Minister of Defence (Finland)

Finnish government position

Minister of Defence of the Republic of Finland

Puolustusministeri
Försvarsminister

Flag of the Minister of Defence

Incumbent
Antti Häkkänen

since 20 June 2023

Ministry of Defence
Member of| Cabinet
Seat| Helsinki, Finland
Nominator| Prime Minister
Appointer| President
Term length| Four years (de facto)
Formation| 1918; 107 years ago (1918)
First holder| Wilhelm Thesleff
Website| www.defmin.fi/english

The Minister of Defence (Finnish: puolustusministeri, Swedish: försvarsminister) is a member of the Finnish Council of State. As the head of the Ministry of Defence, the minister is responsible for the administration of national defence. The ministry is headquartered in Helsinki. The current Minister of Defence is Antti Häkkänen.

From June to November 1918 the post was called Chief of the War Department, and from then until 1922 the post was called the Minister of War.

The President of the Republic is the commander-in-chief of the Finnish Defence Forces. The commander of the military forces is the Chief of Defence.

## Ministry offices

[edit]

Finnish Ministry of Defence Offices consists of two wings:

* South Makasiinikatu 8 since - Built by CL Engel as barracks for the Finnish Guard in 1922 and destroyed in 1944 and rebuilt by retaining the original walls from 1954 to 1956 and used as Defense Headquarters since 1956[1]
* Fabiansgatan 2 - newer wing was built in 1961 by Finnish architects Viljo Revell and Heikki Castrén.

### Previous ministry offices

[edit]

* Eteläesplanadi 10 - 1918-1921 it was located here and now home to Ministry of Justice
* Korkeavuorenkatu 21 (Ohrana House) - relocated in 1921 and here until beginning of World War II; now Finnish Border Guard Headquarters
* Snellmaninkatu 4-6 - moved here 1941 to 1956 which now home to Finnish Financial Supervision Authority

## List of ministers of defence

[edit]

Source:[2][3]

No. | Portrait  | Minister | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Cabinet

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| Vilhelm Thesleff
(1880–1941)| 27 May 1918| 27 November 1918| 184 days| Independent| Paasikivi I

| Rudolf Walden
(1878–1946)| 27 November 1918| 15 August 1919| 261 days| Independent| Ingman
K. Castrén

| Karl Emil Berg
(1869–1921)| 15 August 1919| 15 March 1920| 213 days| Independent| Vennola I

| Bruno Jalander
(1872–1966)| 15 March 1920| 9 April 1921| 1 year, 25 days| Independent| Erich

| Onni Hämäläinen
(1885–1954)| 9 April 1921| 3 September 1921| 147 days| Independent| Vennola II
(4)|

| Bruno Jalander
(1872–1966)| 3 September 1921| 22 June 1923| 1 year, 292 days| Independent| Vennola II
Cajander I
Kallio I

| Kyösti Kallio
(1873–1940)| 22 June 1923| 16 August 1923| 55 days| Centre| Kallio I

| Vilho Nenonen
(1883–1960)| 16 August 1923| 18 January 1924| 155 days| Independent| Kallio I

| Viktor Henrik Schvindt
(1866–1928)| 18 January 1924| 11 March 1924| 53 days| Independent| Cajander II

| Ivar Aminoff
(1868–1931)| 11 March 1924| 31 May 1924| 81 days| Independent| Cajander II
10|

| Lauri Malmberg
(1888–1948)| 31 May 1924| 31 March 1925| 304 days| Independent| Ingman II
11|

| Aleksander Lampén
(1879–1935)| 31 March 1925| 31 December 1925| 275 days| National Coalition| Tulenheimo
12|

| Leonard Hjelmman
(1869–1952)| 31 December 1925| 13 December 1926| 347 days| National Coalition| Kallio II
13|

| Kaarlo Heinonen
(1878–1944)| 13 December 1926| 17 December 1927| 1 year, 4 days| SDP| Tanner
14|

| Jalo Lahdensuo
(1882–1973)| 17 December 1927| 22 December 1928| 1 year, 5 days| Centre| Sunila I
15|

| Aimo Cajander
(1879–1943)| 22 December 1928| 16 August 1929| 237 days| National Progressive| Mantere
16|

| Juho Niukkanen
(1888–1954)| 16 August 1929| 4 July 1930| 322 days| Centre| Kallio III
17|

| Albin Manner
(1888–1954)| 10 July 1930| 21 March 1931| 254 days| Centre| Svinhufvud II
(14)|

