President of Finland facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the President of Finland as an institution. For a list of presidents, see List of presidents of Finland.

Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Finland
Presidential Standard
Incumbent Alexander Stubb since 1 March 2024
Executive branch of the Finnish Government Office of the President of Finland
Style	Mr. President of the Republic (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Residence	Presidential Palace (ceremonial) Mäntyniemi (residential) Kultaranta (summer residence)
Appointer	Direct election
Term length	Six years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holder	Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg
Formation	26 July 1919; 105 years ago (1919-07-26)
Deputy	Prime Minister of Finland
Salary	€160,000 annually
Website	President of the Republic of Finland

The President of the Republic of Finland is the leader of Finland. This important role is held by the head of state. The current president is Alexander Stubb, who started his job on March 1, 2024. He was chosen by the people in the 2024 election.

The president is elected directly by all citizens who can vote. They serve for six years. Since 1994, a president can only be elected twice in a row. To become president, a person must be born a Finnish citizen. The president's job was created in the Constitution Act of 1919.

Finland used to have a system where the president had a lot of power. This included power over foreign and domestic issues. However, changes to the constitution in 1991, 2000, and 2012 reduced these powers. Now, Finland is more like a parliamentary system. The president still guides the country's foreign policy with the Government. They are also the commander-in-chief of the Finnish Defence Forces.

What is the President's Official Title?

The official name for Finland's current leader is the President of the Republic of Finland. In Finnish, this is Suomen tasavallan presidentti. In Swedish, it is republiken Finlands president. People often just say "President of the Republic." Former presidents keep the title "President."

How is the President Elected?

Presidential candidates can be suggested by political parties. These parties must have at least one seat in the last parliamentary elections. Also, 20,000 citizens who can vote can nominate a candidate.

From 1919 to 1988, the president was chosen indirectly. Voters picked special electors, and these electors then chose the president. Since 1994, the president has been elected directly by the people.

The Election Process

If only one person is nominated, that person becomes president without an election. If there are more candidates, the first round of voting happens on the fourth Sunday of January. This election has two stages. If a candidate gets more than half of the votes in the first round, they win.

If no one wins a majority, the two candidates with the most votes go to a second round. This second round happens two weeks later. The person who gets more votes in the second round becomes president. If there is a tie, the winner is decided by drawing lots. The Government confirms the election results. The new president starts their job on the first day of the month after the election.

Special Elections in History

There have been a few unusual presidential elections:

The first president, Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg, was chosen by the Finnish Parliament. This was due to a special rule when the constitution was new.
In 1940 and 1943, the president was chosen by electors from 1937. This happened because a public election was difficult during wartime.
In 1944, a special law made Marshal Mannerheim president for six years. This was after Risto Ryti resigned.
In 1946, Parliament chose a new president to finish Mannerheim's term. Prime Minister Juho Kusti Paasikivi was elected by Parliament.
In 1973, a special law extended President Urho Kekkonen's term by four years. He was then re-elected normally in 1978.

Starting the President's Job

The person elected as president officially starts their job with a special ceremony. They are joined by the Speaker of the Parliament and the outgoing president. The new president makes a promise in both Finnish and Swedish at the Parliament House.

The promise says: "I, [N. N.], elected by the people of Finland as the President of the Republic, hereby affirm that in my presidential duties I shall sincerely and conscientiously observe the Constitution and the laws of the Republic, and to the best of my ability promote the wellbeing of the people of Finland."

The new president's term begins right after they make this promise. After the ceremony, the new president and the old president inspect a guard of honor outside Parliament House.

Newly sworn President Martti Ahtisaari (second from left) inspects the company of honor with outgoing President Koivisto (center), around 1994.

New President Sauli Niinistö (right) and outgoing President Halonen (second from right) inspect the company of honor, around 2012.

How the President Works with the Government

The president makes government decisions together with the Finnish Government. This meeting usually happens once a week. At least five ministers and the Chancellor of Justice must be there. During the meeting, ministers present topics and suggest decisions. The president then makes the final decision. The president can ask the Government to think about a proposal again.

What are the President's Duties and Powers?

The president's duties and powers are clearly written in the Constitution. The president also does tasks given to them by other laws. In Finland, the power to run the country is shared between the president and the Finnish Government. The Government must have the support of Parliament.

Mauno Koivisto with President Ronald Reagan during a trip to Finland.

The Presidential Palace, Helsinki is the official state residence of the president.

It is a tradition that the president stops being part of any political party while in office. This helps them stay fair and above everyday politics. The president used to have a lot of power, especially in foreign policy. Changes in 1999 shared some of this power with the Prime Minister. Still, presidents are seen as bringing stability to the country.

Mäntyniemi, the private residence of the president.

Calling New Elections

The president can order new parliamentary elections early. This happens if the prime minister suggests it. The president must also talk to the political groups in Parliament first. The new Parliament is then chosen for a normal four-year term. Presidents have called early elections seven times in history. The president also officially opens and closes each yearly session of Parliament with a speech.

Appointing Ministers

The president appoints and removes the prime minister and other members of the Government. After elections, the president suggests a person for prime minister to Parliament. This is done after talking to the different political groups and hearing the Speaker's opinion. If Parliament agrees, the president then appoints the prime minister and other ministers. The president must remove a government or minister if Parliament no longer trusts them.

Other Important Appointments

The president appoints many important officials. These include:

The Governor and other members of the board of the Bank of Finland.
The Chancellor of Justice and the Vice-Chancellor of Justice.
Ambassadors and heads of Finnish offices in other countries.
Officers of the Finnish Defence Forces and the Finnish Border Guard.
Judges, including those in the Supreme Court.

