Saarikko new Finance, Kurvinen Science and Culture Ministers

Science and Culture Minister Annika Saarikko, also Chair of the Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party of Finland) on Thursday took over as the Minister of Finance while the parliamentary group chair of Keskusta, Antti Kurvinen took over as the Science and Culture minister, said an official press release.

President Sauli Niinistö transferred the appointment of Saarikko and administrated the oath of Kurvinen as the new minister.

Earlier, the President released Matti Vanhanen from the post of Minister of Finance and his membership in the cabinet.

Keskusta, the second largest component of the five-party alliance government decided to bring changes to the cabinet as the outgoing Finance Minister, Matti Vanhanen decided to resign.

Vanhanen, also a former Prime Minister of the country will now return to the parliament as a rank-and-file MP.

Vanhanen took over the charge as Finance Minister of the country in June, 2020.

The party unanimously nominated Vanhanen to replace Katri Kulmuni after Kulmuni resigned from the post of finance minister cum deputy prime minister following a controversy raised over a service procurement of about EUR 50,000 from a communications consultancy firm.

Saarikko will continue as minister deputising for the Prime Minister. She will be a member of the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy, the Ministerial Committee on European Union Affairs, the Ministerial Committee on Economic Policy and the Ministerial Finance Committee.

In addition, she will serve as the chair of the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland and member of the Ministerial Working Group on Promoting Employment and the Ministerial Working Group on Health and Social Services. Kurvinen will chair the Ministerial Working Group on Child and Youth Policy and be member of the Ministerial Working Group on Competence, Education, Culture and Innovation, the Ministerial Working Group on Internal Security and Strengthening the Rule of Law, and the Ministerial Monitoring group on the Social Security Reform.