The president of the Republic of Finland (; ) is the head of state of Finland. The incumbent president is Alexander Stubb, since 1 March 2024. He was elected president for the first time in 2024.
The president is directly elected by universal suffrage for a term of six years. Since 1994, no president may be elected for more than two consecutive terms. The president must be a natural-born Finnish citizen. The presidential office was established in the Constitution Act of 1919. Under the Constitution of Finland, executive power is vested in the Finnish Government and the president, with the latter possessing only residual powers. Only formally, the president ranks first in the protocol, before the speaker of the parliament and the prime minister of Finland.
Finland has for most of its independence had a semi-presidential system in which the president had much authority and power over both foreign and domestic policy, but constitutional amendments adopted in 1991, 2000 and 2012 reduced the president's powers and moved the country towards a more parliamentary system. The president still leads the nation's foreign policy in conjunction with the Government, and is the commander-in-chief of the Finnish Defence Forces.
Election and term
Election The president is elected by direct popular vote. Candidates can be nominated by registered political parties that won at least one seat in the previous parliamentary elections. Alternatively, a candidate may also be nominated by 20,000 enfranchised citizens. It is common practice for each political party to set its own, distinct candidate.
If only one candidate is nominated, that candidate becomes president without an election. Otherwise, the first round of balloting takes place on the fourth Sunday of January in the election year. The elections are two-staged. If one of the candidates receives more than half of the votes cast, that candidate is elected president. If no candidate wins a majority in the first stage, the top two candidates compete in a second round two weeks later. The candidate who then receives more votes is elected. In the event of a tie, the outcome is determined by lot. The Government confirms the outcome and, if necessary, conducts the drawing of lots. The president assumes office on the first day of the month following the election.
History Between 1919 and 1988, the president was elected indirectly by an electoral college made up of electors chosen by voters in the presidential election. In the 1988 presidential election, a direct and an indirect election were conducted in parallel: if no candidate could gain a majority, the president was elected by an electoral college formed in the same elections. Since 1994, the president has been elected by a direct popular vote.
Several exceptional presidential elections have been held: 1919, the first president, K. J. Ståhlberg, was elected by the Finnish Parliament under the transitional provision of the constitution that had just come into force. 1940, President Kyösti Kallio announced his resignation and the electors, who were voted for the 1937 presidential election, also elected Prime Minister Risto Ryti as president for Kallio's unused term (a little over two years until 1943), because electoral college elections could not be held during the martial law that began with the Winter War. 1943, the president (Ryti again) was also elected by the 1937 electors, exceptionally for a term of only two years, because of the Continuation War. 1944, Ryti announced his resignation and as the Continuation War continued, the Parliament, by an emergency law, appointed Marshal of Finland Gustaf Mannerheim, Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Armed Forces, as president for a six-year term. 1946, Mannerheim announced his resignation and, as the martial law was still in effect, Parliament elected Prime Minister J. K. Paasikivi as President for Mannerheim's unused term (almost four years until 1950). 1973, a emergency law enacted by Parliament – although there was no state of emergency in Finland – extended President Urho Kekkonen's third term, which had begun in 1968, by four years (from 1974 to 1978). 1982, Kekkonen announced his resignation a couple of years before the end of his (fourth) term and Prime Minister Mauno Koivisto was elected as his successor normally by the electors and for a normal six-year term (there was no state of emergency).
Inauguration The president-elect, accompanied by the Speaker of the Parliament and the outgoing president, assumes office on the first day of the month following the election by making a solemn affirmation in both Finnish and Swedish at a ceremony in Parliament House. The affirmation is specified in Section 56 of the Constitution, and in English reads "I, [N. N.], elected by the people of Finland as the President of the Republic, hereby affirm that in my presidential duties I shall sincerely and conscientiously observe the Constitution and the laws of the Republic, and to the best of my ability promote the wellbeing of the people of Finland."
The term of the president-elect begins at the moment the affirmation has been made (around 12:20 on the day of the inauguration). After the inauguration, the new president, accompanied by their predecessor, inspects the guard of honour outside Parliament House.
