Ehdokkaaksi

Ehdokkaaksi is the translative form of the Finnish noun ehdokas, meaning “candidate.” In Finnish grammar, the suffix -ksi marks a change of state or designation, so ehdokkaaksi means “to become a candidate” or “as a candidate.” It is used with verbs of becoming or taking on a role, for example: Hän päätti ryhtyä ehdokkaaksi tulevissa vaaleissa. Hän asettuu ehdokkaaksi.

In political discourse, ehdokkaaksi refers to the act of declaring or undertaking candidacy in an election. It is not a separate legal status by itself; rather, it describes a person’s position as a candidate once they have declared or been nominated. The rules for becoming a candidate depend on the type of election and the jurisdiction and are defined in national election laws. In Finland, candidates may run in municipal, parliamentary, or European Parliament elections, with eligibility criteria and registration managed by the electoral authorities and, in many cases, by party nomination processes for those running on party lists or as independents.

Linguistic notes: ehdokkaaksi is formed from ehdokas (candidate) plus the translative suffix -ksi. The translative expresses becoming or designation of a new role, and it commonly pairs with verbs such as tulla (to become), ryhtyä (to take up), or asettua (to position oneself). Examples of related phrases include tulla ehdokkaaksi, ryhtyä ehdokkaaksi, or asettua ehdokkaaksi.

See also: ehdokas, vaalit, translatiivinen taivutus, Finnish grammar.