Finland is a parliamentary Republic under the 1999 Constitution. The Head of State is the President of the Republic and the Government is led by a Prime Minister. Finland was formerly considered a semi-presidential parliamentary system, but pursuant to the 1999 constitution and the 2012 constitutional amendments, it is now a full parliamentary democracy. The Parliament (Finnish eduskunta/Swedish riksdagen) is unicameral. It consists of 200 representatives, who are elected for a four-year term. The legislative and administrative system is somewhat different in 'mainland' Finland as opposed to the autonomous province of Åland, which elects one MP.
Finland is an officially bilingual unitary state organised on a decentralised basis. Finland has three levels of governance: central, regional and local. The self-governing powers of the regional level in mainland Finland are limited, though. Local self-government dates back to the 1860s legislation, which remains the basis for the current system. With the independence from Russia in 1917, new legislation was adopted and introduced universal direct suffrage at the municipal level. Local government has developed gradually ever since. In 1995, a Local Government Act was adopted. This was revised in 2015. In addition, the Åland Islands are granted a special status as a self-governing, unilingual province since 1921, in order to safeguard the position of Swedish language, culture and local customs on the Islands.
A major healthcare and social services reform, which would have moved considerable powers to the regional level, was debated in 2016-2019. However, the reform legislation did not pass the Parliament in order to be ready before the parliamentary elections in the spring of 2019. Thus, basic health care and social services are still organised at the municipal level. The specialized health care system is organised in dedicated health care districts (20 districts) and five appointed areas of responsibility led by university hospitals.
The planned reform included 18 new regional level units (provinces or regions in English) to become the responsible units for health care and social services. These regional units were meant to have elected councils as decision-making bodies with financial resources. This would have ended the position of municipalities as health care and social service organisers. So far, mainland Finland does not have regional‑level institutions with elected decision-making bodies.
Finland comprises 19 provinces (maakunta/landskap), 18 on the mainland plus the self-governing Åland Islands, and 310 municipalities (kunta/kommun). The 18 Regional Councils (maakunnan liitto/landskapsförbund) are indirectly composed by the local authorities of the mainland province and constitute mandatory joint municipal authorities. The Regional Councils are stipulated in Finnish law, and each council receives funding from its member municipalities as well as funds for regional development from the government and the European Union.
In the Programme of Prime Minister Antti Rinne's Government 6 June 2019, taken over by Prime Minister Sanna Marin's Government on 10 December 2019, social and health care services are planned to be reorganized on the basis of 18 mainland provinces as described above. The main difference compared to the reform of the former government is that services would be primarily provided by public sector organisations with private and third sector organisations as supplementary service providers. Mainland provinces would become a new democratic level in the Finnish governance system. The new role of municipalities as service providers would be reconsidered through a new analysis by the government.
Six Regional State Administrative Agencies (AVI) and 15 Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY) took over the duties of the former counties (lääni/län) in 2010[1] and constitute the regional level of deconcentrated state administration.
The Åland Islands, with a large Swedish speaking majority (88%), is a self-governing province since 1921, having its own parliament and government. It is further divided into 16 municipalities.
The local self-government principle is enshrined in the Finnish Constitution. Local authorities are given administrative competences under law. Regional Councils have administrative duties whereas municipalities also have regulatory powers. Local authorities are entitled to levy taxes.
The Ministry of Finance monitors local operations and finances in general and ensures that municipal autonomy is taken into account in the preparation of legislation concerning local authorities.
The Åland Islands status is regulated by international decisions and agreements. The province Åland has legislative powers, which are enshrined in the Finnish Autonomy Act (itsehallintolaki/självstyrelselagen). The Åland legislative power is not delegated so that the Finnish Parliament may not legislate in areas or matters belonging to the authority of the Åland Parliament. The Autonomy Act enumerates the matters belonging to the State authority and the Åland authority in two different lists; this division is exclusive to the extent that a State law is not in force in Åland if Åland has legislative power in the matter. There is no hierarchy between the Finnish and Åland acts.
Besides the Constitution, there are several acts which describe the vertical division of powers on the Finnish mainland, the most important being:
[the above acts are available only in Finnish and Swedish]
Legislation covering social welfare and health, education and culture gives further details on the vertical division of powers.
