Finland Elects Its First Female Members of Parliament
Finland made history on March 15, 1907, when it became one of the first countries globally to elect female members to its parliament. At that time, Finland was still a Grand Duchy under the Russian Empire, which had granted the Finnish people the right to participate in democratic processes, including the ability for both men and women over the age of 25 to vote and run for office. In that groundbreaking election, 19 of the 200 parliamentarians elected were women, marking a significant step in gender equality in politics. Finland later declared independence in 1917, solidifying its commitment to democratic governance with a constitution adopted in 1919, which continued the parliamentary system. By the 1990s, women's representation had significantly increased, with nearly 40 percent of parliament members being women, reflecting ongoing progress in gender equality in Finnish politics. The evolution of women's political participation in Finland showcases the country's early adoption of equal rights and its commitment to advancing democracy.
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Finland Elects Its First Female Members of Parliament
Finland Elects Its First Female Members of Parliament
The nation of Finland, which has the distinction of being one of the first countries in the world to grant full political rights to women, was still a Grand Duchy of the Russian Empire at the time of the first election of women to the Finnish parliament on March 15, 1907.
The Russian Empire acquired the Grand Duchy of Finland during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1809 Czar Alexander I, one of the most conservative and antidemocratic czars in Russian history, officially incorporated Finland into the Empire but, to make imperial rule more palatable, allowed the Finns to retain their customary rights and privileges. These included a unicameral national parliament (the Landtag, which became the Eduskunta in 1906) and the right to vote and run for office, which could be exercised by any Finnish man or woman over the age of 25. In the elections of March 1907, 19 of the 200 members elected to parliament were women.
Finland achieved independence after the Russian Revolution of 1917, and on July 17, 1919, it adopted a constitution that provided for a democratic form of government and the continuation of the Eduskunta. By the 1990s nearly 40 percent of the members, elected for four-year terms, were women. The voting age had long since been lowered to 18.