Radio | News week in plain Finnish | Saturday 10 February 2024

Duties of the President

This time, the topic of the news week is the duties of the president.

There are presidential elections in Finland this weekend, and Finland will soon have a new president. The presidential elections have interested Finns a lot because the president has many important duties. The president also represents Finland abroad. This time, Uutisviikko tells about the duties of the president.

Foreign policy

President Sauli Niinistö has met US President Joe Biden many times. Image: Yle

The most important task of the president is to lead Finland’s foreign policy. He decides what kind of relations Finland has with other countries. The president manages foreign policy together with the government.

The president also represents Finland at the NATO summits. Leading Finland’s NATO policy is a new task for the president. Finland joined NATO last year.

The president is also the commander-in-chief of the Finnish army. The task is related to managing foreign policy. The president even decides on war and peace together with the parliament.

Representative duties

The occasion is precious when the president is present. Photo: Jari Kovalainen / Yle

According to many Finns, the president’s representative duties are very important. Finns want to be proud of the president when the president visits abroad.

The President also has representative duties in Finland. Finns feel the occasion is important and valuable if the president is present.

On Independence Day, the president organizes the most important party in Finland, the Linna party. Now Finns are interested in who will organize the Linna party next time.

Value leader

The president can highlight important issues, for example, in his New Year’s speech, which he always delivers on January 1. Photo: Antti Haanpää / Yle

In domestic politics, the president does not have much power. Parliament and the government decide, for example, on state money.

It is said that in domestic politics the president is a value leader. The president brings up issues that, in the president’s opinion, are important for the whole of Finland.

In addition, the president has special duties that long ago belonged to the king of Sweden-Finland. For example, the president can pardon criminals, that is, a criminal can be released from prison by the president’s decision.

Repeat

This time, the topic of the News Week has been the duties of the president in Finland.

The most important task of the president is to lead Finland’s foreign policy.

The president is also the commander-in-chief of the army.

In addition, the president represents Finland abroad.

This was Uutisviikko in plain Finnish, see you again. Goodbye!