kansalaisaloite
Kansalaisaloite, literally meaning "citizens' initiative," is a democratic mechanism in Finland that allows citizens to propose legislation. If a campaign collects the required number of supporters within a defined period, the initiative is submitted to the Finnish Parliament for consideration. The process is non-binding: Parliament must consider the proposal and respond, but is not obliged to enact it.
Eligibility and collection are straightforward. The initiative can be started by individuals or organized groups. Signatures
Signature thresholds and timeframes are central to the mechanism. The commonly cited threshold is 50,000 signatures
Parliamentary handling follows. Parliament reviews the initiative, which may lead to drafting a bill or an
Limitations and purpose are key. Kansalaisaloite is a tool to gauge citizen interest and stimulate legislative
See also: Direct democracy, Constitution of Finland, Finnish Parliament.