Lasse Lehtonen, Director of Diagnostics at the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS). Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva
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Lasse Lehtonen has been appointed director general of Finland’s Social Insurance Institution, Kela, in a move that surprised political observers and sidestepped earlier frontrunners for the role.
Lehtonen, a physician and legal scholar, currently serves as director of diagnostics at the Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District (HUS). He was confirmed to the post by Kela’s supervisory board on Tuesday with a 7–5 vote.
The decision overrode a previous proposal by Kela’s board, which had backed Heli Backman, CEO of the Farmers’ Social Insurance Institution. Work Minister Arto Satonen, another high-profile candidate from the National Coalition Party, was also among those previously considered.
Lehtonen’s selection was backed by the National Coalition Party and the Finns Party, who together control seven of the twelve seats on Kela’s supervisory board.
Kela’s supervisory chair Mira Nieminen of the Finns Party said Lehtonen stood out with his extensive leadership background and process management experience.
“Kela gains a determined and goal-oriented leader with a clear vision for improving national wellbeing,” she said in a statement.
Lehtonen holds doctoral degrees in both medicine and law and is a professor of health law at the University of Helsinki. He is also a specialist in clinical pharmacology.
He rose to public prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic, commenting frequently in national media on health policy. In 2023, he ran as a National Coalition Party candidate in parliamentary elections, receiving 2,625 votes but failing to secure a seat.
His appointment marks the first time the director general role has been awarded on a fixed-term basis. Lehtonen will serve for seven years, replacing Outi Antila, who retires at the end of May. The position is one of the most influential public roles in Finland, with responsibility for managing Kela’s annual budget of €16.6 billion and a monthly salary of €20,000.
Lehtonen’s emergence as the final candidate was unexpected. Initial voting had been postponed in April amid speculation of political manoeuvring to delay the decision until after regional elections.
While the Finns Party initially proposed Lehtonen, National Coalition MP Sari Sarkomaa later confirmed that her party also supported his candidacy.
The process has drawn criticism for perceived political interference. Mira Nieminen defended the decision and declined to speculate why her party did not support fellow coalition member Satonen. She said each member made their choice independently.
Nieminen also criticised the public nature of the appointment process, saying it could deter qualified candidates in the future.
Lehtonen was one of five applicants interviewed earlier this year. In addition to Backman and Satonen, Centre Party MP Annika Saarikko and under-secretary Elina Pylkkänen were also in the running.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
