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4.2.7 Finland: Government




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This article is from the Nordic countries FAQ, by Antti Lahelma and Johan Olofsson, with numerous contributions by others.

4.2.7 Finland: Government

The Finnish constitution was adopted in 1919. Finland is a republic,
headed by a president elected for a 6-year term. The president is
chosen by the general electorate (all citizens over 18). Supreme
executive power is vested in the president, who heads the country's
foreign policy. Legislative power is shared by the president and the
one-chamber parliament of 200 members. The government which is headed
by a prime minister, is responsible for the country's general
administration. Judicial power is vested in independent courts of
justice. Finland has had an ombudsman (oikeusasiamies), an impartial
public officer whose duty is to handle public complaints against
actions of the government, since 1919.

The constitution of Finland guarantees a freedom of religion, but the
Evangelical Lutheran church is an official state church to which 84 %
of the population belongs to. The Orthodox church is also a state
church, 1.1 % of Finns are members (mainly in the east); those with no
religious affiliation constitute 12 % of the population.

See section 4.4 for more information about the current parliament,
cabinet and political parties. The virtual Embassy by the Finnish
Ministry for Foreign Affairs publishes on the web among a lot of
interesting documents also weekly newsletter on arts and sports.

 

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