Finland Times

 

File picture of Left Alliance chairman and Minister of Culture Paavo Arhinmäki (right) and the Minister of Transport Merja Kyllönen leave the House of the Estates the evening of 25 March 2014. Photo – Lehtikuva.

The five-party alliance government on Monday decided to not appoint any new minister following the vacancy created in the cabinet after the resignation of its former ally Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance) from the government.

 

The two ministerial posts were vacated in the cabinet on Friday after the Left Alliance leaders Paavo Arhinmäki and Merja Kyllönen stepped down from the posts of the minister of culture and sports and minister of transport following a disagreement with the government over the fiscal adjustment plan.

 

Finance Minister Jutta Urpilainen, also the leader of Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party), the second biggest component of the government, said no new minister would be named in the dockets.

 

Urpilainen said ministerial tasks in the two ministries would be shared among the existing ministers.

 

The finance minister also deemed it natural that the ministerial tasks should be allocated to Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party), the main ally of the government and the SDP.

 

"I would be inclined that no new persons are named, but to allocate the tasks to the existing ministers," said Urpilainen during an STT interview.

 

Finance Minister Jutta Urpilainen. Photo – Lehtikuva.

According to Urpilainen, this would be a good signal after the government's tough austerity measures decision.

 

The portfolios of culture and sports will be given to the SDP, while the National Coalition Party will get the ministry of transport, reported Yle.

 

The president is expected to accept the resignation of Merja Kyllönen, the minister of transport, and Paavo Arhinmäki, the minister of culture and sports, on Friday.