Constitution of Finland (1919)

The independence republic charter, consolidated into one text in 2000.

Overview

Finlands Act of Form of Government of July 17, 1919 established the republic after independence from Russia in 1917 and civil war in 1918, creating a president with strong authority and a unicameral eduskunta elected by proportional representation since 1906, when Finnish women became first in Europe fully enfranchised. The 2000 constitutional reform merged the four constitutional acts into a single constitution trimming presidential power toward parliament, completed by the 2012 amendment after EU era practice. Its fundamental rights chapter was rewritten in 1995 to include environmental and social guarantees. It blends stability with periodic structural recalibration.