Finland: Legislative Speechmaking in a Changing Parliament

Abstract

This chapter analyzes plenary debates in the Eduskunta, the unicameral legislature <br/>of Finland. Recent constitutional reforms have strengthened the role of the <br/>Eduskunta, which the findings also reflect. Access to the floor is relatively <br/>unconstrained in Finland, but there is also a strong element of party control <br/>involved. The chapter shows that opposition MPs, small parties, and party leaders <br/>make active use of plenary speeches. The constitutional reform increased the <br/>likelihood of frontbenchers and experienced MPs to deliver speeches. Gender and <br/>partially seniority have little effect on who gets to speak in the plenary, but there <br/>is also quite a significant variation between political parties. Overall, our results <br/>indicate that the plenary has become a more important arena in Finnish politics, <br/>both for the cabinet and the opposition