changed midterm in a few cases, most of the other cabinet has remained nearly unchanged) and the prime minister has become more powerful a figure than the president. Under the current constitution, the prime minister is chosen by the Parliament and only appointed by the president.

List of prime ministers[]

Finnish cabinets and prime ministers are numbered sequentially. A prime minister can serve as the head of multiple cabinets. For example, Matti Vanhanen is both the 39th and the 40th prime minister.^[3]

No.	Prime Minister	Took office	Left office	Time in office		Election	Coalition	Cabinet
1	Svinhuvud, Per EvindPehr Evind Svinhufvud (1861–1944)	27 November 1917	27 May 1918	182 days	Young Finnish	1917	Finnish–Young Finnish–Agrarian–Swedish People's (Minority)	1. Svinhufvud I
2	Paasikivi, Juho KustiJuho Kusti Paasikivi (1870–1956)	27 May 1918	27 November 1918	185 days	Finnish	—	Finnish/National Coalition–Young Finnish/National Progressive–Agrarian–Swedish People's (Minority)	2. Paasikivi I
3	Ingman, LauriLauri Ingman (1868–1934)	27 November 1918	17 April 1919	142 days	National Coalition	—	National Coalition–National Progressive–Swedish People's	3. Ingman I (Majority)
4	Castrén, KaarloKaarlo Castrén (1860–1938)	17 April 1919	15 August 1919	121 days	National Progressive	1919	Agrarian–National Progressive–Swedish People's	4. K.Castrén (Minority)
5	Vennola, JuhoJuho Vennola (1872–1938)	15 August 1919	15 March 1920	214 days	National Progressive	—	Agrarian–National Progressive	5. Vennola I (Minority)
6	Erich, RafaelRafael Erich (1879–1946)	15 March 1920	9 April 1921	1 year, 26 days	National Coalition	—	National Coalition–Agrarian–National Progressive–Swedish People's	6. Erich (Majority)
(5)	Vennola, JuhoJuho Vennola (1872–1938)	9 April 1921	2 June 1922	1 year, 55 days	National Progressive	—	Agrarian–National Progressive	7. Vennola II (Minority)
7	Cajander, AimoAimo Cajander (1879–1943)	2 June 1922	14 November 1922	166 days	Independent	1922	Caretaker government	8. Cajander I
8	Kallio, KyöstiKyösti Kallio (1873–1940)	14 November 1922	18 January 1924	1 year, 66 days	Agrarian	—	Agrarian–National Progressive (Minority)	9. Kallio I
(7)	Cajander, AimoAimo Cajander (1879–1943)	18 January 1924	31 May 1924	135 days	Independent	-	Caretaker government	10. Cajander II
(3)	Ingman, LauriLauri Ingman (1868–1934)	31 May 1924	31 March 1925	305 days	National Coalition	1924	National Coalition–Agrarian–National Progressive–Swedish People's (Majority)	11. Ingman II
9	Tulenheimo, AnttiAntti Tulenheimo (1879–1952)	31 March 1925	31 December 1925	276 days	National Coalition	—	National Coalition–Agrarian (Minority)	12. Tulenheimo
(8)	Kallio, KyöstiKyösti Kallio (1873–1940)	31 December 1925	13 December 1926	348 days	Agrarian	—	Agrarian–National Coalition (Minority)	13. Kallio II
10	Tanner, VäinöVäinö Tanner (1881–1966)	13 December 1926	17 December 1927	1 year, 5 days	Social Democratic	—	Social Democratic (Minority)	14. Tanner
11	Sunila, JuhoJuho Sunila (1875–1936)	17 December 1927	22 December 1928	1 year, 6 days	Agrarian	1927	Agrarian (Minority)	15. Sunila I
12	Mantere, OskariOskari Mantere (1874–1942)	22 December 1928	16 August 1929	238 days	National Progressive	—	National Progressive (Minority)	16. Mantere
(8)	Kallio, KyöstiKyösti Kallio (1873–1940)	16 August 1929	4 July 1930	323 days	Agrarian	1929	Agrarian (Minority)	17. Kallio III