Central
The State is in charge of civil service, which is also devolved at the regional (Regional State Administrative Agencies and Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment Agencies) and local levels.
The State has legislative powers in all areas, except in the Åland Islands. However, it has exclusive competences, with regard to the Åland Islands in:
- Foreign affairs;
- Most civil and criminal law;
- The judiciary system;
- State taxation.
Regional State Administrative Agencies (State authorities)
- Basic public services, legal rights and permits;
- Education and culture
- Occupational health and safety;
- Environmental permits;
- Fire and rescue services and preparedness;
Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (State authorities) are responsible for the regional implementation and development tasks of the central government.
- Advise, finance, and develop services for enterprises; employment-based aid and labour market training;
- handles agricultural and fishery issues;
- addresses immigration matters; and
- manages EU structural fund projects;
- Environmental protection,
- Steers land use and construction;
- Nature protection;
- Monitors the environment, and usage and management of water resources;
- Road maintenance, construction, transport permits, traffic safety, and public transport and island traffic;
- Vocational education;
- Library services, sports and physical training services;
- The education system;
- Youth services;
- Steer and supervise the activities of Employment and Economic Development offices and safeguarding of the public interest.
Regional
Responsibilities of a Regional Council:
- Responsible for the overall development of the region, working in collaboration with the parties involved in the development of central cities and other municipalities, universities and government authorities in the region as well as in other regions, as well as the province of Lapland with the Sami Parliament; cooperation may be drawn up cooperation agreements ;
- Develops the economies and operating conditions, taking into account the needs and strengths arising from different backgrounds municipalities ;
- Contributes to necessary drafting of the strategic guidance documents of the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, as well as those of the Regional State Administrative Agencies and participates in the result negotiations of Economic Development, Transport and the Environment Centers to take account of development objectives in the region ;
- Responsible for the coordination of regional long-term and medium-term training needs of anticipation and preparation of the regional education goals as part of the development plan for education and research ;
- Responsible for coordinating the development of plans and measures relating to culture as part of the implementation of the regional programme ;
- Responsible for the launch of the province's transport system plan design process, the management of the related cooperation and coordination of the planning of the province with the rest of the design outside the Helsinki region (The Capital Region)
- Corresponds to the natural resources of regional large-scale, and as regards the environment, plans the launch of the planning process, the management of the related cooperation and coordination of the planning of the province with the rest of the design ;
- Prepares municipalities and other education providers of project proposals urgency of the order in the next financial plan for four years, with the exception of sports training centers projects Cooperation among local governments.
- Sets the regional sports councils;
- Promotes the Act on the Joint Services of Public Administration (223/2007) referred to the service in its territory;
- Responsible for coordinating foresight county, assesses and monitors the development of the county and its components as well as development effectiveness;
- Promotes co-operation between the municipalities and the counties, manages international matters and contacts related to their functions mixed;
- Performs other tasks provided for in this Act.
Regional Council can take care of other duties pointed to it by its member municipalities.
Åland Islands has legislative powers in the following:
- Åland civil service;
- Taxation;
- Public order and security;
- Civil protection;
- Land planning;
- Environment;
- Culture;
- Public health;
- Social welfare;
- Education;
- Apprenticeships;
- Sports;
- Youth work;
- Agriculture;
- Fisheries;
- Prevention of cruelty to animals and veterinary care;
- Resources management;
- Communications (postal services, broadcast);
- Transport networks;
- Trade;
- Promotion of employment;
- Statistics;
- Some aspects of criminal law.
Local
- Healthcare (primary and secondary healthcare);
- Dental services;
- Social services (social welfare, child day care and services for the elderly and disabled);
- Education (pre-school, primary, secondary, vocational training, adult education, library services);
- Culture programming;
- Sports programming;
- Land use planning;
- Construct and maintain local infrastructure and the municipal environment including streets, energy, water and wastewater management, and harbours;
- Public transportation;
- Promote local business and employment.
[1] The tasks and services of the former Employment and Economic Centres, Regional Environmental Centres, Road Districts, and State Provincial Offices' departments for transport and communications and for education and culture have been pooled in the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment.
