Informal government meetings

Evening sessions

A number of significant decisions taken by the Government are discussed at a government evening session before being put to the government in plenary session. Government evening sessions are informal meetings held between ministers convened by the Prime Minister.

They are held as a rule on Wednesdays. In the 1930s, Prime Minister Cajander adopted the practice of inviting the Government to Kesäranta on Wednesday evenings to discuss and prepare matters to be handled in the government plenary session on the following day.

No formal decisions are taken. In addition to the ministers, evening sessions are attended by the parliamentary group chairpersons of the parties in Government, the Chancellor of Justice, the State Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Director of Government Communications.

The Head of the Government Session Unit, or another person designated by the Prime Minister, serves as secretary to the evening sessions. The resulting notes and minutes are not public documents.

Informal government meetings

Informal government meetings are held between ministers convened by the Prime Minister.

No formal decisions are taken. In addition to ministers, informal government meetings are also attended by the chairpersons of the parliamentary groups of the parties in Government, the Chancellor of Justice, the State Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office and the Director of Government Communications.

Items for discussion are presented by the minister within whose mandate the matter in question falls. The Head of the Government Session Unit, or another person designated by the Prime Minister, serves as secretary to the informal government meetings. The resulting notes and minutes are not public documents.