for historical reasons. For a long time this was the only model of executive leadership, but after a change in law, Tampere was the first city to elect a mayor (pormestari / borgmästare) in 2007. Other cities and municipalities, such as Helsinki in 2017, would do so as well, but the model is still rare. The mayor is not, however, elected directly, but by the municipal council. The mayor acts as municipal manager and as the chairperson of the municipal executive board.

Although municipalities