The Government formation talks led by the leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Antti Rinne, have concluded and the agreement on the new program has been published. Among all the objectives that the Government of Antti Rinne has set, it stands out the aim to create 60,000 new jobs in the next legislature.
At an event held on Monday in Helsinki's Central Library (Oodi), Antti Rinne and the other party leaders who participated in the negotiations, Juha Sipilä, Pekka Haavisto, Li Andersson and Anna-Marja Henriksson, discussed the content and objectives of the program with members of the public and media representatives.
According to the information published by the Government's communication department, the new government will include 19 ministers: 7 from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), 5 from the Centre Party (Keskusta), 3 from the Green League (Vihreät), 2 from the Left Alliance (Vasemmistoliitto) and 2 from the Swedish People’s Party (RKP).
The ministers from the Social Democratic Party are the Prime Minister (Prime Minister’s Office), Minister for European Affairs (Prime Minister’s Office), Minister of Local Government and Ownership Steering (Ministry of Finance), Minister for Foreign Trade and Development (Ministry for Foreign Affairs), Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health), Minister of Transport (Ministry of Transport and Communications) and Minister of Employment (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment).
The ministers from the Centre Party are the Minister of Finance (Ministry of Finance), Minister of Science and Culture (Ministry of Education and Culture), Minister of Economic Affairs (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment), Minister of Defence (Ministry of Defence) and Minister of Agriculture and Forestry (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry).
The ministers from the Green League are the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ministry for Foreign Affairs), Minister of the Environment and Climate Change (Ministry of the Environment) and Minister of the Interior (Ministry of the Interior).
The ministers from the Left Alliance are the Minister of Education (Ministry of Education and Culture) and Minister of Social Affairs and Health (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health).
The ministers from the Swedish People’s Party are the Minister of Justice (Ministry of Justice) and Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality (Ministry of Justice).
The governmental agenda
According to a press release published by the Government's communications department, some of its main concerns are climate change, globalization, urbanization, the ageing of the population and technological development that may be transforming Finland and the world faster than ever before.
The Government thinks that this transformation offers great opportunities for the development of the country, but it also creates insecurity and concerns about what lies ahead. "To face this transformation, we need policy measures that offer people a sense of security and hope for a better future", says the release.
The objective of the first Government of the new decade is a socially, economically and ecologically sustainable Finland by 2030. The Nordic welfare state and its key pillars, income security, well-functioning health and social services and solid education as well as high expertise create a robust and just platform for the work on reforms.
The aim: create 60,000 jobs
The Government of Antti Rinne aims to create 60,000 new jobs, which according with its statement will be achieved by measures that boost the demand and supply of work. Besides a higher employment rate, sustainable growth also builds on more robust work productivity, says the release.
The new Government rates education and research very highly. Education and culture are an important part of our value system and are considered to be a means of guaranteeing individual freedom, it says.
According to its assessment, "in the 2020s well being will continue to draw on knowledge and skills and on work and entrepreneurship. We must bring Finland’s level of education and competence back up to the top of the world league. We aim to boast the best working life in the world; to be a nation with happy and competent professionals where every person’s knowledge and skills are put to good use".
Not be afraid of ageing
"Not a single senior citizen should be afraid of getting old; not a single young person should be at risk of exclusion. We will build a Finland that is child-friendly, a country where families and their opportunities to make choices are supported and where parents contribute equally to caring for their children", says the new Government.
The Government is also drawing a roadmap for an emissions-free Finland. The Nordic welfare model, combined with responsible and decreasing use of natural resources, is a model that -according to its promises- will guarantee the future competitiveness of the country.
