Speaker of Parliament of Finland
Eduskunnan puhemies
Riksdagens talman
EPP Political Assembly, 09-10 March, Helsinki (52735865437) (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Petteri Orpo
since 12 April 2023
Parliament of Finland
SeatHelsinki, Finland
AppointerParliament
Term lengthOne year
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Finland
PrecursorSpeaker of the Diet of Finland
Formation1907; 116 years ago (1907)
First holderPehr Evind Svinhufvud
Salary€13,390 monthly[1]
Websitewww.eduskunta.fi

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.

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]

List of speakers of the Parliament of Finland

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Party
Took office Left office
1
Pehr Evind Svinhufvud.jpg
Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
(1861–1944)
23 May
1907
31 January
1913
Young Finnish
2
Oskar Tokoi 1900-luvun alussa.jpg
Oskari Tokoi
(1873–1963)
3 February
1913
1 February
1914
Social Democratic
3
Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg.jpg
Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg
(1865–1952)
3 February
1914
3 April
1917
Young Finnish
4
KullervoManner.jpg
Kullervo Manner
(1880–1939)
4 April
1917
30 October
1917
Social Democratic
5
Johannes Lundson.jpg
Johannes Lundson
(1867–1939)
2 November
1917
25 September
1918
Young Finnish
6
Lauri Ingman.jpg
Lauri Ingman
(1868–1934)
27 September
1918
4 November
1918
Finnish
7
Ernst Nevanlinna.jpg
Ernst Nevanlinna
(1873–1932)
6 November
1918
11 November
1918
Finnish
(6)
Lauri Ingman.jpg
Lauri Ingman
(1868–1934)
13 November
1918
28 November
1918
Finnish
8
Coat of arms of Finland.svg
Paavo Virkkunen
(1874–1959)
29 November
1918
31 March
1919
Finnish
9
Relander LC.jpg
Lauri Kristian Relander
(1883–1942)
2 April
1919
8 May
1920
Agrarian
10
Kallio.jpg
Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
8 May
1920
29 March
1921
Agrarian
11
Wäinö Wuolijoki (Peruskivi (cropped)).jpg
Wäinö Wuolijoki
(1872–1947)
31 March
1921
4 September
1922
Social Democratic
(10)
Kallio.jpg
Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
6 September
1922
14 November
1922
Agrarian
(11)
Wäinö Wuolijoki (Peruskivi (cropped)).jpg
Wäinö Wuolijoki
(1872–1947)
15 November
1922
31 January
1923
Social Democratic
(8)
Coat of arms of Finland.svg
Paavo Virkkunen
(1874–1959)
2 February
1923
30 April
1924
National Coalition
(10)
Kallio.jpg
Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
2 May
1924
31 March
1925
Agrarian
(11)
Wäinö Wuolijoki (Peruskivi (cropped)).jpg
Wäinö Wuolijoki
(1872–1947)
1 April
1925
31 January
1926
Social Democratic
(8)
Coat of arms of Finland.svg
Paavo Virkkunen
(1874–1959)
2 February
1926
1 September
1927
National Coalition
(10)
Kallio.jpg
Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
3 September
1927
31 January
1928
Agrarian
(8)
Coat of arms of Finland.svg
Paavo Virkkunen
(1874–1959)
1 February
1928
31 January
1929
National Coalition
(10)
Kallio.jpg
Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
1 February
1929
16 August
1929
Agrarian
(8)
Coat of arms of Finland.svg
Paavo Virkkunen
(1874–1959)
17 August
1929
7 July
1930
National Coalition
12
JuhoSunila.jpg
Juho Sunila
(1875–1936)
8 July
1930
20 October
1930
Agrarian
(10)
Kallio.jpg
Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)
21 October
1930
8 October
1936
Agrarian
13
Coat of arms of Finland.svg
Väinö Hakkila
(1882–1958)
9 October
1936
4 April
1945
Social Democratic
14
Karl-August Fagerholm.jpg
Karl-August Fagerholm
(1901–1984)
6 April
1945
14 July
1948
Social Democratic
15
Urho Kaleva Kekkonen.jpg
Urho Kekkonen
(1900–1986)
22 July
1948
21 March
1950
Agrarian
(14)
Karl-August Fagerholm.jpg
Karl-August Fagerholm
(1901–1984)
23 March
1950
6 March
1956
Social Democratic
16
Vieno Johannes Sukselainen.jpg
V. J. Sukselainen
(1906–1995)
9 March
1956
28 May
1957
Agrarian
(14)
Karl-August Fagerholm.jpg
Karl-August Fagerholm
(1901–1984)
31 May
1957
6 June
1958
Social Democratic
(16)
Vieno Johannes Sukselainen.jpg
V. J. Sukselainen
(1906–1995)
29 July
1958
14 January
1959
Agrarian
(14)
Karl-August Fagerholm.jpg
Karl-August Fagerholm
(1901–1984)
14 January
1959
16 February
1962
Social Democratic
17
Kauno Kleemola.jpg
Kauno Kleemola
(1906–1965)
24 February
1962
12 March
1965
Agrarian
(until 1965)
Centre
(from 1965)
(14)
