What Type Of Government Does Finland Have?

Finland is a sovereign country located in Northern Europe. It is a Nordic country located in the Fennoscandia which also includes its neighboring Scandinavian countries. Finland has a population of about 6 million people, with the majority of the population living in the southern part of the country. The country is a parliamentary republic where the central government is headquartered in Helsinki. The local government consists of 317 municipalities. The Constitution of Finland is the basis for the political system in the country. The politics take place under the parliamentary representative democratic republic. Finland is a multi-party state with the president as the head of state. The Parliament, the President of the Republic, and the Government are the highest elected bodies.

The Government Of Finland

Finland is governed by its status as a republic with representative democracy. The public administration is composed of the highest elected bodies, state administration, local government, and the judiciary. The highest elected body is made up of the parliament, the president, and the government. The Parliament of Finland exercises the legislative powers while the executive power is exercised by the cabinet supervised by the premier who heads the government of Finland. The president heads the state and has powers to make a decision concerning some matters such as personal appointments and pardons.

The Central Government Of Finland

The prime minister together with eleven ministers makes up the Council of State in Finland. The cabinet directs the Finnish Government. The prime minister is appointed from the party in plurality. In practice, the premier is usually the leader of the party with the majority after the election. The premier is normally called a negotiator before he forms the government. Once elected by the parliament, the prime minister nominates the ministers in charge of the various ministries. The president officially appoints the premier together with other ministers. A minister must be a Finnish citizen, honest, and competent. The ministries implement government decisions within their mandates and represent the various administrative sectors in domestic and foreign cooperation. The ministries also draft laws which are reviewed by the government and parliament before enactment. The Council of State is made up of more ministers than ministries as more than one minister heads some of the ministries. On paper, there are only 12 ministries including interior, defense, foreign affairs, justice, education, agriculture, and environment among other ministries.

Regional And Local Government Of Finland

There are six Regional State Administrative Agencies in Finland. The administrative agencies are responsible for the provision of public services and legal permits including rescue services and environmental permits. The local government in Finland is made up of 317 municipalities. The municipalities are the basic units for organizing governments at the Regional State Administrative Agencies. The indirect public administration supports the local government in the management of the welfare society. The organizations carry out tasks or execute public powers such as conducting inspections and hunting licenses.

The Legislative And The Judicial Branch Of The Government Of Finland

Finnish parliament is unicameral made up of 200 members who exercise the supreme legislative authority including dismissing the cabinet and altering the constitution. The parliament is elected for a four-year term using the D’Hondt method and can be resolved by the recommendation of the prime minister and endorsed by the president. The courts in Finland operate independent of other administration under the principle of separation of power. The judiciary bases its decision on the law. There are 27 district courts, six courts of appeal, and six regional administrative courts