| Jalo Lahdensuo
(1882–1973)| 21 March 1931| 14 December 1932| 1 year, 268 days| Centre| Sunila II
18|

| Arvi Oksala
(1891–1949)| 14 December 1932| 12 March 1937| 4 years, 88 days| Independent| Kivimäki
Kallio IV
(16)|

| Juho Niukkanen
(1888–1954)| 12 March 1937| 27 March 1940| 3 years, 15 days| Centre| Cajander III
Ryti I
(2)|

| Rudolf Walden
(1878–1946)| 27 March 1940| 1 December 1944| 4 years, 249 days| Independent| Ryti II
Rangell
Linkomies
Hackzell
U. Castrén
Paasikivi II
19|

| Väinö Valve
(1895–1995)| 1 December 1944| 17 April 1945| 137 days| Independent| Paasikivi II
20|

| Mauno Pekkala
(1890–1952)| 17 April 1945| 27 March 1946| 344 days| SKDL| Paasikivi III
Pekkala
21|

| Yrjö Kallinen
(1886–1976)| 27 March 1946| 29 July 1948| 2 years, 124 days| SDP| Pekkala
22|

| Emil Skog
(1897–1981)| 29 July 1948| 17 March 1950| 1 year, 231 days| SDP| Fagerholm I
23|

| Kustaa Tiitu
(1896–1990)| 17 March 1950| 17 January 1951| 306 days| Centre| Kekkonen I
(22)|

| Emil Skog
(1897–1981)| 17 January 1951| 9 July 1953| 2 years, 173 days| SDP| Kekkonen II-III
24|

| Kauno Kleemola
(1906–1965)| 9 July 1953| 17 November 1953| 131 days| Centre| Kekkonen IV
25|

| Päiviö Hetemäki
(1913–1980)| 17 November 1953| 5 May 1954| 169 days| National Coalition| Tuomioja
(22)|

| Emil Skog
(1897–1981)| 5 May 1954| 27 May 1957| 3 years, 22 days| SDP| Törngren
Kekkonen V
Fagerholm II
26|

| Atte Pakkanen
(1912–1994)| 27 May 1957| 2 September 1957| 98 days| Centre| Sukselainen I
27|

| Pekka Malinen
(1921–2004)| 2 September 1957| 29 November 1957| 88 days| Liberals| Sukselainen I
28|

| Kalle Lehmus
(1907–1987)| 29 November 1957| 26 April 1958| 148 days| Independent| von Fieandt
29|

| Edvard Björkenheim
(1901–1965)| 26 April 1958| 29 August 1958| 125 days| Independent| Kuuskoski
30|

| Toivo Wiherheimo
(1898–1970)| 29 August 1958| 13 January 1959| 137 days| National Coalition| Fagerholm II
31|

| Leo Häppölä
(1911–1998)| 13 January 1959| 14 July 1961| 2 years, 182 days| Centre| Sukselainen II
(29)|

| Edvard Björkenheim
(1901–1965)| 14 July 1961| 13 April 1962| 273 days| Centre| Miettunen I
32|

| Arvo Pentti
(1915–1986)| 13 April 1962| 18 December 1963| 1 year, 249 days| Centre| Karjalainen I
33|

| Kaarlo Leinonen
(1914–1975)| 18 December 1963| 12 September 1964| 269 days| Independent| Lehto
(32)|

| Arvo Pentti
(1915–1986)| 12 September 1964| 27 May 1966| 1 year, 257 days| Centre| Virolainen
34|

| Sulo Suorttanen
(1921–2005)| 27 May 1966| 14 May 1970| 3 years, 352 days| Centre| Paasio I
Koivisto I
(32)|

| Arvo Pentti
(1915–1986)| 14 May 1970| 15 July 1970| 62 days| Independent| Aura I
35|

| Kristian Gestrin
(1929–1990)| 15 July 1970| 29 October 1971| 1 year, 106 days| RKP| Karjalainen II
(32)|

| Arvo Pentti
(1915–1986)| 29 October 1971| 23 February 1972| 117 days| Independent| Aura II
36|

| Sulo Hostila
(1920–2002)| 23 February 1972| 4 September 1972| 194 days| SDP| Paasio II
(35)|

| Kristian Gestrin
(1929–1990)| 4 September 1972| 30 September 1974| 2 years, 26 days| RKP| Sorsa I
37|

| Carl-Olaf Homén
(born 1936)| 1 October 1974| 13 June 1975| 255 days| RKP| Sorsa I
38|

| Erkki Huurtamo
(1917–1999)| 13 June 1975| 30 November 1975| 170 days| Independent| Liinamaa
39|

