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.

List of speakers of the Parliament of Finland

thumb|Desk of the speaker of the Parliament of Finland

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; border:1px #aaf solid;"

! rowspan="2" |No.

! rowspan="2" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" | Name

! colspan="2" | Term of office

! colspan="2" rowspan="2"| Party

| width="65" | 144x144px

| Pehr Evind Svinhufvud

| class="nowrap" | 23 May 1907

| class="nowrap" | 31 January 1913

| style="background:;" |

| Young Finnish

|136x136px

|Oskari Tokoi

|3 February 1913

|1 February 1914

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|136x136px

|Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg

|3 February 1914

|3 April 1917

|style="background:;" |

|Young Finnish

|124x124px

|Kullervo Manner

|4 April 1917

|30 October 1917

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|133x133px

|Johannes Lundson

|2 November 1917

|25 September 1918

|style="background:;" |

|Young Finnish

|135x135px

|Lauri Ingman

|27 September 1918

|4 November 1918

|style="background:;" |

|Finnish

|140x140px

|Ernst Nevanlinna

|6 November 1918

|11 November 1918

|style="background:;" |

|Finnish

|(6)

|135x135px

|Lauri Ingman

|13 November 1918

|28 November 1918

|style="background:;" |

|Finnish

|125x125px

|Paavo Virkkunen

|29 November 1918

|31 March 1919

|style="background:;" |

|Finnish

|132x132px

|Lauri Kristian Relander

|2 April 1919

|8 May 1920

|style="background:;" |

|Agrarian

|10

|137x137px

|Kyösti Kallio

|8 May 1920

|29 March 1921

|style="background:;" |

|Agrarian

|11

|122x122px

|Wäinö Wuolijoki

|31 March 1921

|4 September 1922

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|(10)

|137x137px

|Kyösti Kallio

|6 September 1922

|14 November 1922

|style="background:;" |

|Agrarian

|(11)

|122x122px

|Wäinö Wuolijoki

|15 November 1922

|31 January 1923

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|(8)

|125x125px

|Paavo Virkkunen

|2 February 1923

|30 April 1924

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|(10)

|137x137px

|Kyösti Kallio

|2 May 1924

|31 March 1925

|style="background:;" |

|Agrarian

|(11)

|122x122px

|Wäinö Wuolijoki

|1 April 1925

|31 January 1926

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|(8)

|125x125px

|Paavo Virkkunen

|2 February 1926

|1 September 1927

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|(10)

|137x137px

|Kyösti Kallio

|3 September 1927

|31 January 1928

|style="background:;" |

|Agrarian

|(8)

|125x125px

|Paavo Virkkunen

|1 February 1928

|31 January 1929

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|(10)

|137x137px

|Kyösti Kallio

|1 February 1929

|16 August 1929

|style="background:;" |

|Agrarian

|(8)

|125x125px

|Paavo Virkkunen

|17 August 1929

|7 July 1930

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|12

|133x133px

|Juho Sunila

|8 July 1930

|20 October 1930

|style="background:;" |

|Agrarian

|(10)

|137x137px

|Kyösti Kallio

|21 October 1930

|8 October 1936

|style="background:;" |

|Agrarian

|13

|137x137px

|Väinö Hakkila

|9 October 1936

|4 April 1945

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|14

|131x131px

|Karl-August Fagerholm

|6 April 1945

|14 July 1948

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|15

|120x120px

|Urho Kekkonen

|22 July 1948

|21 March 1950

|style="background:;" |

|Agrarian

|(14)

|131x131px

|Karl-August Fagerholm

|23 March 1950

|6 March 1956

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|16

|131x131px

|V. J. Sukselainen

|9 March 1956

|28 May 1957

|style="background:;" |

|Agrarian

|(14)

|131x131px

|Karl-August Fagerholm

|31 May 1957

|6 June 1958

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|(16)

|131x131px

|V. J. Sukselainen

|29 July 1958

|14 January 1959

|style="background:;" |

|Agrarian

|(14)

