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History and Government
History: During the first millennium BC, various peoples settled in Finland, including the nomadic Saami who inhabited the north of the country and the Tavastians from central Europe. A notable feature of this migration was that the settlers spoke a language belonging to the Finno-Ugric group (which also includes Hungarian and Estonian), which is quite distinct from the Indo-European languages spoken throughout most of the rest of Europe. During the Viking Age, between the eighth and 11th centuries, Finland – an area larger than the present country, extending as far east as the Karel peninsula, now part of the Russian Federation – provided the backdrop for expanding trade and occasional wars between Swedes, Russians and Germans. Competition for influence in the area increased thereafter. The Swedes predominated until 1240, when they were defeated by a force from the Russian province of Novgorod. The Swedes were not wholly expelled from the region, however, and at the Treaty of Pähkinäsaari in 1323, Finland was divided into Russian and Swedish spheres of influence.
The Swedish part – which roughly coincides with modern-day Finland – was granted the full rights of a Swedish province in 1362. As such, it became part of the Danish-led Kalmar Union and, when Sweden broke away from the Union, remained under Swedish control. The Russians continued to covet the territory and as Swedish influence in Europe waned at the beginning of the 18th century, Finland was briefly occupied by the Russians. The tug-of-war between Finland’s two powerful neighbours continued for the next 200 years, while the Finns concentrated on preserving their unique language, culture and institutions. In 1917, Finland was an autonomous region within the Russian Empire but, in the aftermath of the Bolshevik Revolution, Finland declared independence, which the new Soviet government accepted after brief efforts to re-assert control. Further fighting between the two took place on the fringes of World War II, between 1939 and 1941. Under a formal peace treaty signed in 1947, the Finns agreed to cede territory to the then USSR and pay reparation.
The existence of a Pact of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance between the two countries has led to the term ‘Finlandisation’. Bilateral relations improved after the arrival of Mikhail Gorbachev at the Kremlin and the two countries signed a ten-year treaty in 1992. Since joining the EU in 1995, given the Russian Federation’s preoccupation with its own situation and reduced international clout, the focus in Helsinki has not only principally switched towards Europe but also towards the development of relations with the newly independent Baltic states of the former USSR, with whom there are cultural and linguistic links. Finland’s appreciation of Moscow’s sensitivity remains acute, nonetheless, typified by its refusal to countenance future membership of NATO, which also remains deeply unpopular among the electorate. In the last few decades, domestic politics have been dominated by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Centre Party (known as ‘Kesk’), which have led a long series of coalition governments and presided over the evolution of a centrist consensus in Finnish political life.
In recent years, the main change in the political landscape has been caused by the emergence of the right-wing National Coalition Party (Kokoomus, referred to as ‘Kok’). Finland’s long-serving President, Mauno Koivisto, the architect of its delicate balancing act between East and West, stood down in 1993, after two terms. He was replaced by the SDP candidate, former senior UN official Martti Ahtisaari. The SDP also dominated the coalition government by virtue of controlling the largest bloc of seats in the Eduskunta, following the general election of March 1995. April 1995 saw a new coalition government, with Paavo Lipponen, the leader of the SDP, appointed Prime Minister.
The most recent poll, in March 1999, once again returned the Social Democrat-led coalition, which Lipponen continues to lead. The five-party grouping is highly likely to last intact until the next election, due in March 2003. At the beginning of 1999, Finland assumed the EU presidency for the first time and during its six-month term exercised an important (although often unnoticed) influence over events in the Balkans and relations with Russia. At the beginning of 2000, Finns once again went to the polls to elect a President. After a closely fought campaign, the victor was SDP candidate Tarja Halonen, who became the first woman to hold office.
Government: The constitution allows for a President, who is Head of State, and a single-chamber Assembly. The President is elected by direct popular vote for a term of six years, while the 200-strong Parliament is elected every four years.
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