Simone Lawson
Finland's current constitution, which came into force on March 1, 2000, is enshrined in a single statute: the Constitution of Finland (731/1999). This replaced the four previous constitutional laws: the Constitution Act of 1919, the Parliament Act of 1928, the Ministerial Responsibility Act of 1922, and the Act on the High Court of Impeachment of 1922. The new constitution brought about several changes, including a more precise specification of the regulation of presidential decision-making procedures and the transfer of the power to make the final decision on the introduction and withdrawal of government bills from the President of the Republic to the Government.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of adoption | 1 March 2000 |
| Previous constitutional provisions | Divided between four separate statutes: the Constitution Act of 1919, the Parliament Act of 1928, the Ministerial Responsibility Act of 1922, and the Act on the High Court of Impeachment of 1922 |
| Reason for new constitution | Need for consolidation and modernization of the Constitution, as well as debates between the Parliament and the President over decision-making rules on European matters |
| Process | A group of experts known as the Constitutional Law Committee 2000 was established in 1995 to examine the need for updates. The committee recommended consolidating all provisions into a single code. In 1996, the Constitution 2000 Commission was appointed to draft a proposal for a new constitution, which was completed in 1997. The proposal was reviewed and approved by the Constitutional Law Committee in 1998-1999, and the new Constitution was approved by the new Parliament in March 1999 and ratified by the President. |
| Changes | More precise regulation of presidential decision-making procedures, increased role for the Government in presidential decision-making, transfer of final decision-making power on Government bills from the President to the Government, and transfer of appointment power for the Prime Minister from the President to Parliament |
| Current status | The Finnish Constitution has been amended several times since 2000, notably in 2011 and 2017 |
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What You'll Learn
- The original Constitution Act was enacted in 1919, soon after Finland declared its independence in 1917
- The new Constitution came into force on 1 March 2000
- The new Constitution replaced four existing constitutional laws
- The new Constitution changed the regulation of decision-making by the President of the Republic
- The new Constitution gave the Government a greater role in presidential decision-making
The original Constitution Act was enacted in 1919, soon after Finland declared its independence in 1917
Finland's original Constitution Act, also known as the Instrument of Government, was enacted in 1919, two years after the country declared its independence in 1917. The Act was the supreme source of national law in Finland, defining the basis, structures and organisation of government, the relationship between the different constitutional organs, and the fundamental rights of Finnish citizens.
The Constitution Act of 1919 was the first of four separate statutes that made up Finland's constitutional provisions. The other three were the Parliament Act of 1928, the Ministerial Responsibility Act of 1922, and the Act on the High Court of Impeachment of 1922. These four acts all had constitutional status and were amended several times over the years to adapt to the changing needs of the country.
The flexibility of the Finnish Constitution can be attributed to the use of "exceptive laws", which allowed for the passing of ad hoc exceptions to the Constitution without amending or changing it directly. This distinctive feature of the Finnish system was, however, also criticised for threatening to undermine respect for Constitutional provisions. As a result, their use became more limited over time.
In the 1990s, there was a growing urgency to integrate and update Finland's constitutional legislation. This was due in part to the country's accession to the European Union and the resulting disagreements between Parliament and the President on decision-making in European affairs. In 1995, a working group of experts called the Constitution 2000 Working Group was appointed to examine the need for consolidation and updates to the constitutional legislation.
A new, integrated Constitution was drafted by the Constitution 2000 Commission and came into force on 1 March 2000, replacing the four existing constitutional laws. This new Constitution enshrined Finland's constitutional provisions in a single statute, known as the Constitution of Finland (731/1999).
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The new Constitution came into force on 1 March 2000
The new Constitution of Finland came into force on 1 March 2000. This was the current draft of the Constitution at the time, which has since been amended several times, notably in 2011 and 2017. The 2000 Constitution replaced the four existing constitutional laws with a single statute, repealing the previous acts. The Constitution of Finland is the supreme source of national law in the country and defines the fundamental rights of Finnish citizens and individuals in general.
The process of amending the Constitution began in the 1990s, as there was a recognised need to consolidate and modernise the existing Constitution. Finland's constitutional provisions were fragmented across several separate laws, and it was felt that the Constitution needed to adapt to changes in society. In 1995, a group of experts known as the Constitutional Law Committee 2000 was established to examine the need for an update. They recommended consolidating all provisions into a single code and suggested that the key focus should be on developing the relationships between the highest institutions in the country.
In 1996, the Constitution 2000 Commission was appointed by the Government to draft a proposal for a new, integrated Constitution to come into force on 1 March 2000. The Commission completed its work on 17 June 1997, and the proposal was reviewed by the Constitutional Law Committee in 1998. On 12 February 1999, Parliament approved the Committee's proposal to suspend the new Constitution until after the general elections. The new Parliament, elected in March 1999, approved the new Constitution in June, and it was ratified by the President of the Republic.
