On Wednesday 22 June, the President of the Republic appointed Finland’s 72nd Government. At the same time, the President of the Republic released the ministers of Mari Kiviniemi’s Government from their duties.

The Government headed by Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen consists of 19 ministers. The National Coalition Party and the Social Democratic Party have six ministerial posts each. The Left Alliance, the Swedish People's Party and the Green League each have two ministers. The Christian Democrats have one minister.

In its first plenary session on Wednesday 22 June, the Government made decisions on the division of responsibilities among the ministers, the members of the statutory Cabinet Committees and the deputies for the ministers. Minister of Finance Jutta Urpilainen was appointed as the minister deputising for the Prime Minister. At the start of the session, seven ministers took an oath of office and a judicial oath and three ministers made equivalent affirmations.

The Katainen Government:

Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen (National Coalition Party)

Minister deputising for the Prime Minister, Minister of Finance Jutta Urpilainen (Social Democratic Party)

Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja (Social Democratic Party)

Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Alexander Stubb (National Coalition Party)

Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala (Green League)

Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson (Swedish People’s Party)

Minister of the Interior Päivi Räsänen (Christian Democrats)

Minister of Defence Stefan Wallin (Swedish People’s Party)

Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Henna Virkkunen (National Coalition Party)

Minister of Education and Science Jukka Gustafsson (Social Democratic Party)

Minister of Culture and Sport Paavo Arhinmäki (Left Alliance)

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jari Koskinen (National Coalition Party)

Minister of Transport Merja Kyllönen (Left Alliance)

Minister of Economic Affairs Jyri Häkämies (National Coalition Party)

Minister of Labour Lauri Ihalainen (Social Democratic Party)

Minister of Social Affairs and Health Paula Risikko (National Coalition Party)

Minister of Health and Social Services Maria Guzenina-Richardson (Social Democratic Party)

Minister of the Environment Ville Niinistö (Green League)

Minister of Housing and Communications Krista Kiuru (Social Democratic Party)

Minister of Defence Stefan Wallin

Minister of Defence, 22 June 2011 to present Party Leader, Master of Social Sciences, Member of Parliament Swedish People's Party

Date and place of birth: 1 June 1967 Vaasa

Place of residence: Turku

Minister of the Environment (Vanhanen), 1 January 2007 - 18 April 2007 and Minister at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Vanhanen) 1 January 2007 - 18 April 2007

Minister of Culture and Sport (Vanhanen II), 19 April 2007 - 21 June 2010 and Minister at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (Vanhanen II), 19.04.07 - 21 June 2010

Minister of Culture and Sport (Kiviniemi), 22 June 2010 - 22 June 2011 and Minister at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (Kiviniemi), 22 June 2010 - 22 June 2011

Swedish People’s Party, Party Leader, 2006 to present

Member of Parliament, 2007 to present

Summer reporter for the Vasabladet newspaper, 1989 - 1993

Åbo Akademi University, editor of EU project materials, 1992

Summer reporter for the Åbo Underrättelser newspaper, 1993 - 1994

Acting research assistant at the central office of the Swedish People’s Party, 1993

Special Adviser to the Minister of Transport, 1994 - 1995

Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Trade 1995 - 1998

Special Adviser to the Minister of the Interior, 1998 - 1999

Special Adviser to the Minister of Defence, 1999 - 2000

Deputy Editor-in-Chief and writer of leading articles for the Åbo Underrättelser newspaper, 2000 - 2005

State Secretary for the Minister of the Environment, 2005 - 2007

Turku City Council, Member 2009 to present

Regional Coucil of Southwest Finland, Assembly Member 2009 to present

SF-klubben at Åbo Akademi University, Vice Chair 1990

Student Union of Åbo Akademi University, Chair of the Board 1991, Chair of the Council 1992

Svensk Ungdom youth organisation of the Swedish People’s Party, Member 1991-1993

Friends of the Nyland Brigade at Åbo Akademi University, Chair 1993 - 1994

Åbo Akademi University Foundation, Delegation Member 1999 to present

Finnish Delegation to the UN, Member 2001

Swedish School of Social Science, Delegation Member 2002 to present

Student Union of Åbo Akademi University, Curator 2004 to present

Nylands Brigads Gille, Delegation Member 2007 to present

Spouse: Professor Elina Pirjatanniemi Two children

Interests: time with the family, challenging cooking, reading, gym, English premier league football, spending time at summer cottage

Language skills: Swedish, Finnish, English, German

Military rank: Captain

Government Communications Unit