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This page contains the full text of the PARLINE database entry on the selected parliamentary chamber, with the exception of Specialized bodies modules which, because of their excessive length, can be only viewed and printed separately.

Parliament name (generic / translated) Eduskunta - Riksdagen / Parliament More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Unicameral Affiliation to the IPU Yes Affiliation date(s) 1920 - LEADERSHIP President Sauli Niinistö (M)  Secretary General Seppo Tiitinen (M)  COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 200 / 200 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 80 (40.00%) Mode of designation Directly elected 200 Term 4 years Last renewal dates 18 March 2007 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address Parliament of Finland Mannerheim str. 30 00102 HELSINKI (Export mailing lists) Phone (358 9) 43 21 Fax (358 9) 432 35 29 E-mail int.dep@parliament.fi Website http://www.parliament.fi/

Parliament name (generic / translated) Eduskunta - Riksdagen / Parliament Structure of parliament Unicameral LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 10 February 1998 Mode of designation Directly elected 200 Constituencies - 14 multi-member (6 to 33 seats) provincial constituencies - 1 single-member constituency (province of Aland) Voting system Proportional: - 199 members are elected in 14 constituencies by proportional representation. Seats are distributed among the individual parties, or alliances of several parties, in accordance with the d'Hondt method. For the distribution of seats within each list, candidates are ranked according to the number of personal votes they have polled. - one member is elected by simple majority vote in the province of Aland Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by individuals who are "next in line" on the list of the party which formerly held the seat. Voting is not compulsory. Voter requirements - age: 18 years - Finnish citizenship CANDIDATES Eligibility Qualified electors - ineligibility: persons under guardianship, active military service Incompatibilities - Chancellor of Justice and his/her deputy - Ombudsman of Parliament and his/her deputy - Prosecutor General - Members of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court Candidacy requirements - nomination by registered political party or constituency association of at least 100 voters (30 in the province of Aland)

Parliament name (generic / translated) Eduskunta - Riksdagen / Parliament Structure of parliament Unicameral BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 18 March 2007 Timing and scope of renewal Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. The March 2007 elections came on the heels of the country's presidency of the European Union from July to December 2006. As a result, the election campaign started late compared to previous ones. In the last elections held in March 2003, the Centre Party (KESK) led by Ms. Anneli Jäätteenmäki had won 55 seats. She was subsequently elected as the first female prime minister of the country and formed a centre-left coalition government with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) of former prime minister Paavo Lipponen (which took 53 seats) and the Swedish People's Party (eight seats). The main opposition National Coalition Party (KOK), a moderate conservative party, took 40 seats, while the remainder of seats was won by small parties. In June 2003, Ms. Jäätteenmäki resigned after allegations surfaced of having illegally obtained confidential documents on the Iraq war, which she used in the 2003 election campaign. Mr. Matti Vanhanen (KESK) took over as Prime Minister. His government enjoyed wide popularity mainly because of high economic growth, approaching six per cent in 2006, and a 7.7 per cent unemployment rate, the lowest in 15 years. In the 2007 elections, 1,205 men and 799 women were vying for the 200 seats in the parliament. As in previous elections, employment and taxation were the main issues in the 2007 elections. Prime Minister Vanhanen pledged to reduce VAT on food. The SDP said the VAT reduction must apply to ordinary goods so as to help people with the most modest and average incomes. The KOK, led by a 36-year-old new leader, Mr. Jyrki Katainen, pledged to cut the income tax of people with small and medium incomes. The SDP leader, Mr. Eero Heinäluoma, criticized the KESK for campaigning for the establishment of a "non-socialist" government comprising the KESK and the KOK. The Swedish People's Party, representing the Swedish minority in Finland, promised to reform energy taxes in order to bring about more environment-friendly policies. The Left Alliance and the Green League hinted at a possible tax increase to provide better public services. The True Finns, known for its EU-skeptic policies, also fielded candidates. Only 65.02 per cent of the country's 4.2 million registered voters turned out at the polls, the lowest post-war figure for general elections. The biggest winner in the 2007 elections was the KOK, which gained ten more seats, winning 50 in all. Former KOK leader Sauli Niinistö was re-elected with over 60,000 votes or 10 per cent of the party's votes nationwide. The KESK remained the largest party in the parliament by winning 51 seats, although it lost four. The SDP lost eight seats, winning 45, reportedly suffering from the low turnout. The SDP lost its position as the country's second largest party for the first time since 1962. The 2007 elections saw a record number of women elected to office - 84, nine more than in the previous elections. The number of MPs in their sixties almost doubled (32), while that of those in their thirties dropped to two (both from the Green League), down from four in the 2003 elections. President Tarja Halonen opened the new parliament on 28 March 2007. On 15 April, the KESK, the KOK, the Green League and the Swedish People's Party agreed to form a new government. On 17 April, parliament re-elected Mr. Matti Vanhanen (KESK) as Prime Minister with 121 votes. His 20-member cabinet announced on 19 April included 12 women (60 per cent), a record high in the world. On 24 April, Mr. Sauli Niinistö (KOK) was elected as the new Speaker. Note on the "Election Results": The statistics above include overseas voting. In all, 208,887 Fins abroad were registered to vote. Turnout in Finland was 67.9 % (2,772,799 of the 4,083,549 registered voters turned out at the polls). STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 18 March 2007 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes 4'292'436 2'790'752 (65.02%) 19'516 2'771'236 Notes Statistics above include oversea voting. Distribution of votes Round no 1 Political group Candidates Votes Gain/Loss % of votes Center Party (KESK) 640'428 -48'963 23.11 National Coalition Party (KOK) 616'841 98'937 22.26 Social Democratic Party (SDP) 594'194 -89'029 21.44 Left Alliance 244'296 -32'856 8.82 Green League 234'429 10'865 8.46 Swedish People's Party (SFP) 126'520 -2'304 4.57 Christian Democrats (KD) 134'790 -14'197 4.86 True Finns 112'256 68'440 4.05 Others 12'588 -'984 0.45 Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total of seats Gain/Loss Number of women Center Party (KESK) 51 -4 15 National Coalition Party (KOK) 50 10 20 Social Democratic Party (SDP) 45 -8 25 Left Alliance 17 -2 3 Green League 15 1 10 Swedish People's Party (SFP) 9 1 5 Christian Democrats (KD) 7 0 4 True Finns 5 2 1 Others 1 0 1 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 116 84 42.00% Distribution of seats according to age 21 to 30 years 31 to 40 years 41 to 50 years 51 to 60 years 61 to 70 years 3 55 53 66 23 Distribution of seats according to profession Comments Sources: - Parliament (19.02.2008, 01.01.2010) - http://www.vaalit.fi/teksti/14173.htm - http://tilastokeskus.fi/til/evaa/2007/evaa_2007_2007-03-26_tau_017_en.html Note on the "Distribution of seats according to political groups" "Others" includes a female candidate elected from the Province of Aland, representing an independent voters' association called "Borgerlig Allians". She subsequently joined the Swedish People's Party. Note on distribution of seats according to sex: Eighty-four women were elected on 18 March. However, after the formation of the new government on 19 April 2007, the total number of women parliamentarians decreased to 83 (41.50 per cent).