The most notable changes in the new Constitution related to the regulation of decision-making by the President of the Republic and the formation of the Government. The Government was given a greater role in presidential decision-making, and the final decision on the introduction and withdrawal of Government bills was transferred from the President to the Government. Additionally, the appointment of the Prime Minister was transferred from the President to Parliament.
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The new Constitution replaced four existing constitutional laws
Finland adopted a new constitution in 2000, which came into force on 1 March. This new constitution replaced four existing constitutional laws with a single statute: the Constitution of Finland (731/1999).
The four constitutional laws that were replaced were:
- The Constitution Act of 1919, also known as the Instrument of Government (Finnish: Suomen hallitusmuoto; Swedish: Regeringsformen för Finland).
- The Parliament Act of 1928 (Finnish: valtiopäiväjärjestys; Swedish: riksdagsordningen).
- The Ministerial Responsibility Act of 1922 (Finnish: laki eduskunnan oikeudesta tarkastaa valtioneuvoston jäsenten ja oikeuskanslerin sekä eduskunnan oikeusasiamiehen virkatointen lainmukaisuutta, short title ministerivastuulaki; Swedish: Lag om rätt för riksdagen att granska lagenligheten av statsrådsmedlemmarnas och justitiekanslerns samt riksdagens justitieombudsmans ämbetsåtgärder).
- The Act on the High Court of Impeachment of 1922 (Finnish: laki valtakunnanoikeudesta; Swedish: Lag om riksrätten).
The new Constitution was drafted by the Constitution 2000 Commission, which was appointed by the Government in 1996. The Commission completed its work on 17 June 1997, and the bill was considered by the Constitutional Law Committee in 1998. The new Parliament elected in March 1999 approved the new Constitution in June that year, and it was ratified by the President of the Republic.
The main changes in the new Constitution related to the regulation of decision-making by the President of the Republic and the formation of the Government. The new Constitution also introduced a new Procedure of Parliament, which supplements the provisions on Parliament contained in the Constitution.
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The new Constitution changed the regulation of decision-making by the President of the Republic
Finland's current constitution came into force on 1 March 2000. The new constitution made changes to the way decisions are made by the President of the Republic. The main goal of the constitutional reform process was to move Finland away from a semi-presidential system and towards a parliamentary system of government.
The new constitution strengthens the position of Parliament as the highest organ of government, making it easier for the legislature to carry out its work. It also gives the government, which is responsible to Parliament and dependent on its confidence, a greater role in presidential decision-making. The regulation of presidential decision-making procedures is now specified more precisely.
The most notable change was the transfer of the final decision-making power on the introduction and withdrawal of government bills, including those in the area of foreign affairs, from the President to the Government. The new constitution also transferred the power to appoint the Prime Minister from the President to Parliament. This marked the end of the President's leading role in the formation of the Government.
The new constitution also affirms the principle of representative democracy, the independence of the judiciary, and the position of Parliament as the highest organ of government. It establishes a government under a parliamentary system, with a directly elected President of the Republic, a Government comprising the Prime Minister and the Ministers, and an independent judiciary.
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The new Constitution gave the Government a greater role in presidential decision-making
Finland's current constitution came into force on 1 March 2000. The new constitution replaced four separate statutes, which were previously used to define the basis, structures, and organisation of government, the relationship between the different constitutional organs, and the fundamental rights of Finnish citizens and individuals. The new constitution aimed to move Finland away from a semi-presidential system and further towards a parliamentary system of government.
The President of the Republic makes decisions in Government based on motions proposed by the Government. If the President does not make a decision in accordance with the motion proposed by the Government, the matter is returned to the Government for preparation. In such cases, the Government may present a report on the matter to Parliament, and the matter will be decided according to Parliament's position.
The new constitution also introduced a new Procedure of Parliament, which supplements the provisions on Parliament contained in the Constitution. This procedure came into force simultaneously with the new Constitution on 1 March 2000.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Finland adopted a new constitution on 1 March 2000.
The new constitution aimed to merge the four existing constitutional laws into a single statute. It also clarified the role of the President of the Republic in decision-making and gave the Government a greater role in the process.
The new constitution transferred the final decision-making power on the introduction and withdrawal of Government bills, including those related to foreign affairs, from the President to the Government. It also shifted the appointment power of the Prime Minister from the President to Parliament.
The Constitution 2000 Commission was appointed in 1996 to draft a proposal for the new constitution. The Commission completed its work in June 1997, and the proposal was considered by the Constitutional Law Committee in 1998. After the parliamentary elections in March 1999, the new Parliament approved the new constitution in June 1999, and it was ratified by the President of the Republic.