(1)	Svinhuvud, Per EvindPehr Evind Svinhufvud (1861–1944)	4 July 1930	18 February 1931	230 days	National Coalition	1930	Agrarian–National Coalition–National Progressive–Swedish People's (Majority)	18. Svinhufvud II
(11)	Sunila, JuhoJuho Sunila (1875–1936)	21 March 1931	14 December 1932	1 year, 301 days	Agrarian	—	Agrarian–National Coalition–National Progressive–Swedish People's (Majority)	19. Sunila II
13	Kivimäki, Toivo MikaelToivo Mikael Kivimäki (1886–1968)	15 December 1932	7 October 1936	3 years, 299 days	National Progressive	1933	Agrarian–National Progressive–Swedish People's (Minority)	20. Kivimäki
(8)	Kallio, KyöstiKyösti Kallio (1873–1940)	7 October 1936	17 February 1937	134 days	Agrarian	1936	Agrarian–National Progressive (Minority)	21. Kallio IV
(7)	Cajander, AimoAimo Cajander (1879–1943)	12 March 1937	1 December 1939	2 years, 265 days	National Progressive	1939	Social Democratic–Agrarian–National Progressive–Swedish People's (Majority)	22. Cajander
14	Ryti, RistoRisto Ryti (1889–1956)	1 December 1939	19 December 1940	1 year, 19 days	National Progressive	— —	Social Democratic–Agrarian–National Progressive–Swedish People's (Majority) Social Democratic–Agrarian–National Coalition–National Progressive–Swedish People's (Majority)	23. Ryti I 24. Ryti II
15	Rangell, Johan WilhelmJohan Wilhelm Rangell (1894–1982)	3 January 1941	5 March 1943	2 years, 62 days	National Progressive	—	Social Democratic–Agrarian–National Coalition–Swedish People's–National Progressive–Patriotic People's Movement (Finland) (Majority)	25. Rangell
16	Linkomies, EdwinEdwin Linkomies (1894–1963)	5 March 1943	8 August 1944	1 year, 157 days	National Coalition	—	National Coalition–Social Democratic–Agrarian–Swedish People's–National Progressive (Majority)	26. Linkomies
17	Hackzell, AnttiAntti Hackzell (1881–1946)	8 August 1944	21 September 1944	45 days	Independent	—	National Coalition–Social Democratic–Agrarian–Swedish People's–National Progressive (Majority)	27. Hackzell
18	Castrén, UrhoUrho Castrén (1886–1965)	21 September 1944	17 November 1944	58 days	National Coalition	—	National Coalition–Social Democratic–Agrarian–Swedish People's–National Progressive (Majority)	28. U.Castrén
(2)	Paasikivi, Juho KustiJuho Kusti Paasikivi (1870–1956)	17 November 1944	9 March 1946	1 year, 113 days	National Coalition	— 1945	Social Democratic–Left Alliance–Agrarian–National Coalition–Swedish People's–National Progressive (Majority) Social Democratic–Left Alliance–Agrarian–National Progressive–Swedish People's (Majority)	29. Paasikivi II 30. Paasikivi III
19	Pekkala, MaunoMauno Pekkala (1890–1952)	26 March 1946	29 July 1948	2 years, 143 days	Left Alliance	—	Left Alliance–Social Democratic–Agrarian–Swedish People's (Majority)	31. Pekkala
20	Fagerholm, Karl-AugustKarl-August Fagerholm (1901–1984)	29 July 1948	17 March 1950	1 year, 232 days	Social Democratic	1948	Social Democratic (Minority)	32. Fagerholm I
21	Kekkonen, UrhoUrho Kekkonen (1900–1986)	17 March 1950	17 November 1953	3 years, 246 days	Agrarian	— — 1951 —	Agrarian–Swedish People's–National Progressive (Minority) Agrarian–Social Democratic–Swedish People's–National Progressive (Majority) Agrarian–Social Democratic–Swedish People's (Majority) Agrarian–Swedish People's (Minority)	33. Kekkonen I 34. Kekkonen II 35. Kekkonen III 36. Kekkonen IV
