Speaker of the Parliament of Finland

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.

Political conventions

Election conventions The speaker as well as deputy speakers are elected in a secret ballot vote where they must receive a majority of the vote. By convention the position of speaker is held by a senior member of parliament from the second largest party in government. The position of first deputy speaker traditionally goes to a senior parliamentarian from the largest party in government. The role of second deputy speaker traditionally belongs to a member of the largest party in parliament that did not receive the speakership or first deputy speakership.

This convention usually manifests in elections to the position with lobsided majorities, but sometimes the results are tighter. As an example in 2024 the current speaker, Jussi Halla-Aho, was elected with a reduced majority as a political protestEduskunnassa protesti: Jussi Halla-aho vain 91 äänellä puhemieheksi (In Finnish) , date of source 6.2.2024. A record low result was reached in 2011 by then speaker Sauli Niinistö when he was re-elected with just 89 votes. As a result he expressed intent to resign, but did not in the end do so after consultation with the parliamentary groups

Convention of neutrality The role of the speaker and to a lesser degree deputy speakers in political matters differs from other members of parliament. The speaker is through many ways, though not by law, bound to carrying out his or her office act with neutrality. To reinforce this convention the speaker and deputy speakers have no vote in parliament when preciding over it, may not speak in plenary sessions when preciding over it, and are not members of sany legislative committees. Instead the role of the speaker is to represent and lead the institution of parliament. This role of representing parliament also demands neutrality on issues of partisan politics, though the rule is lesser for deputy speakers. This broad convention of neutrality also affords statements from the speaker a great deal of weight in their domain rivaled only by the president. It also means the speaker is not generally seen as a political actor.

List of speakers of the Parliament of Finland

No. Portrait Name Term of office Party 1 Pehr Evind Svinhufvud 23 May1907 31 January1913 Young Finnish2Oskari Tokoi3 February19131 February1914Social Democratic3Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg3 February19143 April1917Young Finnish4Kullervo Manner4 April191730 October1917Social Democratic5Johannes Lundson2 November191725 September1918Young Finnish6Lauri Ingman27 September19184 November1918Finnish7Ernst Nevanlinna6 November191811 November1918Finnish(6)Lauri Ingman13 November191828 November1918Finnish8Paavo Virkkunen29 November191831 March1919Finnish9Lauri Kristian Relander2 April19198 May1920Agrarian10Kyösti Kallio8 May192029 March1921Agrarian11Wäinö Wuolijoki31 March19214 September1922Social Democratic(10)Kyösti Kallio6 September192214 November1922Agrarian(11)Wäinö Wuolijoki15 November192231 January1923Social Democratic(8)Paavo Virkkunen2 February192330 April1924National Coalition(10)Kyösti Kallio2 May192431 March1925Agrarian(11)Wäinö Wuolijoki1 April192531 January1926Social Democratic(8)Paavo Virkkunen2 February19261 September1927National Coalition(10)Kyösti Kallio3 September192731 January1928Agrarian(8)Paavo Virkkunen1 February192831 January1929National Coalition(10)Kyösti Kallio1 February192916 August1929Agrarian(8)Paavo Virkkunen17 August19297 July1930National Coalition12Juho Sunila8 July193020 October1930Agrarian(10)Kyösti Kallio21 October19308 October1936Agrarian13Väinö Hakkila9 October19364 April1945Social Democratic14Karl-August Fagerholm6 April194514 July1948Social Democratic15Urho Kekkonen22 July194821 March1950Agrarian(14)Karl-August Fagerholm23 March19506 March1956Social Democratic16V. J. Sukselainen9 March195628 May1957Agrarian(14)Karl-August Fagerholm31 May19576 June1958Social Democratic(16)V. J. Sukselainen29 July195814 January1959Agrarian(14)Karl-August Fagerholm14 January195916 February1962Social Democratic17Kauno Kleemola24 February196212 March1965AgrarianCentre(14)Karl-August Fagerholm23 March19654 April1966Social Democratic18Rafael Paasio14 April19661 June1966Social Democratic19Johannes Virolainen3 June196626 March1968Centre(16)V. J. Sukselainen26 March196820 March1970Centre(18)Rafael Paasio3 April197029 February1972Social Democratic(16)V. J. Sukselainen29 February197228 January1976Centre20Veikko Helle5 February197631 January1978Social Democratic21Ahti Pekkala1 February197829 May1979Centre(19)Johannes Virolainen5 June197925 March1983Centre22Erkki Pystynen7 April198325 March1987National Coalition23Ilkka Suominen2 April19875 May1987National Coalition24Matti Ahde8 May19871 February1989Social Democratic25Kalevi Sorsa1 February198921 March1991Social Democratic26Esko Aho4 April199126 April1991Centre(23)Ilkka Suominen30 April19916 February1994National Coalition27Riitta Uosukainen7 February199423 March1995National Coalition28Paavo Lipponen28 March199519 April1995Social Democratic(27)Riitta Uosukainen21 April199523 March1999National Coalition29Jukka Mikkola30 March199916 April1999Social Democratic(27)Riitta Uosukainen20 April199918 March2003National Coalition30Anneli Jäätteenmäki25 March200316 April2003Centre(28)Paavo Lipponen22 April200320 March2007Social Democratic31Timo Kalli27 March200720 April2007Centre32Sauli Niinistö24 April200719 April2011National Coalition33Ben Zyskowicz27 April201122 June2011National Coalition34Eero Heinäluoma23 June201121 April2015Social Democratic35Juha Sipilä28 April201529 May2015Centre36Maria Lohela29 May20155 February2018FinnsBlue Reform37Paula Risikko5 February201816 April2019National Coalition38Antti Rinne24 April20195 June2019Social Democratic39Matti Vanhanen7 June20199 June2020Centre40Anu Vehviläinen9 June20201 February2022Centre(39)Matti Vanhanen1 February20224 April2023Centre41Petteri Orpo12 April202320 June2023National Coalition42Jussi Halla-aho21 June2023IncumbentFinns

