Constitution of the Republic of Finland

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The constitution of the Republic of Finland ( Finnish perustuslaki , Basic Law) forms the legal and political basic order of the Republic of Finland . It came into force on March 1, 2000.

content

The new constitution replaced a total of four laws with constitutional status, including the Finnish constitution of 1919 . It involves a significant shift in powers from the President of the Republic to parliament and government. The president's powers have been severely restricted. However, important tasks such as supreme command of the armed forces and participation in foreign policy remain with him .

The country's government, the Council of State ( valtioneuvosto ) , has been directly responsible to parliament since the constitutional reform. The head of government is elected by a majority in parliament, and the ministers are appointed by the president on his proposal.

structure

The constitution is divided into:

  1. Basic provisions
  2. Fundamental rights and freedoms
  3. Parliament and MPs
  4. Organization of parliamentary work
  5. President and Government
  6. legislation
  7. State budget
  8. External relations
  9. Jurisprudence
  10. Control of the law
  11. State administration and local self-government
  12. Finnish armed forces
  13. Final provisions

history

Since the 1970s, the Finnish constitution of 1919 has been under increasing pressure to modernize. Individual components were adapted to the new requirements through numerous interventions. The most important reform in 1995 expanded the catalog of basic rights. Eventually, the view prevailed that the four existing laws with constitutional status should be merged into a single constitution. In 1990 parliament called on the government to prepare a new Basic Law. The Constitutional Commission followed this position the following year. In 1992 Parliament called in particular for the President to be bound more closely to Parliament. In 1998, the government submitted a draft constitution, which was adopted in a modified form on June 1, 1999.

literature

  • Pentti Virrankoski: Suomen historia 2 . SKS, Helsinki 2001, ISBN 951-746-342-1 (quoted: Virrankoski ).
  • Martin Scheinin : Valtiosääntöoikeus yes erisoikeudet . In: Pekka Timonen (ed.): Johdatus Suomen oikeusjärjestelmään. Nide 2. Rikos- ja prosessioikeus sekä julkisoikeus. Lakimiesliiton Kustannus, Helsinki 1999, ISBN 952-14-0001-3 , pp. 234-274 (quoted: Scheinin ).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Bill for the new constitution, HE 1/1998.