Virolainen made Minister for Foreign Trade

The Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party) decided on Tuesday to appoint its MP Anne-Mari Virolainen as the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, replacing Kai Mykkänen.

Meanwhile, Mykkänen will become the Minister for the Interior, a portfolio left by Paula Risikko who became the Speaker of Parliament on Monday.

Virolainen, born in 1965, has been a Member of Parliament since 2007 representing the Turku region. In the current parliament, she has been the chairman of the Grand Committee.

She is a graduate from the Turku Business School. She told media on Tuesday that despite recent cut backs in governmental spending, Finland aims at attaining the development cooperation spending at the level of 0.7 percent of the GDP.

Mykkänen, born in 1979, was elected to the parliament in 2015. He became Minister for Foreign Trade and Development in June 2016. Local observers defined Mykkänen as one of the rising politicians among the conservatives.

The chairman of National Coalition Party Petteri Orpo said Mykkänen's experience in development cooperation is very useful in his new role as the Minister of the Interior. The Ministry handles immigration issues and internal security.

In the Finnish coalition system, the ruling parties nominate their ministers. Changes in the cabinet are not initiated by the prime minister.