FINLAND
Elections to the European Parliament : 13 june 1999
Electoral Procedure
|
| |
TOTAL |
WOMEN |
MEN |
| No.
of inhabitants |
5 162 900
|
2 644 700
|
2 518 200
|
| of
which, resident EU citizens |
15 800 |
6 100 |
9 700 |
| No.
of potential voters (18+) |
4 006 500
|
2 078 800
|
1 927 700
|
| No.
of seats |
16 |
|
|
| No.
of inhabitants per seat |
322 681 |
|
|
Source: Eurostat population scenarios (baseline variant); Eurostat estimates of no. of EU
citizens.
A new electoral law was passed on 2 October 1998 (Law No. 714/1998), replacing all
previous electoral laws.
- Proportional representation: the whole country forms a single
constituency. Candidates stand at national level and votes are counted on a national
basis. Preference voting.
- Allocation of seats: d'Hondt method. After each party, electoral
alliance and joint list has been allocated the number of seats to which it is entitled,
the candidates on the lists are ranked according to the number of preference votes they
have received.
| 3. |
Registration
of candidates |
- Deadline for registration: 4 May 1999.
- Deposit: None.
- Conditions: The following organisations may put forward
candidates:
Political parties. Two or more political
parties may also form electoral alliances.
Electoral associations. Each electoral
association may put forward one candidate. At least 2000 founder members eligible to vote
are required to establish an electoral association (written agreement of each founder
member required). Electoral associations may form joint lists.
Each political party, electoral alliance or joint list may put
forward a maximum of 20 candidates.
- Incompatibilities:
Those laid down in the 1976 Act on Elections to the European Parliament and, based on the
new Finnish electoral law (of 2 October 1998), the following persons:
Members of the Finnish Government
Civil servants who, under the Finnish
constitution, may not stand as candidates for the Finnish Parliament (military personnel,
Chancellor of Justice, Vice-Chancellor of Justice, Members of the Supreme Court and
Supreme Administrative Court, Ombudsman and Vice-Ombudsman of the Finnish Parliament).
| 4. |
Polling
day : Sunday 13 June 1999 (9am to 8pm). |
- The count starts at 10pm on polling day. End of count and
provisional results: between 11pm and midnight on polling day.
Final results: 16 June 1999.
| 5. |
Voting
/ standing for election |
- Right to vote
All Finnish citizens aged 18 or over are
eligible to vote.
Citizens of other EU Member States aged
18 or over are eligible to vote if they are domiciled in Finland and if they apply for the
right to vote by 25 March 1999.
Citizens of other EU Member States who
registered to vote in the 1996 EP elections in Finland and who are still domiciled in
Finland will automatically have the right to vote in the 1999 EP elections.
EU citizens who have lost their right to
vote in their Member State of origin may not vote in the Finnish EP elections.
Advance voting: Voters may also vote in
advance in post offices, hospitals and certain other institutions as well as in Finnish
diplomatic missions or their offices. Advance voting begins on 2 June 1999 and ends on 8
June 1999. Votes cast in advance will be counted on election day.
Voting is not compulsory.
- Right to stand for election
Any Finnish citizen or citizen of another
EU country aged 18 or over who has the right to vote may also stand for election, except
persons subject to a care order.
- Funding: No specific rules. The draft state budget for 1999
includes a provision of 6 million FIM (ca 1 million . ) for EP election-related
information activities of political parties.
- Official campaign starting date: No rules or restrictions.
- Media access: No rules or restrictions. Under the Party Law, the
Finnish Broadcasting Company (a national public service company) is required to give equal
treatment to political parties in its election broadcasts, subject to journalistic
criteria.
- Opinion polls: No rules or restrictions.
|
European Parliament elections 1999 
