SUFFRAGE UNIVERSEL - UNIVERSAL
SUFFRAGE
citoyenneté, démocratie, ethnicité,
nationalité - citizenship, democracy, ethnicity,
nationality
Chapter 4
Local residents' right of participation
Section 26
Suffrage and voting rights
In municipal elections held in a local authority, all citizens of Finland, other European Union Member States, Iceland and Norway who reach the age of 18 before the beginning of the election year and who were domiciled as referred to in the Act on Domicile in the local authority concerned on the first day of the election year have suffrage in municipal elections held in a local authority. Other foreigners fulfilling these preconditions also have suffrage in municipal elections if they have been domiciled in Finland for two years at that date (amended 22.12.1995/1647).
In referenda held in a local authority, citizens of Finland, other European Union Member States, Iceland and Norway who reach the age of 18 on the referendum date at the latest and whose domicile as referred to in the Act on Domicile is that authority according to the data in the population data system at the end of the 51st day before the election, shall have suffrage. Other foreigners fulfilling these preconditions also have voting rights in a municipal referendum if they have been domiciled in Finland for two years at that date (amended 22.12.1995/1647).
Voting rights in a referendum concerning a component area of a local authority can only be exercised by persons living in that area.
Chapter 5
Elected officials
Section 32
Municipal elected officials
The elected officials in a local authority shall comprise the councillors and deputy councillors, the members elected to municipal organs, the members elected by the local authority on joint municipal board organs and other persons chosen for elective office in the local authority. A municipal officeholder or employee elected a member of a municipal organ by virtue of their function shall not be considered a municipal elected official, however.
Elected officials shall promote the good of the local authority and its residents and act with dignity in their elective office in the manner required by their function. At the request of the council or the organ concerned, elected officials or persons who are candidates for some elective office other than councillor shall present an account of any factors that may be significant in assessing their qualification or disqualification for election.
What is provided regarding a municipal elected official shall apply as appropriate to any person elected by a local authority to an elective office with the State.
Section 33
General qualifications for election
Those qualified for election to a municipal elective office shall be
persons:
1) domiciled in the local authority concerned;
2) entitled to vote in municipal elections in a local authority in the year
in which councillors are elected or an election for some other elective office
is held; and
3) who are not under guardianship.
Only persons who have stated in writing that they are willing to accept the post of councillor may be proposed as candidates for election to the council.
Section 36
Qualifications for election to other organs
Persons qualified for election to a council shall be qualified for election
to a committee, though not the following:
1) persons employed by the local authority subordinate to the committee
concerned;
2) persons employed by a corporation or foundation governed by the local
authority and operating in the purview of the committee concerned; and
3) persons who are members of the board or some comparable organ or perform
a managerial or responsible function or have comparable status in a corporation
engaged in business operations, if decisions on matters normally dealt with
by the municipal board could well cause this corporation substantial advantage
or disadvantage.
What is provided in section 35, paragraph 2, shall apply to any organ dealing primarily with personnel affairs.
Persons who are not qualified for election to the municipal board or a committee or who are not domiciled in the local authority are, however, qualified for election to a board of management or a commission.
Section 38
Refusal to accept office and resignation
Persons who have reached the age of 60 or have held the same elective office, or one in the same organ, for the four previous years or have held a municipal elective office for altogether eight years have the right to refuse to accept office.
An elective office can also be refused for some other acceptable reason. The organ to which the elected official belongs shall decide whether to accept the refusal. In the case of a councillor or deputy councillor, this decision shall be made by the council.
An elective office can be resigned for an acceptable reason. The organ to which the elected official belongs shall decide whether to accept the resignation. The council shall decide whether to accept the resignation of councillors and deputy councillors.
Chapter 6
Personnel
Section 46
Qualification of aliens
Persons other than Finnish citizens can be employed by local authorities.
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