Parliament name (generic / translated) Eduskunta - Riksdagen / Parliament Structure of parliament Unicameral APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE Title Speaker of Parliament Term - duration: 1 year (election of Speaker takes place every year in February, one day before the opening session of the Eduskunta) - reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, death Appointment - elected by all Members of Parliament - the election is held at the first sitting of the newly elected Parliament - after members' mandates have been validated Eligibility - any Member of Parliament may be a candidate Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot - an absolute majority is required for the first two rounds; the candidate who has obtained the largest number of votes is elected in the third round. In case of a tie, lots are drawn Procedures / results - the senior Member presides over Parliament during the voting - the senior Member supervises the voting - the senior Member announces the results without delay - the results cannot be challenged STATUS Status - ranks second in the hierarchy of the State - represents Parliament with the authorities - is ex officio Chairperson of the Speaker's Council and the Parliamentary Offices Committee - represents Parliament in international bodies - in the absence of the Speaker, one of the Deputy Speakers can assume his/her role and functions Board - the Speaker's Council consists of the Speaker, the two Deputy Speakers and the chairpersons of the 14 parliamentary committees - his/her term is one year - generally meets 1/2 hour before plenary sittings - is only responsible for assisting and supporting the Speaker Material facilities NA (no information received) FUNCTIONS Organization of parliamentary business - convenes sessions - establishes and modifies the agenda - has made recommendations to set speaking time - refers texts to a committee for study Chairing of public sittings - can open, adjourn and close sittings - ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders - makes announcements concerning Parliament, sometimes aided by the Clerk - takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures - establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak - establishes the order in which amendments are taken up and selects which amendments are to be debated - calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities - checks the quorum - interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of Parliament - has discretionary power to give the floor to an MP outside the agenda only during Question Hour Special powers - recruits, assigns and promotes staff as Chairperson of the Parliamentary Office Committee - can play an important role in the organization of the services of Parliament - may be responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments - is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in Parliament Speaking and voting rights, other functions - signs laws before transmitting them to the Head of State for enactment - may refuse to take up or put a matter to a vote; in such cases, the matter can be referred to the Constitutional Committee for resolution - must be consulted in certain circumstances (dissolution, etc.)