22	Tuomioja, SakariSakari Tuomioja (1911–1964)	17 November 1953	5 May 1954	170 days	Independent	—	Caretaker government	37. Tuomioja
23	Törngren, RalfRalf Törngren (1899–1961)	5 May 1954	20 October 1954	169 days	Swedish People's	1954	Social Democratic–Agrarian–Swedish People's (Majority)	38. Törngren
(21)	Kekkonen, UrhoUrho Kekkonen (1900–1986)	20 October 1954	3 March 1956	1 year, 136 days	Agrarian	—	Agrarian–Social Democratic (Majority)	39. Kekkonen V
(20)	Fagerholm, Karl-AugustKarl-August Fagerholm (1901–1984)	3 March 1956	27 May 1957	1 year, 86 days	Social Democratic	—	Social Democratic–Agrarian–Swedish People's (Majority)	40. Fagerholm II
24	Sukselainen, V. J.V. J. Sukselainen (1906–1995)	27 May 1957	29 November 1957	187 days	Agrarian	—	Agrarian–Swedish People's–Liberals–Social Democratic (Majority)	41. Sukselainen I
25	Fieandt, Rainer vonRainer von Fieandt (1890–1972)	29 November 1957	26 April 1958	149 days	Independent	—	Caretaker government	42. von Fieandt
26	Kuuskoski, ReinoReino Kuuskoski (1907–1965)	26 April 1958	29 August 1958	126 days	Independent	—	Caretaker government	43. Kuuskoski
(20)	Fagerholm, Karl-AugustKarl-August Fagerholm (1901–1984)	29 August 1958	13 January 1959	138 days	Social Democratic	1958	Social Democratic–Agrarian–National Coalition–Swedish People's–Liberals (Majority)	44. Fagerholm III
(24)	Sukselainen, V. J.V. J. Sukselainen (1906–1995)	13 January 1959	14 July 1961	2 years, 183 days	Agrarian	—	Agrarian–Swedish People's (Minority)	45. Sukselainen II
27	Miettunen, MarttiMartti Miettunen (1907–2002)	14 July 1961	13 April 1962	274 days	Agrarian	—	Agrarian (Minority)	46. Miettunen I
28	Karjalainen, AhtiAhti Karjalainen (1923–1990)	13 April 1962	18 December 1963	1 year, 250 days	Agrarian	1962	Agrarian–National Coalition–Swedish People's–Liberals–Social Democratic (Majority)	47. Karjalainen I
29	Lehto, Reino RagnarReino R. Lehto (1898–1966)	18 December 1963	12 September 1964	270 days	Independent	—	Caretaker government	48. Lehto
30	Virolainen, JohannesJohannes Virolainen (1914–2000)	12 September 1964	27 May 1966	1 year, 258 days	Agrarian	—	Agrarian–National Coalition–Swedish People's–Liberals (Majority)	49. Virolainen
31	Paasio, RafaelRafael Paasio (1903–1980)	27 May 1966	22 March 1968	1 year, 301 days	Social Democratic	1966	Social Democratic–Centre–Left Alliance–Social Democratic (Majority)	50. Paasio I
32	Koivisto, MaunoMauno Koivisto (1923–2017)	22 March 1968	14 May 1970	2 years, 54 days	Social Democratic	—	Social Democratic–Centre–Left Alliance–Social Democratic–Swedish People's (Majority)	51. Koivisto I
33	Aura, TeuvoTeuvo Aura (1912–1999)	14 May 1970	15 July 1970	63 days	Independent	—	Caretaker government	52. Aura I
(28)	Karjalainen, AhtiAhti Karjalainen (1923–1990)	15 July 1970	29 October 1971	1 year, 107 days	Centre	1970	Centre–Social Democratic–Left Alliance–Swedish People's–Liberals (Majority)	53. Karjalainen II
(33)	Aura, TeuvoTeuvo Aura (1912–1999)	29 October 1971	23 February 1972	118 days	Independent	—	Caretaker government	54. Aura II
(31)	Paasio, RafaelRafael Paasio (1903–1980)	23 February 1972	4 September 1972	195 days	Social Democratic	1972	Social Democratic (Minority)	55. Paasio II