The president also gives official commissions to officers and judges.

Presidential Standard from 1944–1946, during the time of President Gustaf Mannerheim.

Presidential Standard from 1920–1944 and 1946–1978.

Presidential Standard since 1978.

International Relations

The president handles Finland's foreign policy together with the Finnish Government. Agreements with other countries that affect Finnish laws are approved by Parliament. Other international agreements are put into action by a presidential order. Decisions about war and peace are made by the president with Parliament's approval.

Approving Laws

The president must sign and approve all laws passed by Parliament before they become official. The president has three months to decide. They can ask for advice from the Supreme Court. If the president does not approve a law or decide in time, Parliament can vote on it again. If Parliament passes it again, the law becomes official without the president's approval. If Parliament does not pass it again, the law is dropped.

Presidential Pardon

In certain situations, the president can grant a pardon. This means they can reduce or remove a punishment for a crime. A general pardon for many people needs a law from Parliament.

The power to pardon has been used to limit life imprisonment to 12 years or more. However, the president can still choose to deny a pardon. In 2006, the power to regularly pardon people with life sentences was moved to the Helsinki Court of Appeals. The president still has the power to give pardons, but it is used less often now.

Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces

The president is the commander-in-chief of the Finnish Defence Forces. This means they are the highest leader of the military. The president can give this role to another Finnish citizen if needed. This happened during World War II when Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was given this role.

The president commissions officers and decides if the Defence Forces need to be called into action. If Parliament is not meeting when this decision is made, it must be called together right away. The president also gives general instructions for military defense and important changes in military readiness. Decisions about military orders are made with the prime minister and the minister of defence.

Emergency Powers

In special situations, like an emergency, the president can issue an order. This order allows the government to use emergency powers for up to one year. Parliament must approve this order. If these powers are not enough, more powers can be used under the State of Defence Act. The president can declare a state of defense by order for up to three months. This can be extended if needed. A state of defense can also be declared for just one part of the country. Parliament must approve this order too.

Awards and Honors

All three Finnish orders on display at the state funeral of Martti Ahtisaari together with his Nobel Peace Prize.

The president is the grand master of Finland's national awards. These include the Order of the White Rose of Finland, the Order of the Lion of Finland, and the Order of the Cross of Liberty. The president gives these awards to Finnish and foreign citizens.

The president also awards honorary titles, like "professor" or different "counsellor" titles. These titles are symbolic and do not come with any duties. They are similar to how knighting works in countries with kings or queens. The highest titles are valtioneuvos (statesman) and vuorineuvos (industrial).

Important Speeches

Urho Kekkonen's New Year's speech (January 1, 1958).

The president gives several important public speeches each year. The most well-known are the annual New Year's Speech on January 1 and the speech at the opening of each yearly session of Parliament.

How Much Does the President Get Paid?

From 2012 to 2013, the president received an annual salary of 160,000 euros. This salary and other benefits are not taxed. In 2013, the salary was lowered to 126,000 euros. As of March 1, 2024, the salary was returned to 160,000 euros. Besides the salary, the president also gets an apartment and the staff they need. Any president who serves for six years or more gets a full pension. This pension is 60 percent of the current president's salary. The president's salary and housing benefits are tax-free.

Official Homes of the President

Kultaranta, the summer residence of the President of Finland.

The president has three official properties to live in and host guests. These are the Presidential Palace and Mäntyniemi, both in Helsinki. The third is Kultaranta in Naantali, which is a summer home.

What Happens if the President Cannot Serve?

Finland does not have a vice president. If the president cannot do their job temporarily, the prime minister or the deputy prime minister acts as president. They serve until the president can return to their duties. If the president dies in office or is permanently unable to serve, a new election is held to choose a successor. If the president, prime minister, and deputy prime minister are all unavailable, the most experienced minister in the government becomes the acting president.

How Can a President Be Removed from Office?

If the Chancellor of Justice, the Parliamentary Ombudsman, or the Government believes the president has committed very serious offenses, they tell Parliament. If Parliament votes by three-fourths majority to bring charges, the Prosecutor-General takes the president to the High Court of Impeachment. The president steps down from office during these proceedings.

A Brief History of the Presidency

The President of Finland P. E. Svinhufvud's 75th birthday on December 15, 1936. Seated are Svinhufvud and his wife Ellen; to their left, former President K. J. Ståhlberg and his wife Ester, former President Lauri Kristian Relander and his wife Signe, and Prime Minister (later President) Kyösti Kallio and his wife Kaisa.

K. J. Ståhlberg, the first President of Finland, in his office in 1919.

After Finland became independent and had its Civil War in Finland, there was a big discussion. Should Finland be a republic (with a president) or a monarchy (with a king)? The final decision was a compromise: a strong presidency, almost like a monarch. The president had great powers over foreign affairs, choosing the Government, and appointing officials.

The Constitution was changed in 2000 to give more power to Parliament and the Government. Now, the president cannot choose the prime minister or individual ministers on their own. Also, the president must talk to the prime minister and leaders of parliamentary groups before dissolving Parliament and calling new elections. Some appointment powers, like choosing provincial governors, were also moved to the Government.

Leaders Before the Republic

Before Finland became a republic with a president, it had other leaders:

From December 6, 1917, to May 1918, Pehr Evind Svinhufvud was the head of state as chairman of the Senate.
From May 1918 to July 1919, Finland had two regents. A regent is someone who governs when there is no king or queen.
- Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, Regent (May 18, 1918 – December 12, 1918)
- Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, Regent (December 12, 1918 – July 26, 1919)

Both Svinhufvud and Mannerheim later became presidents of Finland.