Finnish society and its workings are governed by laws. The most important of these is the Constitution (perustuslaki). All persons living in Finland must adhere to Finnish legislation. Authorities must also observe the legislation. The laws are enacted by Parliament.
All those residing in Finland have statutory rights and obligations. The following rights and obligations also apply to foreigners living in Finland.
Even if you are not a Finnish citizen, you may have the right to vote in some elections.
Read more about foreigners’ voting rights in Finland on the InfoFinland web page Elections and voting in Finland.
Read more on taxation in Finland on the InfoFinland page Taxation.
In addition to these, Finnish citizens have a number of rights and obligations that do not apply to foreigners living in Finland. Read more on the rights and obligations of Finnish citizens on the InfoFinland page The rights and obligations of Finnish citizens.
The Constitution is the most important piece of legislation in Finland. No other law must be in conflict with it. The Constitution governs the basic rights of Finnish residents and the operations of the Finnish state, for example.
According to the Non-Discrimination Act (yhdenvertaisuuslaki), no one can be discriminated based on ethnic or national origin, nationality, language, religion, beliefs, opinion, medical condition, disability, sexual orientation or other reason connected to a person. More information on non-discrimination is available on the InfoFinland page Equality and non-discrimination.
The Equality Act (tasa-arvolaki) prohibits discrimination based on gender. According to the Equality Act, authorities, employers and educational institutes must promote equality between men and women. More information on equality is available on the InfoFinland page Equality and non-discrimination.
The Ombudsman for Equality
The Child Welfare Act (lastensuojelulaki) stipulates that children living in Finland are entitled to care and a safe growing environment. More information on children’s rights in Finland is available on the InfoFinland page Children.
Anyone who buys goods or services is a consumer. The Consumer Protection Act (kuluttajansuojalaki) protects the rights of consumers in Finland. You are entitled to compensation, for example, when an item you have purchased has faults that you have not caused yourself. You can receive a flawless item as a replacement or your money back, for example.
If an item you have bought has shortcomings, contact the seller first. If you cannot reach an agreement with the seller, contact the consumer advisory services.
Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority