Finland Times

The president, Sauli Niinistö administrated oath to the new cabinet members on Tuesday. Photo Lehtikuva.

The president of the republic, Sauli Niinistö on Tuesday ushered in a new government headed by Alexander Stubb.

 

The parliament on Monday confirmed Stubb’s appointment effectively taking over from Jyrki Katainen who resigned from the government in mid-June.

 

Stubb will represent the country for the first time in a European Union summit to be held on Thursday to Friday.

 

President Niinistö accepted the resignation of Jyrki Katainen and inaugurated the new government in accordance to the law at a ceremony held at the Mänytyniemi presidential residence.

 

The cabinet members of Alexander stubb government took over on Tuesday. Photo Lehtikuva.

The new ministers named by Stubb were also officially appointed by the president.

 

The new premier on Monday named three new faces in his new-look cabinet. Petteri Orpo, the chair of the Kokoomus parliamentary group was named the minister of Agriculture and Forestry. Laura Räty took over the Social Affairs and Health docket previously held by Paula Risikko and Lenita Toivakka was named the new minister of European Affairs and Foreign Trade.

 

An official statement confirmed that the government headed by Prime Minister Alexander Stubb consists of 17 ministers. The National Coalition Party and the Social Democratic Party have six ministerial posts each, the Green League and the Swedish People’s Party both have two ministers while the Christian Democrats have one minister.

 

 

The new government:

Prime Minister Alexander Stubb (National Coalition Party), Deputy Prime Minister (also responsible for the Ministry of Finance) Antti Rinne (Social Democratic Party), Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja (Social Democratic Party), Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Lenita Toivakka (National Coalition Party), Minister for International Development Pekka Haavisto (Green League), Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson (Swedish People’s Party), Minister of the Interior Päivi Räsänen (Christian Democrats), Minister of Defence Carl Haglund (Swedish People’s Party), Minister of Education and Communications Krista Kiuru (Social Democratic Party), Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Petteri Orpo (National Coalition Party), Minister of Transport and Local Government Paula Risikko (National Coalition Party), Minister of Economic Affairs Jan Vapaavuori (National Coalition Party), Minister of Labour Lauri Ihalainen (Social Democratic Party), Minister of Social Affairs and Health Laura Räty (National Coalition Party), Minister of Health and Social Services Susanna Huovinen (Social Democratic Party), Minister of the Environment Ville Niinistö (Green League), and Minister of Culture and Housing Pia Viitanen (Social Democratic Party).