34	Sorsa, KaleviKalevi Sorsa (1930–2004)	4 September 1972	13 June 1975	2 years, 283 days	Social Democratic	—	Social Democratic–Centre–Swedish People's–Liberals (Majority)	56. Sorsa I
35	Liinamaa, KeijoKeijo Liinamaa (1929–1980)	13 June 1975	30 November 1975	171 days	Independent	—	Caretaker government	57. Liinamaa
(27)	Miettunen, MarttiMartti Miettunen (1907–2002)	30 November 1975	15 May 1977	1 year, 167 days	Centre	1975 —	Centre–Swedish People's–Liberals (Minority)	58. Miettunen II 59. Miettunen III (Majority)
(34)	Sorsa, KaleviKalevi Sorsa (1930–2004)	15 May 1977	26 May 1979	2 years, 12 days	Social Democratic	—	Social Democratic–Centre–Left Alliance–Swedish People's–Liberals (Majority)	60. Sorsa II
(32)	Koivisto, MaunoMauno Koivisto (1923–2017)	26 May 1979	26 January 1982	2 years, 276 days	Social Democratic	1979	Social Democratic–Centre–Left Alliance–Swedish People's (Majority)	61. Koivisto II
(34)	Sorsa, KaleviKalevi Sorsa (1930–2004)	19 February 1982	30 April 1987	5 years, 71 days	Social Democratic	— 1983	Social Democratic–Centre–Left Alliance–Swedish People's–Liberals Social Democratic–Centre–Swedish People's–Rural Party (Majority)	62. Sorsa III 63. Sorsa IV
36	Holkeri, HarriHarri Holkeri (1937–2011)	30 April 1987	26 April 1991	3 years, 362 days	National Coalition	1987	National Coalition–Social Democratic–Swedish People's–Rural Party (Majority)	64. Holkeri
37	Aho, EskoEsko Aho (born 1954)	26 April 1991	13 April 1995	3 years, 353 days	Centre	1991	Centre–National Coalition–Swedish People's–Christian Democrat (Majority)	65. Aho
38	Lipponen, PaavoPaavo Lipponen (born 1941)	13 April 1995	17 April 2003	8 years, 5 days	Social Democratic	1995 1999	Social Democratic–National Coalition–Swedish People's–Left Alliance–Green League (Majority)	66. Lipponen I 67. Lipponen II
39	Jäätteenmäki, AnneliAnneli Jäätteenmäki (born 1955)	17 April 2003	24 June 2003	69 days	Centre	2003	Centre–Social Democratic–Swedish People's (Majority)	68. Jäätteenmäki
40	Vanhanen, MattiMatti Vanhanen (born 1955)	24 June 2003	22 June 2010	6 years, 364 days	Centre	— 2007	Centre–Social Democratic–Swedish People's (Majority) (2003 – 2007) Centre–National Coalition–Swedish People's–Green League (Majority) (2007 – 2010)	69. Vanhanen I 70. Vanhanen II
41	Kiviniemi, MariMari Kiviniemi (born 1968)	22 June 2010	22 June 2011	1 year, 1 day	Centre	—	Centre–National Coalition–Swedish People's–Green League (Majority)	71. Kiviniemi
42	Katainen, JyrkiJyrki Katainen (born 1971)	22 June 2011	24 June 2014	3 years, 3 days	National Coalition	2011	National Coalition–Social Democratic–Swedish People's–Left Alliance–Green League–Christian Democrat (Majority)	72. Katainen
43	Stubb, AlexanderAlexander Stubb (born 1968)	24 June 2014	29 May 2015	340 days	National Coalition	—	National Coalition–Social Democratic–Swedish People's–Green League–Christian Democrat (Majority)	73. Stubb
44	Sipilä, JuhaJuha Sipilä (born 1961)	29 May 2015	6 June 2019	4 years, 9 days	Centre	2015	KESK–PS–KOK (Majority)	74. Sipilä
45	Rinne, AnttiAntti Rinne (born 1962)	6 June 2019	10 December 2019	188 days	Social Democratic	2019	Social Democratic–Centre–Green League–Left Alliance–Swedish People's (Majority)	75. Rinne
46	Marin, SannaSanna Marin (born 1985)	10 December 2019	Incumbent	2 years, 54 days	Social Democratic	—	Social Democratic–Centre–Green League–Left Alliance–Swedish People's (Majority)	76. Marin

