Ministries
The Government consists of 12 ministries. Each ministry is responsible for the preparation of government matters that fall within its sphere of authority and for ensuring the functioning of administration and government within that sphere.
The ministries are:
- Prime Minister’s Office
- The Ministry for Foreign AffairsLinkki toiselle sivustolle
- Ministry of JusticeLinkki toiselle sivustolle
- Ministry of the InteriorLinkki toiselle sivustolle
- Ministry of DefenceLinkki toiselle sivustolle
- Ministry of FinanceLinkki toiselle sivustolle
- Ministry of Education and CultureLinkki toiselle sivustolle
- Ministry of Agriculture and ForestryLinkki toiselle sivustolle
- Ministry of Transport and CommunicationsLinkki toiselle sivustolle
- Ministry of Economic Affairs and EmploymentLinkki toiselle sivustolle
- Ministry of Social Affairs and HealthLinkki toiselle sivustolle
- Ministry of the EnvironmentLinkki toiselle sivustolle
Ministries’ mandates are laid down in the Government Rules of Procedure and their duties are laid down in decrees issued on the ministries. The mandate of the ministry is generally indicated by its name.
Ministers serve as heads of their respective ministries or conduct other ministerial duties assigned to them. Ministers also have governmental duties, which involve participating in the work of ministerial committees and taking part in plenary sessions and presidential sessions of the Government.
The most senior public official at each ministry is its permanent secretary, who directs and supervises the ministry’s activities. At the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, state secretaries serve as the permanent secretaries. A state secretary may be appointed to assist a minister for the duration of the minister’s term of office.
Ministers also have special advisers in political affairs and for specific ministerial groups. The term of a special adviser is linked to that of the minister.