Info
Parties and Candidates
PC001
Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Signature requirement (specify requirement) f . Other
Comments: Act on Political Parties, §2
(1) An association may upon written application be entered in the Party Register as a
political party if
(1) its main object is to influence state matters,
(2) it has signed support cards of at least 5000 citizens entitled to vote in
parliamentary elections,
(3) the rules and regulations of the association guarantee that democratic principles
are abided by in decision-making and in the activities of the association and
(4) the association has drafted a party programme, which takes up the goals and
principles followed in the national activities, whose final objective is mentioned in
the rules and regulations.
Source: Act on Political Parties, 10/1969, §2 (1-4)
Verified: 2019/04/02
PC003
Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Age b . Citizenship j . Other
Comments: Everyone with the right to vote and who is not under guardianship can be a candidate in parliamentary elections.
A person holding military office cannot, however, be elected as a Representative.
The Chancellor of Justice of the Government, the Parliamentary Ombudsman, a Justice of the Supreme Court or the Supreme Administrative Court, and the Prosecutor-General cannot serve as representatives. If a Representative is elected President of the Republic or appointed or elected to one of the aforesaid offices, he or she shall cease to be a Representative from the date of appointment or election. The office of a Representative shall cease also if the Representative forfeits his or her eligibility.
Source: Constitution, Section 27: http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/kaannokset/1999/en19990731.pdf (2012)
Verified: 2019/04/02
PC008
Independent candidates
Question: Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):
e . In both presidential and legislative elections
Comments: Section 119 — Number of members in a constituency association and drafting a charter
Founding a constituency association in order to nominate a candidate in parliamentary elections requires at least 100 voters from the same electoral district.
Section 134 — Application for candidacy submitted by a constituency association
An application for candidacy submitted by a constituency association must include:
1) the candidate’s name and title, profession or occupation using no more than two expressions, and municipality of residence; the name by which the candidate is generally known or an abbreviation of the first name can be used along with or instead of the proper first name; the application may not contain any other information about the candidate except if this is necessary in order to clarify the candidate’s identity and
2) the candidate’s consent, including the candidate’s personal identity code and signature, to standing as presidential candidate for the constituency association and consent to accepting the office of president.
The constituency association charter and supporter forms referred to in section 130 must be attached to the application.
The constituency association election representative must date and sign the application and in it confirm that the supporter forms have been personally signed by the members of the constituency association.
Source: Election Act 714/1998 as amended, Section 119, 132, 134
http://www.legislationline.org/documents/action/popup/id/5672
Verified: 2019/04/02
PC012
Public funding of parties
Question: Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Direct
Comments: Section 9 (1) Within the limits of the State budget, a political party represented in the Parliament may be granted party subsidy from government funds to finance the party’s public activities specified in its rules and regulations and the party programme. Party subsidy is allocated to the parties in accordance with the number of parliamentary seats each party has gained in the latest parliamentary elections. If, during the period between parliamentary elections and before the publication of the State budget every budgetary year, at least half of a certain party’s parliamentary representatives have notified the Speaker of the Parliament that they cease to represent the party in question in the Parliament, the allocation of the subsidy shall be adjusted to correspond with the changed situation. (1/1973)
--there does not seem to be provisions for public funding in campagin financing specifically--
section 2, para. 2: A candidate’s election funding may consist of: 1) the candidate’s own funds and any loans taken out by the candidate for the campaign; 2) campaign contributions received by the candidate, his or her support group or other entity operating exclusively for the purpose of promoting the candidate; and 3) other campaign contributions.
Source: Act on Political Parties, 10/1969, as amended, section 9 (1)
Act on a Candidate’s Election Funding (273/2009), section 2
Verified: 2019/04/02
PC015
Question: What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):
c . Based on current legislative representation
Comments: Party subsidy is allocated to the parties in accordance with the number of parliamentary seats each party has gained in the latest parliamentary elections. If, during the period between parliamentary elections and before the publication of the State budget every budgetary year, at least half of a certain party’s parliamentary representatives have notified the Speaker of the Parliament that they cease to represent the party in question in the Parliament, the allocation of the subsidy shall be adjusted to correspond with the changed situation.
Source: Act 10/1969 on Political Parties as amended, Section 9: http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/kaannokset/1969/en19690010.pdf (2012)
Verified: 2019/04/02
PC017
Question: Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments:
Act on a Candidate’s Election Funding, section 2 (2)
A candidate’s election funding may consist of: 1) the candidate’s own funds and any loans taken out by the candidate for the campaign; 2) campaign contributions received by the candidate, his or her support group or other entity operating exclusively for the purpose of promoting the candidate; and 3) other campaign contributions.
Source:
Act on a Candidate’s Election Funding, 273/2009, section 2 (2)
Act on Political Parties, 10/1969, section 8, 9
Verified: 2019/04/02
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