Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Martti AHTISAARI (since 1 March 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April
1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sauli NIINISTO (since 13 April 1995)
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
president, responsible to Parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 31 January-6 February 1994 (next to be held NA
January 2000); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed
from the majority party by the president after parliamentary
elections
election results: Martti AHTISAARI elected president; percent of
vote—Martti AHTISAARI 54%, Elisabeth REHN 46%
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200
seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis
to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party—Social Democratic Party
22.9%, Center Party 22.5%, National Coalition (Conservative) Party
21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, Swedish People's Party
5.1%, Green Union 7.2%, Finnish Christian League 4.2%; seats by
party—Social Democratic Party 51, Center Party 48, National
Coalition (Conservative) Party 46, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20,
Swedish People's Party 11, Green Union 11, Finnish Christian League
10, other 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus, judges
appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League and
Political pressure groups and leaders: Finnish Communist
International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UPU,
WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaakko Tapani LAAJAVA
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Eric EDELMAN
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki
mailing address: APO AE 09723
Flag description: white with a blue cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)