|131x131px

|Karl-August Fagerholm

|14 January 1959

|16 February 1962

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

| rowspan="2" |17

| rowspan="2" |155x155px

| rowspan="2" |Kauno Kleemola

| rowspan="2" |24 February 1962

| rowspan="2" |12 March 1965

|style="background:;" |

|Agrarian

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

|(14)

|131x131px

|Karl-August Fagerholm

|23 March 1965

|4 April 1966

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|18

|104x104px

|Rafael Paasio

|14 April 1966

|1 June 1966

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|19

|120x120px

|Johannes Virolainen

|3 June 1966

|26 March 1968

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

|(16)

|131x131px

|V. J. Sukselainen

|26 March 1968

|20 March 1970

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

|(18)

|104x104px

|Rafael Paasio

|3 April 1970

|29 February 1972

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|(16)

|131x131px

|V. J. Sukselainen

|29 February 1972

|28 January 1976

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

|20

|120x120px

|Veikko Helle

|5 February 1976

|31 January 1978

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|21

|120x120px

|Ahti Pekkala

|1 February 1978

|29 May 1979

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

|(19)

|120x120px

|Johannes Virolainen

|5 June 1979

|25 March 1983

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

|22

|125x125px

|Erkki Pystynen

|7 April 1983

|25 March 1987

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|23

|100x100px|Ilkka Suominen (2009)

|Ilkka Suominen

|2 April 1987

|5 May 1987

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|24

|124x124px

|Matti Ahde

|8 May 1987

|1 February 1989

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|25

|153x153px

|Kalevi Sorsa

|1 February 1989

|21 March 1991

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|26

|150x150px

|Esko Aho

|4 April 1991

|26 April 1991

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

|(23)

|100x100px|Ilkka Suominen (2009)

|Ilkka Suominen

|30 April 1991

|6 February 1994

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|27

|116x116px

|Riitta Uosukainen

|7 February 1994

|23 March 1995

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|28

|150x150px

|Paavo Lipponen

|28 March 1995

|19 April 1995

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|(27)

|116x116px

|Riitta Uosukainen

|21 April 1995

|23 March 1999

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|29

|102x102px

|Jukka Mikkola

|30 March 1999

|16 April 1999

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|(27)

|116x116px

|Riitta Uosukainen

|20 April 1999

|18 March 2003

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|30

|150x150px

|Anneli Jäätteenmäki

|25 March 2003

|16 April 2003

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

|(28)

|150x150px

|Paavo Lipponen

|22 April 2003

|20 March 2007

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|31

|147x147px

|Timo Kalli

|27 March 2007

|20 April 2007

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

|32

|118x118px

|Sauli Niinistö

|24 April 2007

|19 April 2011

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|33

|119x119px

|Ben Zyskowicz

|27 April 2011

|22 June 2011

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|34

|138x138px

|Eero Heinäluoma

|23 June 2011

|21 April 2015

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|35

|140x140px

|Juha Sipilä

|28 April 2015

|29 May 2015

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

| rowspan="2" |36

| rowspan="2" |123x123px

| rowspan="2" |Maria Lohela

| rowspan="2" |29 May 2015

| rowspan="2" |5 February 2018

|style="background:;" |

|Finns

|style="background:;" |

|Blue Reform

|37

|134x134px

|Paula Risikko

|5 February 2018

|16 April 2019

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|38

|149x149px

|Antti Rinne

|24 April 2019

|5 June 2019

|style="background:;" |

|Social Democratic

|39

|130x130px

|Matti Vanhanen

|7 June 2019

|9 June 2020

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

|40

|126x126px

|Anu Vehviläinen

|9 June 2020

|1 February 2022

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

|(39)

|130x130px

|Matti Vanhanen

|1 February 2022

|4 April 2023

|style="background:;" |

|Centre

|41

|130x130px

|Petteri Orpo

|12 April 2023

|20 June 2023

|style="background:;" |

|National Coalition

|42

|130x130px

|Jussi Halla-aho

|21 June 2023

|Incumbent

|style="background:;" |

|Finns

List of deputy speakers

First deputy speakers

{| class="wikitable"