Incapacity and succession
The president of Finland does not have a vice president. If the president is temporarily prevented from performing their duties, such as due to an international trip from where they are unable to return quickly during a time when such may be required, the prime minister serves as acting president until the president's incapacity ceases. If the president dies in office or if the Government declares that the president is permanently unable to carry out the duties of office, a new election is triggered to determine a successor. If the prime minister is unavailable, the duties are carried out by the minister deputising for the prime minister.
Impeachment If the chancellor of justice, the parliamentary ombudsman or the Government deem that the president is guilty of treason or high treason, or crimes against humanity, the matter shall be communicated to Parliament. If Parliament, by three-fourths of the votes cast, decides that charges are to be brought, the Prosecutor-General prosecutes the president in the High Court of Impeachment and the president abstains from office for the duration of the proceedings. There is, however, no mechanism laid out in the Constitution or other laws for removing a president from office. Duties and powers
The president's functions and powers are directly defined in the Constitution. In addition to those specified there, the president also discharges functions assigned to the president in other laws. Under the Constitution of Finland, executive power is vested in the president and the Government, which must enjoy the confidence of parliament. This principle is reflected in other provisions of the constitution concerning the president's functions and powers dealing with legislation, decrees, and appointment of public officials. Custom dictates that the president renounces any party affiliation while serving, to remain above day-to-day politics.
The president exercises governmental powers "in council" with the Finnish Government, echoing the royal curia regis. The session is customarily arranged once a week. There is quorum of five ministers and the chancellor of justice is present as well. In the session, the respective ministers present the topic and a proposal for decision. Based on the proposal, the president makes his decision. The president may depart from the proposal and may return the proposal to the Government for reconsideration. There is no voting and normally there are no speeches aside from the aforementioned proposals. Except for approvals of new laws and appointments, the Government may present the issue to the Parliament, which will make the final decision on the matter on the Government's proposal.
The president was originally vested with fairly broad executive power, particularly in the realm of foreign policy.Finland at Encyclopedia Britannica Constitutional amendments enacted in 1999 reduced the president's powers somewhat, and the president now shares executive authority with the Prime Minister. Nevertheless, presidents are still seen as providing a measure of stability, given that it is all but impossible for one party to win an outright majority in Parliament.
Ordering premature parliamentary elections Upon the proposal of the prime minister, the president may, having consulted the parliamentary groups and while Parliament is in session, order the holding of premature parliamentary election. The new parliament is chosen for a normal four-year term. Parliament itself may decide when to end its session before the election day. From 1919 to 1991 the president's power to order a premature election was unqualified and he could do so whenever considered necessary. Presidents have ordered premature parliamentary elections on seven occasions. The president declares each annual session of parliament open and closes the last Annual Session. This is done in a speech at each opening and closing ceremony.
Emergency powers Under the Preparedness Act, in exceptional circumstances the president may issue a decree authorising the government to exercise emergency powers for up to one year at a time. The decree must be submitted to Parliament for its approval. Should the powers available under the Preparedness Act prove inadequate in an emergency, additional powers can be assumed under the State of Defence Act. The president may declare a state of defence by decree for a maximum of three months initially. If necessary, it can be extended for a maximum of one year at a time. A state of defence may also be declared in a region of the country. The decree must be submitted to parliament for approval.
Appointing and discharging ministers The prime minister and other members of the Government are appointed and discharged by the president of the republic. After parliamentary elections or in any other situation where the government has resigned, the president, taking into account the result of consultations between the parliamentary groups and having heard the view of the speaker, submits a nominee for prime minister to Parliament. If confirmed by Parliament with a majority of the votes cast, the president then proceeds to appoint the prime minister and other ministers. The president is constitutionally required to dismiss a government or any minister as soon as that government has lost the confidence of Parliament.
Other appointing powers
The president appoints: Governor, and other members of the board of the Bank of Finland Chancellor of justice and the vice-chancellor of justice Prosecutor-general and the vice prosecutor-general Ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions abroad Executive of Kela (Social Insurance Institution) Secretary general and presenters at Office of the President of the Republic
Most of the appointment process is conducted at the respective ministry: The Office of the President does not process preparations or presentations of the appointment. Nevertheless, presidents have used these powers publicly, even against the internal recommendation of the agency.
In addition, the president appoints or gives commission to: Officers of the Finnish Defence Forces and the Finnish Border Guard Permanent judges, including presidents and members of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court, presidents and members of the courts of appeal and administrative courts of appeal.
International relations