Stockholm, May 20 (ChinaEuropeNet) On Thursday 20 May, the Government appointed Jukka Ihanus, Master of Laws, as State Secretary to Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jari Leppä and Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä as of 25 May 2021. The State Secretaries’ terms end with those of the Ministers.

State Secretary Ihanus took his oath of office at the same Government plenary session.

Prior to his appointment as State Secretary, Jukka Ihanus served as Special Adviser to the ministerial group of the Centre Party as of June 2019. In addition, he has served as Special Adviser to Prime Ministers Matti Vanhanen and Mari Kiviniemi and to Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä. He also has experience working as Senior Officer for Legislative Affairs in the Centre Party Parliamentary Group. Moreover, he has held various positions in the Finnish Confederation of Professionals STTK

State Secretaries assist ministers in matters relating to political steering and preparatory work. They also assist and represent the ministers in the drafting of policy outlines and in interministerial coordination, harmonising of policy positions, implementation of the Government Programme in the minister’s administrative branch, and handling of EU and international affairs.

Tuomas Vanhanen, who currently serves as Special Adviser to Minister of Finance Matti Vanhanen in economic affairs, will replace Ihanus as Special Political Adviser to the ministerial group of the Centre Party. Earlier, Vanhanen has assisted Minister of Local Government and Public Reforms Anu Vehviläinen, among others, and served as economic affairs specialist for the Centre Party Parliamentary Group.