Parliament of Finland

The Parliament of Finland (Finnish: Suomen eduskunta; Swedish: Finlands riksdag) is the main law-making group in Finland. It started on 9 May 1906. It has 200 members, with 199 chosen every four years from different parts of the country. There is also one member from Åland.

The Parliament makes laws, decides about the country's money, and checks the government's work. It can also change the country's rules and make big decisions about agreements with other countries. Most members work in groups that match different political parties. Because it is hard for one party to have most of the votes, the government usually needs to be a team of two or more big parties.

The most recent election for the Parliament happened on 2 April 2023. After that, a new government was formed by the National Coalition, Finns, Swedish People's parties and the Christian Democrats. The Parliament meets in a special building called the Parliament House in central Helsinki.

Name

The Parliament of Finland has different names depending on the language spoken. In Finnish, it is called eduskunta, meaning "Assembly of Representatives." In Swedish, it is called riksdag. Before Finland became independent, it was called lantdagen in Swedish.

History

The Parliament of Finland began as the Diet of Finland, which started after the Riksdag of the Estates in 1809. In 1906, Finland made a single-chamber Parliament while it was still ruled by the Russian Tsar as a grand duchy and principality. At that time, Finland became one of the first countries to let everyone, including women and landless people, vote and run for office. The first election was in 1907, and 19 women were elected, which was a lot for that time.

In the early years, the Russian Tsar and his officers often stopped the Parliament from working well. True power came after a revolution in Russia in 1917, when Finland declared its full independence. Later, Finland became a republic, and the president had strong powers. Over time, the Parliament gained more power, especially after changes in 1991 and 2000.

Elections

The Parliament of Finland has 200 members who are chosen by people voting. Voters must be at least 18 years old. Votes are counted using a fair system, and elections happen every four years.

Finland is split into 13 electoral districts, and each area gets seats based on how many people live there. The smallest district, Åland, always gets one seat. Many different parties can be part of the Parliament. Usually, no single party has enough votes to lead alone, so the government is often made up of several parties working together.

Parliamentary groups

See also: List of political parties in Finland

Members of Parliament in Finland work together in groups called parliamentary groups. These groups are usually the same as political parties. Sometimes, members who disagree can form their own small group. As of September 2019, there were nine of these groups, and one of them had just one member.

In these groups, members try to agree on a common opinion before voting in Parliament. If they can't agree, they may vote individually. These groups make their own decisions, separate from the main party leaders. Leaders of big parliamentary groups are very important in politics. Each group also gets money to help them work and can have their own staff.

Formation of government

The president of Finland talks with the speaker of Parliament and leaders of groups in Parliament to help form a new Finnish Government. The Constitution of Finland says that Parliament chooses the prime minister, and the president then officially appoints them. The prime minister is usually the most important leader in the country. Other leaders, called ministers, are also chosen by the president based on the prime minister's suggestions.

Before choosing a prime minister, groups in Parliament, which are like teams from different political parties, discuss what the new government should do and who should be in it. After these talks, the president tells Parliament who they think should be prime minister. Parliament then votes, and if they agree, that person becomes the prime minister. Finland often has governments with many different parties working together, and they usually vote as a group to make sure they have enough support.

Sessions

The parliament meets once a year, usually starting in February. It has two parts: one from January to June and another from September to December.

At the start of each meeting, leaders and guests go to a special service at Helsinki Cathedral before going to the Parliament House, where the president officially begins the session.

On the first day, parliament members choose a speaker and two deputy speakers. The oldest member helps with this choice. The new speakers promise to support the people, parliament, and the government of Finland.

During each meeting, Finland also picks its representatives for the Nordic Council and the Council of Europe. Parliament also chooses five members to help with important court decisions for the year.

Committees

The Parliament of Finland has 17 committees. Most have 17 members, but some are different: the Grand Committee has 25, the Finance Committee has 21, and the Audit and Intelligence Oversight Committees have 11 each. Each committee also has extra members who can help if needed. On average, each member of the Parliament is part of two committees.

Some committees focus on special topics. The Grand Committee works on issues related to the European Union and other important matters. Since Finland does not have a special court for constitutional questions, the Constitutional Law Committee watches over these matters. The Committee for the Future looks at how things might change and shares its ideas with other committees. The Intelligence Oversight Committee, the newest one, was started in 2019.

Proceedings

Most ideas for new laws start in the Council of State. But any member or group of members can suggest a new law. Since 2012, citizens can also suggest laws if they get 50,000 people to support the idea in six months. All new laws are first talked about by members of Parliament before going to special groups, or committees, for more discussion.

Parliament talks about the law idea twice. The first time is to get ready and decide what to do. The second time is to vote on whether to approve the law.

Members of Parliament can also ask the government questions, either in writing or speaking during special sessions. They can challenge government actions if needed.

Members of the Parliament

Members of the Parliament in Finland are not employees and cannot leave their jobs or be let go. They can only take time off or be removed with the approval of the Parliament. These members have special protection called parliamentary immunity, meaning they cannot be punished for things they say or do during their work unless the Parliament allows it.

These members receive a monthly payment for their work, which increases the longer they serve. They also get extra money for expenses, especially if they live far from Helsinki. They can travel for free by train, bus, or plane for their work, and can use taxis for free in the Helsinki area. If a member is elected to work in the European Parliament, they must choose which job to take. If a member leaves or can no longer serve, someone else from their election list takes their place. Members have the right to speak freely but must behave respectfully. If they break the rules, they might be paused from their work for two weeks or even removed by the Parliament.

Parliament House

Main article: Parliament House, Helsinki

Before the Parliament of Finland had its own building, it met in many different places. Its older form, called the Diet of Finland, did not meet together often. In 1906, when the modern Parliament with 200 members started, they first met in a local fire station because there was not enough space elsewhere.

In 1923, a competition was held to choose a site for a new Parliament House, and in 1924 an architectural competition was held to design it. The building was constructed between 1926 and 1931 and officially opened on March 7, 1931. Since then, it has been the main place for Finland’s important political discussions.

The Parliament House was built in a classic style with a reddish granite exterior and fourteen columns. Inside, it has many rooms for meetings, a main lobby, and spaces for the public, media, and diplomats. Over the years, additions like a library annex and a separate office block were built, and the building was renovated between 2007 and 2017.

Election results

2023

Main article: 2023 Finnish parliamentary election

The election for Finland's Parliament took place on April 2, 2023. This was an important vote to choose the people who will help make decisions for the country.