eduskuntavaalien

Eduskuntavaalit are the parliamentary elections in Finland, held to elect the 200 members of the Eduskunta, Finland’s unicameral parliament. Members typically serve four-year terms, although early elections can be called if necessary. The results determine the composition of the government and influence national policy.

Finland uses proportional representation in 13 electoral districts to allocate seats in the Eduskunta. Seats are distributed to parties using the D’Hondt method, and within each district voters cast a ballot for a candidate. The number of seats a party receives in a district is then filled by the party’s candidates according to the number of votes each candidate receives. There is no formal nationwide electoral threshold; instead, the effective threshold depends on district size and party strength, making it easier for larger parties and some smaller parties to win seats in specific districts.

Voting and eligibility: Finnish citizens aged 18 or older on election day may vote. Citizens living in Finland vote in their home electoral district, while Finnish citizens abroad may vote by post or at Finnish missions. To stand as a candidate, individuals must meet the age and eligibility requirements set out in the election law, generally aligning with voting age.

After the results, political parties negotiate to form a government. Because Finland typically has multi-party coalitions, the government is formed by a coalition of parties that can secure a majority in the Eduskunta, and the appointed government must maintain the confidence of the parliament. The elections are administered by local election authorities under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice, with final results published by the national election authorities.