Tarja Halonen in the context of Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

The Finnish order of precedence is a nominal and symbolic hierarchy of important positions within the government of Finland. It has no legal standing, it does not reflect the Finnish presidential line of succession or the co-equal status of the branches of government under the constitution, and is only used to indicate ceremonial protocol.

1. President of the Republic Alexander Stubb
2. Retired Presidents of the Republic in order of term:
   1. President Tarja Halonen
   2. President Sauli Niinistö
3. Speaker of the Parliament Jussi Halla-Aho
4. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo
5. Other ministers of the Finnish Government
6. President of the Supreme Court Tatu Leppänen
7. President of the Supreme Administrative Court Kari Kuusiniemi
8. Chief of Defence Janne Jaakkola
9. Chancellor of Justice Tuomas Pöysti
10. Archbishop of Turku Tapio Luoma
11. Chancellor of the Order of the Cross of Liberty Ari Puheloinen
12. Chancellor of the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland Jussi Nuorteva
13. Chancellor of the University of Helsinki Kaarle Hämeri

Presidential elections were held in Finland on 16 January 2000, with a second round on 6 February.

The result was a victory for Tarja Halonen of the Social Democratic Party, who became the country's first female president. During the elections Halonen was the incumbent Minister for Foreign Affairs. President Martti Ahtisaari had indicated in January 1999 that he would accept the Social Democratic Party's nomination for the 2000 presidential elections, but only if no presidential primary was held. However, Jacob Söderman announced his candidacy at the start of April 1999, and during the final week of that month, Ahtisaari announced that he would not seek the Social Democratic presidential candidacy. In his memoirs, Ahtisaari claims that Tarja Halonen badly wanted to become president, a claim that Halonen has denied.