Karl-August Fagerholm.jpg
Karl-August Fagerholm
(1901–1984)
23 March
1965
4 April
1966
Social Democratic
18
PuhemiesRafael-Paasio-1963.jpg
Rafael Paasio
(1903–1980)
14 April
1966
1 June
1966
Social Democratic
19
Johannes Virolainen 1955.jpg
Johannes Virolainen
(1914–2000)
3 June
1966
26 March
1968
Centre
(16)
Vieno Johannes Sukselainen.jpg
V. J. Sukselainen
(1906–1995)
26 March
1968
20 March
1970
Centre
(18)
PuhemiesRafael-Paasio-1963.jpg
Rafael Paasio
(1903–1980)
3 April
1970
29 February
1972
Social Democratic
(16)
Vieno Johannes Sukselainen.jpg
V. J. Sukselainen
(1906–1995)
29 February
1972
28 January
1976
Centre
20
Coat of arms of Finland.svg
Veikko Helle
(1911–2005)
5 February
1976
31 January
1978
Social Democratic
21
Coat of arms of Finland.svg
Ahti Pekkala
(1924–2014)
1 February
1978
29 May
1979
Centre
(19)
Johannes Virolainen 1955.jpg
Johannes Virolainen
(1914–2000)
5 June
1979
25 March
1983
Centre
22
Coat of arms of Finland.svg
Erkki Pystynen
(born 1929)
7 April
1983
25 March
1987
National Coalition
23
Ilkka Suominen (2009)
Ilkka Suominen
(1939–2022)
2 April
1987
5 May
1987
National Coalition
24
Matti Ahde.jpg
Matti Ahde
(1945–2019)
8 May
1987
1 February
1989
Social Democratic
25
Kalevi Sorsa.jpg
Kalevi Sorsa
(1930–2004)
1 February
1989
21 March
1991
Social Democratic
26
Esko Aho (cropped).jpg
Esko Aho
(born 1954)
4 April
1991
26 April
1991
Centre
(23)
Ilkka Suominen (2009)
Ilkka Suominen
(1939–2022)
30 April
1991
6 February
1994
National Coalition
27
Riitta Uosukainen.jpg
Riitta Uosukainen
(born 1942)
7 February
1994
23 March
1995
National Coalition
28
Paavo lipponen 15.1.2002 (cropped).jpg
Paavo Lipponen
(born 1941)
28 March
1995
19 April
1995
Social Democratic
(27)
Riitta Uosukainen.jpg
Riitta Uosukainen
(born 1942)
21 April
1995
23 March
1999
National Coalition
29
Jukka Mikkola.jpg
Jukka Mikkola
(1943–2018)
30 March
1999
16 April
1999
Social Democratic
(27)
Riitta Uosukainen.jpg
Riitta Uosukainen
(born 1942)
20 April
1999
18 March
2003
National Coalition
30
Jäätteenmäki Anneli 2014-02-06 1.jpg
Anneli Jäätteenmäki
(born 1955)
25 March
2003
16 April
2003
Centre
(28)
Paavo lipponen 15.1.2002 (cropped).jpg
Paavo Lipponen
(born 1941)
22 April
2003
20 March
2007
Social Democratic
31
Timo Kalli.jpg
Timo Kalli
(born 1947)
27 March
2007
20 April
2007
Centre
32
Sauli Niinistö.jpg
Sauli Niinistö
(born 1948)
24 April
2007
19 April
2011
National Coalition
33
Ben Zyskowicz 2014.jpg
Ben Zyskowicz
(born 1954)
27 April
2011
22 June
2011
National Coalition
34
Plenum toppmotet. Nordiska Radet session i Helsingfors 29.10.2012 (1) (cropped).jpg
Eero Heinäluoma
(born 1955)
23 June
2011
21 April
2015
Social Democratic
35
Juha Sipilä 18-4-2015.JPG
Juha Sipilä
(born 1961)
28 April
2015
29 May
2015
Centre
36
Maria Lohela 2015.jpg
Maria Lohela
(born 1978)
29 May
2015
5 February
2018
Finns
(until 2017)
Blue Reform
(from 2017)
37
PaulaRisikko2.jpg
Paula Risikko
(born 1960)
5 February
2018
16 April
2019
National Coalition
38
Antti Rinne.jpg
Antti Rinne
(born 1962)
24 April
2019
5 June
2019
Social Democratic
39
Matti Vanhanen 2017 06.jpg
Matti Vanhanen
(born 1955)
7 June
2019
9 June
2020
Centre
40
Anu Vehviläinen 2010 (cropped).jpg
Anu Vehviläinen
(born 1963)
9 June
2020
1 February
2022
Centre
(39)
Matti Vanhanen 2017 06.jpg
Matti Vanhanen
(born 1955)
1 February
2022
4 April
2023
Centre
41
EPP Political Assembly, 09-10 March, Helsinki (52735865437) (cropped).jpg
Petteri Orpo
(born 1969)
12 April
2023
Incumbent National Coalition

List of deputy speakers

See also

References

  1. ^ "Eduskunnan puhemiehen palkkioon yli tuhannen euron korotus, toisen kauden kansanedustajien palkkioihin uusi "väliporras"". Helsingin Sanomat. April 17, 2019.
  2. ^ Maassa maan tavalla - tunne säännöt ja onnistu. Ulkoasiainministeriön protokollapalvelut (in Finnish). Ulkoasiainministeriö. 2008. p. 32. ISBN 978-952-281-173-8.
  3. ^ "The Speaker and Deputy Speakers". Parliament of Finland. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Suomen perustuslaki 731/1999". Ajantasainen lainsäädäntö, finlex.fi (in Finnish). Edita. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Eduskunnan työjärjestys 40/2000". Ajantasainen lainsäädäntö, finlex.fi (in Finnish). Edita. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  6. ^ "History of Finnish Parliament". Eduskunta. Archived from the original on 2014-06-06.