| Ingvar S. Melin
(1932–2011)| 30 November 1975| 29 September 1976| 304 days| RKP| Miettunen II
40|

| Seppo Westerlund
(1930–2014)| 29 September 1976| 15 May 1977| 228 days| Liberals| Miettunen II
41|

| Taisto Tähkämaa
(born 1924)| 15 May 1977| 26 May 1979| 2 years, 11 days| Centre| Sorsa II
42|

| Lasse Äikäs
(1932–1988)| 26 May 1979| 19 February 1982| 2 years, 269 days| Centre| Koivisto II
43|

| Juhani Saukkonen
(born 1937)| 19 February 1982| 6 May 1983| 1 year, 76 days| Centre| Sorsa III
44|

| Veikko Pihlajamäki
(1922–2007)| 6 May 1983| 30 April 1987| 3 years, 359 days| Centre| Sorsa IV
45|

| Ole Norrback
(born 1941)| 30 April 1987| 13 June 1990| 3 years, 44 days| RKP| Holkeri
46|

| Elisabeth Rehn
(born 1935)| 13 June 1990| 1 January 1995| 4 years, 202 days| RKP| Holkeri
Aho
47|

| Jan-Erik Enestam
(born 1947)| 2 January 1995| 13 April 1995| 101 days| RKP| Aho
48|

| Anneli Taina
(born 1951)| 13 April 1995| 15 April 1999| 4 years, 2 days| National Coalition| Lipponen I
(47)|

| Jan-Erik Enestam
(born 1947)| 15 April 1999| 17 April 2003| 4 years, 2 days| RKP| Lipponen II
49|

| Matti Vanhanen
(born 1955)| 17 April 2003| 24 June 2003| 68 days| Centre| Jäätteenmäki
50|

| Seppo Kääriäinen
(born 1948)| 24 June 2003| 19 April 2007| 3 years, 299 days| Centre| Vanhanen I
51|

| Jyri Häkämies
(born 1961)| 19 April 2007| 22 June 2011| 4 years, 64 days| National Coalition| Vanhanen II
Kiviniemi
52|

| Stefan Wallin
(born 1967)| 22 June 2011| 5 July 2012| 1 year, 13 days| RKP| Katainen
53|

| Carl Haglund
(born 1979)| 5 July 2012| 29 May 2015| 2 years, 328 days| RKP| Katainen
Stubb
54|

| Jussi Niinistö
(born 1970)| 29 May 2015| 6 June 2019| 4 years, 8 days| Finns| Sipilä
55|

| Antti Kaikkonen
(born 1974)| 6 June 2019| 5 January 2023| 3 years, 213 days| Centre| Rinne
Marin
56|

| Mikko Savola
(born 1981)| 5 January 2023| 28 February 2023| 54 days| Centre| Marin
(55)|

| Antti Kaikkonen
(born 1974)| 28 February 2023| 20 June 2023| 112 days| Centre| Marin
57|

| Antti Häkkänen
(born 1985)| 20 June 2023| Incumbent| 1 year, 271 days| National Coalition| Orpo

## See also

[edit]

* Minister of Defence

## References

[edit]

1. ^ http://www.defmin.fi/ministerio/puolustusministerio/historiaa (Finnish)
2. ^ "Council of State - Ministers of War". Valtioneuvosto.fi. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
3. ^ "Council of State - Ministers of Defence". Valtioneuvosto.fi. Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* The Ministry of Defence of Finland

* v
* t
* e

Finnish Defence Forces

Leadership|

* Commander-in-chief: President of Finland
* Minister of Defence
* Chief of Defence
* List of senior officers

Organization|

| Branches|

* Finnish Air Force (list of aircraft)
* Finnish Army (list of equipment)
* Finnish Navy (list of equipment · list of ships)

|

Command|

* Ministry of Defence
* Defence Command (Divisions: Personnel · Intelligence · Operations · Logistics · Plans and Policy · C5 Systems · Training · Legal)

Specialized|

* FINCENT
* Finnish Defence Intelligence Agency
* National Defence University

Auxiliary|

* Finnish Border Guard
* National Defence Training Association
* Territorial Forces

History|

* Allotment system of Sweden
* Military of the Grand Duchy of Finland
* Finnish Civil War
* World War II (Winter War, Continuation War and Lapland War)
* War in Afghanistan

Other|

* Civil defence
* Conscription
* Demilitarization of Åland
* List of wars involving Finland
* Military ranks
* Marshal of Finland
* Raising the Flag on the Three-Country Cairn

*[No.]: Number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template