Germany President due today on a 3-day visit

President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier and First Landy Elke Büdenbender will make an official visit to Finland from Monday to Wednesday.

The visit will be hosted by President Sauli Niinistö together with First Lady Jenni Haukio.

Niinistö and Haukio will receive the guests at an official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace on 17 September. The welcoming ceremony will remain open for the people from the Market Square at around 10.30 am.

After the welcoming ceremony, Niinistö and Steinmeier will hold their official discussions. Topics will include bilateral relations between Finland and Germany, security in Europe and other topical international issues such as relations with Russia and the United States and the future of democracy.

After the discussions, the programme will continue with a lunch hosted by the City of Helsinki. On the same day Steinmeier will also meet the Speaker of the Parliament Paula Risikko and visit the icebreaker Polaris.

The day will conclude with a gala dinner hosted by Niinistö and Haukio at the Presidential Palace.

On 18 September, the Germany President will meet Prime Minister Juha Sipilä at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence, Kesäranta. He will also lay a wreath at the Hietaniemi cemetery and visit Me & MyCity in Espoo and the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress.

In the evening, Steinmeier and Büdenbender will host a reception at the German Embassy in Finland.

On 19 September, Steinmeier and Büdenbender will travel to Oulu, where they will visit for example University of Oulu.

Flags will be hoisted in Helsinki and Oulu during the visit from 8:00 am to sunset.

Niinistö and Steinmeier last met on 11 May 2017 when the Finnish President visited Germany. A previous presidential visit from Germany to Finland took place in 2013, when President Niinistö hosted an official visit by President Joachim Gauck.