How the new Finnish Government is appointed

In the Government formation negotiations the political parties agree on the Government Program, number of ministers, and division of their portfolios and responsibilities. The formation of the new Government starts when the negotiations have been completed. This is how it proceeds.

1. The parliamentary groups of political parties that participated in the negotiations meet at a joint seminar to discuss the outcome of the talks. Before proceeding to the appointment of the new Prime Minister and Government, the parties participating in the negotiations must approve the outcome in accordance with their own rules.
2. When the negotiations have come to a full conclusion, the President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö consults with the Speaker of Parliament and leader of the government formation talks Antti Rinne and informs the Parliament of the nominee for Prime Minister. The nominee is elected Prime Minister if more than half of the MPs vote for him or her –i.e. in practice if the number of "yes" votes is greater than the number of "no" votes.
3. The President formally appoints the Prime Minister and other government ministers at a presidential session. The ministers are appointed as proposed by the Prime Minister elected by Parliament. This is also when the previous Government officially resigns.
4. The newly appointed Government then convenes into a constitutive session. At the beginning of the session, the ministers take an oath of office, or make an affirmation of office and take a judicial oath, if they have not yet done so. The constitutive session decides on the division of responsibilities among the ministers working in the same ministry, the composition of the statutory ministerial committees, and who will deputise for the Prime Minister and other ministers.
5. After this, the Government program is given as a statement to the Parliament, and the Parliament holds a vote of confidence in the Government. In Finland the powers of the State are vested in the people, who are represented by the Parliament. The Government must enjoy Parliament’s confidence in implementing the Government Program.