Abstract
This chapter provides an overview of the structure of public administration in Finland, with a focus on the state administration and a brief description of other administrative levels. The Finnish politico-administrative system has had traditionally a two-tier government structure with a strong central government and autonomous municipal level. However, recent reform has established 18 wellbeing services counties, transforming the structure into a three-tier system. The chapter discusses the essential agencies, such as ministries, and the role of state agencies, as well as self-governing local and regional administration.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Anttiroiko, A. V., & Valkama, P. (2017). The role of localism in the development of regional structures in post-war Finland. Public Policy and Administration, 32(2), 152–172.
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. (2021). Health and social services reform. https://soteuudistus.fi/en/health-and-social-services-reform
Government Act 175/2003. Laki valtioneuvostosta. https://finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/2003/20030175
Kettunen, P., Sandberg, S., & Fredriksson, C. (2016). Eurooppalaiset hallintojärjestelmät vertailussa [Comparison of European administrative systems]. Helsinki. Prime Minister’s Office, 37, 2016.
Koskinen, U., & Einonen, P. (2014). Hallinnon sankarilliset yksilöt ja kasvoton koneisto [The individual heroes and faceless machinery of public administration]. In P. Karonen & A. Räihä (Eds.), Kansallisten instituutioiden muotoutuminen: Suomalainen historiakuva Oma Maa -kirjasarjassa 1900–1960 (pp. 115–145). Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. Historiallisia tutkimuksia, 267.
Kuntaliitto. (2023a). Numbers of cities and municipalities and population data. https://www.kuntaliitto.fi/kuntaliitto/tietotuotteet-ja-palvelut/kaupunkien-ja-kuntien-lukumaarat-ja-vaestotiedot
Kuntaliitto. (2023b). Municipalities and Regions. https://www.localfinland.fi/finnish-municipalities-and-regions
Ministry of Finance. (2016). Keskushallinnon uudistushankkeen esiselvitys [The preliminary report on the central administration reform project] (Ministry of Finance Publication No. 37:2016).
Ministry of Finance. (2022). Valtion aluehallinnon virastorakenteen ja tehtävienjaon selvityshankkeen loppuraportti [Final report of the project studying the agency structure and division of duties in regional state administration] (Ministry of Finance Publication No. 2022:36).
Ministry of Finance. (2023). The roles and responsibilities of munchipaliteis. https://vm.fi/kuntien-tehtavat-ja-toiminta
National Audit Office of Finland. (2022). Good governance. https://www.vtv.fi/en/good-governance-articles/the-general-government-fiscal-plan-provides-a-basis-for-long-term-decisions-general-government-finances/
Nyholm, I., Stenvall, J., Airaksinen, J., Pekkola, E., Haveri, A., af Ursin, K., & Tiihonen, S. (2016). Julkinen hallinto Suomessa. [Public administration in Finland)] Art House.
Parkkinen, J., Koivisto, J., & Kolehmainen J. (2019). Katse kohti tulevaa - Alue- ja paikallishallinnon muotoutumisen tulevaisuusskenaariot. KAITSE- ja KAITSE-EP-hankepari, Väliraportti. [Avenues for the future – future scenarious for construction of regional and local administration. KAITSE- and KAITSE-EP-project pair, mid-term report]. Tampereen yliopisto.
Pollitt, C., & Summa, H. (1997). Trajectories of reform: Public management change in four countries. Public Money and Management, 17(1), 7–18.
Salminen, V., Halme, K., Järvelin, A-M., Kettinen, J., Uusikylä, P., Lintinen, U., Stenvall, J., Vakkuri, J., & Johanson, J.E. (2021). Valtionhallinnon tulosohjausmallin arviointi [Assessment of the performance management model]. Prime Minister’s Office.
Saltman, R. B., & Teperi, J. (2016). Health reform in Finland: Current proposals and unresolved challenges. Health Economics, Policy and Law, 11(3), 303–319.
Savolainen, R. (2011). Valtioneuvoston kanslia 200 vuotta: Kansliatoimituskunnasta pääministeriöksi. [Prime Minister’s office 200 years] Prime Minister’s Office.
Sjöblom, S. (2011). Finland: The limits of the unitary decentralized model. In J. Loughlin, F. Hendriks, & A. Lidström (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of local and regional democracy in Europe (pp. 241–260). Oxford University Press.
Sjöblom, S. (2020). Finnish regional governance structures in flux: Reform processes between European and domestic influences. Regional and Federal Studies, 30(2), 155–174.
Stenvall, J., Leskelä, R. L., Rannisto, P. H., Tolkki, H., Cansel, A., Leponiemi, U., Johanson, JE, Pekkola, E. & Tupala, T. (2022). Koronajohtaminen Suomessa: Arvio covid-19-pandemian johtamisesta ja hallinnosta syksystä 2020 syksyyn 2021. [Management of the Covid-19 pandemic in Finland. Evaluation of the management of the Covid-19 pandemic from autumn 2020 to autumn 2021]. Prime Minister’s Office.
Temmes, M. (1987). Hallintokoneiston autonomisuus. [Autonomy of Administration] Acta Universitatis Tamperensis Ser A vol 218. University of Tampere.
Tiihonen, S. (2012) The Ministry of Finance: Two hundred years of state-building, Nation-Building and Crisis Management in Finland. Helsinki. Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura.
Tiihonen, S. (2021). Pääministerin nousu kriisijohtajaksi. [Prime Minister as a New Crises-Leader]. Politiikka, 63(1), 82–93.
Tilastokeskus. (2021). Munichipal association. https://www.stat.fi/meta/kas/kuntayhtyma.html
Virtanen, P., Uusikylä, P., Jalava, J., Tiihonen, S., Laitinen, L., & Noro, K. (2016). Valtioneuvoston yhtenäisyys – kansainvälinen vertaileva tutkimus. [The Unity of Government – An International Comparative Study] Prime Minister’s Office.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pekkola, E., Johanson, JE., Kujala, EN., Mykkänen, M. (2023). The Structures of the Finnish Public Administration. In: Pekkola, E., Johanson, JE., Mykkänen, M. (eds) Finnish Public Administration. Governance and Public Management. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34862-4_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34862-4_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-34861-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-34862-4
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)