President Sauli Niinistö (L) welcomes new Prime Minister, Centre Party's chairman Juha Sipilä and his government at the Presidental Palace in Helsinki, Finland, on May 29, 2015.Photo Lehtikuva.
President Sauli Niinistö officially appointed the new coalition government led by Juha Sipilä, the chair of the Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party) here Friday.
Sipilä 's cabinet members were sworn in and convened their first plenary session on Friday morning.
The new ruling coalition is composed of Finland's three biggest parties,the Center Party, the Finns Party and the National Coalition Party, which occupy a total of 120 seats in Finland's 200-seat parliament.
The new cabinet has 14 members, three less than that of the previous government. Among them six are from the Center Party, five from the Finns Party, and four from the National Coalition Party.
New Finnish Prime Minister, Centre Party's chairman Juha Sipilä (8th from L) and his government in a press conferance in Helsinki, Finland on May 29, 2015. Finland's new three-party coalition government took office on Friday.Photo Lehtikuva.
In its government program, the new cabinet plans to make big spending budget cuts to balance public finances while promoting economic growth and employment through investing in infrastructure and other measures.
Regarding foreign and security policies, Finland will maintain good relations with Russia. Meanwhile, the country will retain the possibility of applying for NATO membership.
The outgoing six-party coalition cabinet led by National Coalition Party chair Alexander Stubb resigned earlier on Friday.