List of deputy speakers

First deputy speakers Speaker Term in office Party Nils Robert af Ursin 1907–1908 SDP Yrjö Sirola 1908–1909 SDP Akseli Listo 1909 Finnish Party Yrjö Sirola 1909–1910 SDP Väinö Tanner 1910 SDP Karl Söderholm 1910–1911 SPP Oskari Tokoi 1911–1913 SDP Lauri Ingman 1913–1914 Finnish Party Oskari Tokoi 1914–1917 SDP Lauri Ingman 1917–1918 Finnish Party Pekka Ahmavaara 1918 Young Finns Santeri Alkio 1918–1919 Agrarian League Anton Kotonen 1919–1921 SDP Oskari Mantere 1921–1922 NPP Wäinö Wuolijoki 1922–1923 SDP Paavo Virkkunen 1924–1925 NCP Jalo Lahdensuo 1925–1928 Agrarian League Rieti Itkonen 1928–1929 SDP Väinö Hakkila 1929–1930 SDP Antti Tulenheimo 1930–1932 NCP Väinö Hakkila 1932–1936 SDP Juho Koivisto 1936–1937 Agrarian League Jalo Lahdensuo 1937–1938 Agrarian League Viljami Kalliokoski 1938–1940 Agrarian League Mikko Tarkkanen 1940–1945 Agrarian League Cay Sundström 1945 SKDL Eino Pekkala 1945–1946 SKDL Toivo Kujala 1946 SKDL Lennart Heljas 1946–1947 Agrarian League Urho Kekkonen 1947–1948 Agrarian League Alpo Lumme 1948–1949 SDP Penna Tervo 1949–1950 Agrarian League Viljami Kalliokoski 1950–1953 Agrarian League Lennart Heljas 1954–1956 Agrarian League Väinö Leskinen 1956–1957 SDP Lennart Heljas 1957–1958 Agrarian League Toivo Kujala 1958–1959 SKDL Paavo Aitio 1959–1966 SKDL Wiljam Sarjala 1966 Centre Party Veikko Kokkola 1966–1970 SDP Nestori Kaasalainen 1970–1971 Centre Party Johannes Virolainen 1971–1972 Centre Party Esko Niskanen 1972 SDP Veikko Helle 1972–1976 SDP Ahti Pekkala 1976–1978 Centre Party Veikko Helle 1978–1983 SDP Pirkko Työläjärvi 1983–1985 SDP Matti Louekoski 1985–1987 SDP Elsi Hetemäki-Olander 1987–1991 NCP Saara-Maria Paakkinen 1991–1995 SDP Sirkka-Liisa Anttila 1995–1996 Centre Party Mikko Pesälä 1996–1999 Centre Party Sirkka-Liisa Anttila 1999–2003 Centre Party Liisa Jaakonsaari 2003 SDP Seppo Kääriäinen 2003 Centre Party Markku Koski 2003–2006 Centre Party Sirkka-Liisa Anttila 2006–2007 Centre Party Ilkka Kanerva 2007 NCP Seppo Kääriäinen 2007–2011 Centre Party Jutta Urpilainen 2011 SDP Pekka Ravi 2011–2015 NCP Timo Soini 2015 Finns Party Mauri Pekkarinen 2015–2019 Centre Party Juho Eerola 2019 Finns Party Tuula Haatainen 2019 SDP Antti Rinne 2019–2020 SDP Tarja Filatov 2020–2021 SDP Antti Rinne 2021–2023 SDP Juho Eerola 2023 Finns Party Paula Risikko 2023– NCP

Second deputy speakers