Constitution:
1 March 2000
Legal system:
civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request
the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June
2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Eero HEINALUOMA (since 24 September
2005)
cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
president, responsible to parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 15 January 2006
(next to be held January 2012); the president appoints the prime
minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the
majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament
must approve the appointment
election results: percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli
NIINISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti Vanhanen (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA
(VIHR) 3.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held
29 January 2006 - HOLONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%
note: government coalition - Kesk, SDP, and SFP
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 16 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%,
Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party -
Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, other 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)
Political parties and leaders:
Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD
[Paivi RASANEN]; Green League or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left
Alliance or VAS composed of People's Democratic League and
Democratic Alternative [Martti KORHONEN]; National Coalition
(conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic
Party or SDP [Eero HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People's Party or SFP
[Stefan WALLIN]
International organization participation:
AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pekka LINTU
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marilyn WARE
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki
mailing address: APO AE 09723
telephone: [358] (9) 616250
FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800