President Sauli Niinistö has told Helsingin Sanomat that the Finnish government should consider making a political decision on organising returns for Finns held in al-Hol, Syria. (Markku Ulander – Lehtikuva)

PRESIDENT Sauli Niinistö has urged the Finnish government to make a clear political decision regarding its position on the repatriations of Finnish women and children from al-Hol, a detention camp for the relatives of so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) on Tuesday stated that the matter is being examined by government officials under a mandate granted by the act on consular services.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) spoke to the media for the first time in her new capacity in the Government Palace in Helsinki on Tuesday, 10 December 2019. (Vesa Moilanen – Lehtikuva)

SANNA MARIN (SDP) faced a number of difficult questions during her first appearance as Prime Minister of Finland on YLE’s A-studio on Tuesday.

Marin was asked, for example, whether the government will assume an active role in organising returns for the Finnish nationals at al-Hol, a detention camp for relatives of the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

Petteri Orpo, the chairperson of the National Coalition, in the Finnish Parliament in Helsinki on Tuesday, 3 December 2019. (Jussi Nukari – Lehtikuva)

THE CHAIRPERSON of the National Coalition, Petteri Orpo, has expressed his pride in the composition of the newly appointed government and what it tells about Finland.

“It’s a historic day,” he stated on Twitter on Tuesday. “The world gets its youngest serving prime minister and Finland a government made up of parties that all have women as their chairpersons. It’s wonderful that this is possible specifically in Finland.”

Minister of Education Li Andersson (left), Minister of the Interior Maria Ohisalo (second from left) and Minister of Finance Katri Kulmuni (right) met the press for the first time as members of Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s (second from right) government in Helsinki on Tuesday, 10 December 2019. (Jussi Nukari – Lehtikuva)

THERE IS NO disagreement between the five ruling parties concerning labour market policy, insists Sanna Marin (SDP), the newly appointed Prime Minister of Finland.

Questions about the labour market policy approach of the government arose following recent comments by Minister of Finance Katri Kulmuni (Centre). Kulmuni on Sunday criticised the previous government for its general handling of labour market issues.

Katri Kulmuni, the chairperson of the Centre Party, told about the outcomes of a joint meeting of the party’s groups in the Finnish and European Parliament in Helsinki on Monday, 9 December 2019. (Roni Rekomaa – Lehtikuva)

KATRI KULMUNI and Mika Lintilä of the Centre are set to swap their ministerial portfolios, with the former taking over the portfolio of minister of finance and the latter that of minister of economic affairs, reports Helsingin Sanomat.

The Centre on Monday announced its ministerial candidates for the government to be formed by the Social Democrats, Centre, Green League, Left Alliance and Swedish People’s Party.

Minister of the Interior Maria Ohisalo (Greens) has re-affirmed her confidence in her fellow party and cabinet member, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto (Greens). (Vesa Moilanen – Lehtikuva)

MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR Maria Ohisalo (Greens) has re-affirmed her confidence in Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto (Greens).

Ohisalo on Sunday reminded that the Ministry for Foreign Affairs has received negative publicity in recent years due to a number of internal disputes, inappropriate behaviour and harassment allegations.

The Social Democrats’ Sanna Marin, 34, is set to become the youngest serving prime minister in the world and the youngest ever in the history of Finland. (Vesa Moilanen – Lehtikuva)

THE PARTY COUNCIL of the Social Democrats has selected Sanna Marin, the Minister of Transport and Communications, as the candidate to take over as the Prime Minister of Finland.

The 34-year-old Marin on Sunday received 32 of the 61 votes cast by members of the party council to win the candidacy over her rival candidate, Antti Lindtman, the chairperson of the Social Democratic Parliamentary Group.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto (Greens) provided his account of the events to the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, 3 December 2019. (Seppo Samuli – Lehtikuva)

PASI TUOMINEN, the director of consular services at the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, has criticised the leadership style of Pekka Haavisto (Greens), the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Tuominen on Thursday stated to Helsingin Sanomat that Haavisto has created a climate of fear at the ministry with his actions, warning that if the climate is allowed to take root in the work culture it would pose a serious risk to the rule of law.

Opposition leaders Petteri Orpo (left) and Jussi Halla-aho (right) have taken advantage of their time in the opposition, indicates an opinion poll by YLE. (Roni Rekomaa – Lehtikuva)

POPULAR SUPPORT for the Finns Party has risen to an all-time high of 24.3 per cent, indicates the latest opinion poll commissioned by YLE.

The populist right-wing party consolidated its standing in the political arena with a notable up-tick of 1.3 percentage points in support from the previous poll – and it was not the only opposition party to do so.

Mika Lintilä, the Minister of Finance, has rejected the claim that the operation to oust Prime Minister Antti Rinne (SDP) was led by Juha Sipilä (Centre). (Markku Ulander – Lehtikuva)

MIKA LINTILÄ (Centre), the Minister of Finance, has denied the claim that the initiative to oust Prime Minister Antti Rinne (SDP) came from Juha Sipilä (Centre).

Iltalehti on Tuesday revealed that it has obtained messages posted in a private Whatsapp group used by the Centre Party, interpreting them as evidence that the initiative to force out the premier came from a group of religious and entrepreneurially minded lawmakers from Southern Ostrobothnia.