! 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

{| class="wikitable"

! Speaker

! Term in office

! Party

| Ernst Palmén || 1907–1908 || Finnish Party

| Akseli Listo || 1908–1909 || Finnish Party

| Karl Söderholm || 1909 || SPP

| Akseli Listo || 1909–1910 || Finnish Party

| Karl Söderholm || 1910 || SPP

| Akseli Listo || 1910–1913 || Finnish Party

| Karl Söderholm || 1913 || SPP

| Emil Schybergson || 1913–1914 || SPP

| Lauri Ingman || 1914–1917 || Finnish Party

| Väinö Jokinen || 1917 || SDP

| Santeri Alkio || 1917–1918 || Agrarian League

| Emil Schybergson || 1918 || SPP

| Pekka Ahmavaara || 1918–1919 || NCP

| Paavo Virkkunen || 1919–1921 || NCP

| Eero Hatva || 1922 || Agrarian League

| Oskar Mantere || 1922 || NPP

| Jalo Lahdensuo || 1923–1924 || Agrarian League

| Wäinö Wuolijoki || 1924–1925 || SDP

| Paavo Virkkunen || 1925 || NCP

| Jalo Lahdensuo || 1926 || Agrarian League

| Jaakko Keto || 1926–1927 || SDP

| Rieti Itkonen || 1927–1928 || SDP

| Ragnar Furuhjelm || 1928–1929 || SPP

| Paavo Virkkunen || 1929 || NCP

| Juho Sunila || 1929–1930 || Agrarian League

| Gunnar Sahlstein || 1930 || NCP

| Väinö Hakkila || 1930–1933 || SDP

| Ernst von Born || 1933–1939 || SPP

| Edwin Linkomies || 1939–1943 || NCP

| Toivo Horelli || 1943–1945 || NCP

| Vihtori Vesterinen || 1945 || Agrarian League

| Lennart Heljas || 1945–1946 || Agrarian League

| Toivo Kujala || 1947–1958 || SKDL

| Onni Peltonen || 1958 || SDP

| Johannes Virolainen || 1959–1961 || Agrarian League

| Kusti Eskola || 1961–1962 || Agrarian League

| Jussi Saukkonen || 1962–1964 || NCP

| Niilo Kosola || 1964–1966 || NCP

| Paavo Aitio || 1966–1968 || SKDL

| Leo Suonpää || 1968–1970 || SKDL

| Olavi Lähteenmäki || 1970–1975 || NCP

| Anna-Liisa Linkola || 1975–1979 || NCP

| Juuso Häikiö || 1979–1983 || NCP

| Veikko Pihlajamäki || 1983 || Centre Party

| Mikko Pesälä || 1983–1991 || Centre Party

| Ritva Laurila || 1991 || NCP

| Mikko Pesälä || 1991–1994 || Centre Party

| Seppo Pelttari || 1994 || Centre Party

| Riitta Uosukainen || 1995 || NCP

| Matti Louekoski || 1995–1996 || SDP

| Kerttu Törnqvist || 1996–1999 || SDP

| Riitta Uosukainen || 1999 || NCP

| Jukka Mikkola || 1999–2003 || SDP

| Ilkka Kanerva || 2003–2007 || NCP

| Johannes Koskinen || 2007–2010 || SDP

| Tarja Filatov || 2010–2011 || SDP

| Anssi Joutsenlahti || 2011–2015 || Finns Party

| Ben Zyskowicz || 2015 || NCP

| Paula Risikko || 2015–2016 || NCP

| Arto Satonen || 2016–2018 || NCP

| Tuula Haatainen || 2018–2019 || SDP

| Paula Risikko || 2019 || NCP

| Juho Eerola || 2019–2023 || Finns Party

| Tarja Filatov || 2023– || SDP

Speaker of the Parliament of Finland

List of speakers of the Parliament of Finland

List of deputy speakers

First deputy speakers

Second deputy speakers

See also

References

External links