Parliament name (generic / translated) Eduskunta - Riksdagen / Parliament Structure of parliament Unicameral NATURE Nature of the mandate · Free representation (S. 11 of the Parliament Act) Start of the mandate · When the results are declared. Procedure (S. 9, 90, and 95 of the Electoral Act). Validation of mandates · Validation by the Chancellor of Justice or by Parliament, or, in case of challenge by election appeals, by a court (S. 23 and 24 of the Parliament Act) · Procedure (S. 23 and 24 of the Parliament Act, S. 3 and 63 of the Procedure of Parliament) End of the mandate · When the results of new elections are declared Can MPs resign? No · See 10 (1) of the Parliament Act). Exceptions (S. 10 (1) of the Parliament Act · Procedure (S. 10 (1) of the Parliament Act, S. 63 of the Procedure of Parliament, S. 88 and 91 (2) of the Electoral Act) · Authority competent to accept the resignation: Parliament Can MPs lose their mandate ? Yes (a) Definitive exclusion from Parliament by the latter: - Sentence to imprisonment for certain offences (S. 8 (4) and 17 (2) of the Parliament Act) - Loss of mandate for not attending sessions of Parliament (S. 17 (1) of the Parliament Act) - General procedure (S. 63 of the Procedure of Parliament) (b) Loss of eligibility (S. 8 (1) in connection with S. 7 of the Parliament Act) (c) Loss of mandate for incompatibilities (S. 8 (2) and 9 of the Parliament Act) STATUS OF MEMBERS Rank in hierarchy · Within Parliament: 1. The Speaker 2. The Deputy Speakers 3. The chairpersons of parliamentary committees 4. The other MPs · Outside Parliament: the official order of precedence ranks the Speaker in the 2nd position. Indemnities, facilities and services · Official passport · Basic salary (S. 16 (1) and (2) of the Parliament Act): in accordance with years of service + Expense Allowance: percentage of basic salary + Expense Allowance for the Speaker: FIM 5,000 (ECU 880/USD 1,100) per month + Holiday pay (in July): FIM 8,500 to 10,800 (ECU 1,500 to 1,900/USD 1,900 to 2,400) depending on length of service · No exemption from tax for the basic salary. The Expense Allowance for the Speaker is tax exempt. For the Expense Allowance for regular MPs, see Expense Allowance - Percentage of basic salary. · Pension scheme (S. 16 (3) of the Parliament Act) · Other facilities: (a) Secretariat (b) Assistants (see also S. 8 and 9 of the Procedure of Parliament) (c) Official car for the Speaker (d) Postal and telephone services (e) Travel and transport (S. 16 (1) of Parliament Act) (f) Others Obligation to declare personal assets No Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist (S. 13 of the Parliament Act; see also S. 57 (3) of the Parliament Act). · Parliamentary non-accountability is limited to words spoken or written by MPs and votes cast within Parliament. (Parliamentary non-accountability applies to words spoken and written by MPs both within and outside Parliament.) · Derogations: waiver of immunity by Parliament by a majority vote of five-sixths of the votes cast; offence or insult (S. 58 of the Parliament Act, see Discipline). · Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins. Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (S. 14 (1) of the Parliament Act). · It covers all offences and protects MPs from arrest, from being held in preventive custody, and from being subjected to a travel ban before the charges against them have been taken up for consideration. In other cases, the Speaker shall be immediately informed of the apprehension and detention. · Derogations: when being caught in flagrante delicto, committing an offence for which the minimum penalty is a period of imprisonment not less than six months, MPs can be apprehended. The Speaker shall be immediately informed (S. 14 of the Parliament Act). · Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (S. 14 (1) of the Parliament Act): - Competent authority: Parliament EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE Training · There is a training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs. It consists of familiarisation courses. · It is provided by the Central Office of Parliament and by parliamentary groups. · Handbooks of parliamentary procedure: - Parliamentary Memorandum Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is not compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings and committee meetings. For leave of absence, see S. 64 of the Procedure of Parliament. · Penalties foreseen in case of failure to fulfil this obligation: - Plenary sittings: forfeiture of the whole or a part of the salary, loss of mandate (S. 17 (1) of the Parliament Act) - Committee meetings: forfeiture of the whole or a part of the salary, forfeiture of membership of the committee (S. 51 (3) of the Parliament Act) · Body competent to judge such cases/to impose penalties: Parliament Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in S. 55 (1) and 58 of the Parliament Act and S. 39 of the Procedure of Parliament. · Disciplinary measures foreseen: - Call to order (S. 58 of the Parliament Act) - Warning for irrelevance (S. 39 of the Procedure of Parliament) - Denial of the floor (S. 58 of the Parliament Act, S. 39 of the Procedure of Parliament) - Admonition and warning (S. 58 of the Parliament Act) - Suspension from Parliament (S. 58 of the Parliament Act) - Bringing of charges against an MP in a court of law (S. 58 of the Parliament Act) · Specific cases: - Offence or insult (S. 58 of the Parliament Act): call to order, denial of the floor, admonition and warning, suspension from Parliament, bringing of charges against an MP in a court of law · Competent body to judge such cases/to impose penalties (S. 55 (1) of the Parliament Act): - Call to order, warning for irrelevance, denial of the floor, offence or insult: the Speaker - Admonition and warning, suspension from Parliament, bringing of charges against an MP in a court of law, offence or insult: Parliament The admonition and warning are imposed by the Speaker. · Procedure (S. 58 of the Parliament Act and S. 39 of the Procedure of Parliament) Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not exist in the country's juridical system. Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are no legal provisions in this field.

This page was last updated on 1 February 2010
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