Government appoints State Secretaries to Ministers

On Thursday 22 June, the Government appointed Risto Artjoki, Master of Science in Agriculture and Forestry, as State Secretary to Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. At the same session, the Government appointed Mikaela Nylander, Bachelor of Laws and Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration, as State Secretary to Minister of Education Anna-Maja Henriksson and Riikka Slunga-Poutsalo, Design Assistant, as State Secretary to Minister of Finance Riikka Purra. The term of the State Secretaries is linked to that of the Ministers.

State Secretary Slunga-Poutsalo took her oath of office at the session.

Risto Artjoki has last worked at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI). Artjoki has also served as Head of Cabinet of European Commission Vice-President Jyrki Katainen (2018–2019) and as State Secretary to the National Coalition Party's ministerial group (2016–2018). In 2014–2016, Artjoki served as Director General at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. He also served as State Secretary to Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry Jari Koskinen and Petteri Orpo in 2011–2014, and he was a member of Olli Rehn’s cabinet at the European Commission in 2007–2011. 

Mikaela Nylander served as State Secretary to Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson in 2021–2023. Nylander was a Member of Parliament representing the Swedish People’s Party of Finland in 2003–2019, and she chaired the Swedish Parliamentary Group in 2011–2015. In addition, Nylander has previously served as Special Adviser to the party’s ministerial group.

Riikka Slunga-Poutsalo was a Member of Parliament representing the Finns Party in 2019–2023. She has also served as the party secretary of the Finns Party (2013–2019) and worked as an IT specialist and entrepreneur.

A State Secretary has been appointed to the Prime Minister’s Office since 1990. The term is linked to that of the Prime Minister. The State Secretary serves as the Prime Minister’s closest aide, directs preparation of matters within the Government, promotes and monitors the implementation of the Government Programme, and coordinates the cooperation among the government ministries. The State Secretary to the Prime Minister heads the Prime Minister’s Office, assisted by the Permanent State Under-Secretary. The State Secretary also chairs the meetings of the Permanent Secretaries of the government ministries.

State Secretaries to other ministers assist the ministers in matters relating to political steering and preparatory work. They also assist and represent the ministers in the drafting of policy outlines and in interministerial coordination, harmonising of policy positions, implementation of the Government Programme in the minister's administrative branch, and handling of EU and international affairs. 

Inquiries: Timo Lankinen, Permanent State Under-Secretary, tel. +358 295 160 300, and Päivi Paasikoski, Director of Government Communications, tel. +358 29 516 0136, Prime Minister’s Office