The Case of Finland: In Search of a Unified Government

Policy coordination is a central concern in the development of governmental work and governance policy in Finland. The highly proportional electoral system, which results in multi-party coalition governments in parliament, combined with strong ministerial siloes and relatively independent ministers, do not provide solid ground for inter-governmental coordination. However, mechanisms including the government coalition agreement, various statutory and non-statutory cross-ministerial meetings between ministers or civil servants, along with the (limited) supervisory roles of the PM and other leaders of the parties in government, does provide a framework for coordination. Nevertheless, the coordination processes are largely hidden. Additionally, the constitutional joint prosecution of foreign and security policy by the government and the President of the Republic requires specific forms of coordination. Coordination-in-practice likely depends on the government and people in power, and the political salience of the matter at hand. However, the current system suits the Finnish form of multi-party governance.