Speaker of the Parliament of Finland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Speaker of Parliament of Finland
Incumbent Jussi Halla-aho since 21 June 2023
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; 117 years ago (1907)
First holder	Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
Salary	€13,390 monthly
Website	www.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. 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. 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.

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".

If there is a tie in the Speaker's Council the speaker is given a tie-breaking vote.

List of speakers of the Parliament of Finland

Desk of the speaker of the Parliament of Finland

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		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		Veikko Helle (1911–2005)	5 February 1976	31 January 1978		Social Democratic
21		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		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		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		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		Anu Vehviläinen (born 1963)	9 June 2020	1 February 2022		Centre
(39)		Matti Vanhanen (born 1955)	1 February 2022	4 April 2023		Centre
41		Petteri Orpo (born 1969)	12 April 2023	20 June 2023		National Coalition
42		Jussi Halla-aho (born 1971)	21 June 2023	Incumbent		Finns

List of deputy speakers

See also

• Parliament of Finland
• Diet of Finland
• Lantmarskalks of the Finnish House of Nobility