Marin govt resigns, to act as caretaker until formation of new govt

Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Thursday submitted the resignation request of her government to President Sauli Niinistö, said the government and the President Office in separate press releases.

The President accepted the resignation and asked the government to continue on a caretaker basis until a new government is formed.

In line with the principle of parliamentarism, the government must enjoy the confidence of Parliament.

After the parliamentary elections, the position of the government corresponds in practice to that of a caretaker government even before its resignation, because the government was formed with the support of the previous Parliament and it was the previous Parliament that elected the Prime Minister.

A caretaker government only attends to routine duties and addresses urgent issues that cannot be left for the new government.

A caretaker government no longer implements the government Programme and should refrain from making new or extensive political motions that would affect the ability of the new government to perform its tasks.

The Chancellor of Justice monitors the caretaker government’s decision-making to ensure that it remains within its legal limits.

Meanwhile, negotiation talks to form a new government will start next week following the parliamentary elections held on April 2.

The centre-right Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) narrowly led in the parliamentary polls bagging 48 seats.

Radical right Perussuomalaiset (Finns Party) secured second place with 46 seats followed by the Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP) led by Sanna Marin with 43 seats.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin led five-party alliance government took over the charge on December 10, 2019 following the resignation of the then Prime Minister, Antti Rinne on December 3, 2019 in the wake of a two-week postal strike.