Finland’s new proposed coalition government names ministers

HELSINKI – Finland’s proposed new centre-left coalition government has named candidates for Cabinet posts including the first-ever foreign minister from the Greens environmentalist party.

Five parties led by Prime Minister-designate Antti Rinne from the Social Democratic Party that won the Nordic country’s April 14 general election by a narrow margin, clinched a coalition deal earlier this week and disclosed the last picks for ministerial posts Wednesday.

The 19-member Cabinet will include former U.N. special envoy Pekka Haavisto, chairman of the Greens, as foreign minister, Mika Lintila from the Center Party as finance minister, and his party colleague Antti Kaikkonen as defence minister.

Junior coalition members the Left Alliance and the Swedish People’s Party of Finland received two Cabinet posts each.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto will appoint the new government Thursday.