Interim prime ministers[]

Name (Born-Died)	Term of office		Party	Note
Juho Vennola (1872–1938)	18 February 1931	21 March 1931	National Progressive Party	Substitute to Svinhufvud, who became President of Finland
Rudolf Holsti (1881–1945)	17 February 1937	12 March 1937	National Progressive Party	Substitute to Kyösti Kallio, who became President of Finland
Rudolf Walden (1878–1946)	27 March 1940	4 January 1941	Non-partisan	Substitute to Risto Ryti, who became President of Finland
Carl Enckell (1876–1959)	9 March 1946	26 March 1946	Non-partisan	Substitute to Juho Kusti Paasikivi, who became President of Finland
Eemil Luukka (1892–1970)	3 July 1961	14 July 1961	Agrarian League	Substitute to V.J Sukselainen who resigned from office
Eino Uusitalo (1924–2015)	11 September 1981	19 February 1982	Centre Party	Substitute to Mauno Koivisto, who became first Acting President of Finland and later President of the Republic of Finland

List of living former prime ministers[]

Esko Aho
(1991–1995)
(1954-05-20) 20 May 1954 (age 67)
Paavo Lipponen
(1995–2003)
(1941-04-23) 23 April 1941 (age 80)
Anneli Jäätteenmäki
(2003)
(1955-02-11) 11 February 1955 (age 66)
Matti Vanhanen
(2003–2010)
(1955-11-04) 4 November 1955 (age 66)
Mari Kiviniemi
(2010–2011)
(1968-09-27) 27 September 1968 (age 53)
Jyrki Katainen
(2011–2014)
(1971-10-14) 14 October 1971 (age 50)
Alexander Stubb
(2014–2015)
(1968-04-01) 1 April 1968 (age 53)
Juha Sipilä
(2015–2019)
(1961-04-25) 25 April 1961 (age 60)
Antti Rinne
(2019)
(1962-11-03) 3 November 1962 (age 59)

The most recent death of a former prime minister of Finland is that of Mauno Koivisto (1968–1970, 1979–1982) on 12 May 2017.

References[]

^ Finnish Council of State. "The Cabinet in Office". Finnish Council of State. Archived from the original on November 13, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
^ "Juha Sipilän hallituksesta tulee kaikkien aikojen pitkäikäisin" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
^ "Governments in chronological order". Finnish government (Valtioneuvosto). Retrieved 27 March 2017.

External links[]

Media related to Prime ministers of Finland at Wikimedia Commons
Official site
From Senate to independent Government

[1] Finnish Council of State. "The Cabinet in Office". Finnish Council of State. Archived from the original on November 13, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2010.

[2] "Juha Sipilän hallituksesta tulee kaikkien aikojen pitkäikäisin" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2019-05-31.

[3] "Governments in chronological order". Finnish government (Valtioneuvosto). Retrieved 27 March 2017.

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