NORMAL LIFE: Finland's EU Presidency Begins!

Finland's six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union began on 1 July 2006. Not a bad achievement for a country that recently celebrated 100 years of democracy. Yes, just 100 years. I was amazed too when I read about it.

In 1906, Finland adopted a parliamentary system based on universal suffrage and became the first country in Europe to give women the right to vote and stand for office in parliamentary elections. At the same time, Finnish women were the first in the world to obtain full political rights. A total of 19 women were elected in the first parliamentary elections. Currently, 38% of MPs at the Finnish Parliament are women.

Independent now for almost 90 years, Finland was part of the Swedish realm for some 700 years up to 1809 when it became attached to the Russian empire for just over a century. Finnish nationalism gained momentum during the Russian period and Finland declared independence on 6 December 1917. The years after the Second World War were a period of strong growth and Finland, earlier a mainly rural country, took major steps on the path to industrialisation. The 1960s marked the beginning of a vast movement of people from rural to urban areas. Finland joined the European Free Trade Association in 1961, became a member of the European Union in 1995 and was one of the founding members of the European currency launched in 1999.

In October of this year, all the political heads of EU member states will meet in Lahti, a short drive north of Helsinki. For a change, Finland will have an opportunity to make a difference. Prime Minister, Matti Vanhanen, recently suggested that 'Finland could well make the European Union function more efficiently during its turn at the EU Presidency, even without ratification of the proposed constitution.' I have no idea what the guy is on about, but if he's even thinking that everybody is going to sit around a meeting room and nod their heads in silent agreement, then he's got a challenge on his hands.

For more information, visit the Finnish EU Presidency website here