Istunnon

Istunto, and the genitive form istunnon, is a Finnish noun meaning a sitting or session. It refers to a formal meeting during which participants gather to discuss, deliberate, and, if appropriate, decide on matters. The term is commonly used in political, judicial, and organizational contexts. The genitive istunnon is used when speaking about “the session’s” or “of the session,” for example, istunnon päätökset (the decisions of the session).

In government and politics, istunto denotes a formal sitting of a legislative or executive body. For example, eduskunnan istunto refers to a sitting of the Parliament, while valtioneuvoston istunto denotes a cabinet meeting. These sessions follow procedural rules and have defined agendas, procedures, and, often, public or media access.

In the judicial system, oikeuden istunto refers to a court hearing or trial session, during which evidence is presented and rulings are issued. The term can also be used for formal sessions within municipal or regional councils and other official bodies, such as kaupunginvaltuuston istunto for a city council meeting.

The word is distinguished from kokous, which is a more general term for a meeting and does not necessarily imply a formal or legally defined session. Some istunnot may be conducted remotely, referred to as etäistunto, depending on the rules of the body involved.

Overall, istunto conveys a sense of a formal, structured period of official business, whereas istunnon describes the session itself in possessive or descriptive contexts.