State funerals

State funerals are currently organised, or paid for from state funds, for deceased presidents only. In exceptional cases, the Government may decide to organise or finance a state funeral for a very long-term Prime Minister, Speaker of Parliament or a person of special national prominence, such as the winner of a Nobel Prize.  The Prime Minister's Office presents proposals for the arrangement of state funerals to the Government.

The current procedure has been valid since the end of 1989. Since 1990, state funerals have been held for the following persons:

1990 former Prime Minister, Dr.Pol.Sc. Ahti Karjalainen
1992 author, academic Väinö Linna
1995 Jaeger General Väinö Valve
2000 former Prime Minister and Minister, former Speaker of Parliament Johannes Virolainen
2004 former Prime Minister, former Speaker of Parliament Kalevi Sorsa
2004 General of the Infantry Adolf Ehrnrooth
2011 valtioneuvos, former Prime Minister Harri Holkeri