Suomalaisten ministerien sosiaalinen tausta ja rekrytoituminen vuosina 1983-2001

Authors

• Minna Puoskari

Abstract

The demands on government ministers have risen in recent years. Have these demands had an effect on the social background of ministers and on their pathways to the cabinet? The most important development concerning social background is that the educational level of ministers has risen. Recruitment patterns have somewhat changed since more and more ministers are appointed based on their political experience. In addition, there have not been any caretaker cabinets and so-called professional ministers have, in general, become more rare. These facts, along with the fi nding that technical skills have become less common suggest that the profession of government minister is, more than before, dominated by professional politicians although there is still a considerable share of amateurs.