Legislation
Act on the Autonomy of Åland, 1991
The current Autonomy Act, entering into force in 1993, replaced the 1951 Act and set out Åland's present self-government, right of domicile, and division of legislative powers with Finland.
What happened
The 1920 Autonomy Act, adjusted after the League's 1921 decision, proved inadequate and was replaced in 1951; that Act in turn was replaced, after almost 20 years of preparation, by the current Act on the Autonomy of Åland, passed by the Finnish Parliament in constitutional order with the assent of the Åland Parliament, entering into force on 1 January 1993.[1]
The Act gives the Åland Parliament exclusive legislative power over a wide range of matters — its own organisation, municipal administration, the additional Åland income tax, public order, health, welfare, education, agriculture and fisheries among them — while the Finnish State retains the Constitution, foreign relations, citizenship, criminal law, the armed forces and currency.[2][3] The President of Finland may annul an Act of Åland exceeding its powers or touching State security, after obtaining a Supreme Court opinion.[4]
Sources for this page
Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.
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1.
Claim: The 1920 Autonomy Act was replaced by a new Act in 1951, and after nearly 20 years of preparation the current Act on the Autonomy of Åland was passed by the Finnish Parliament in constitutional order, with the Åland Parliament's assent, entering into force on 1 January 1993.
- Act on the Autonomy of Åland (1991/1144) (Parliament of Finland / Government of Åland, via UN Peacemaker, 16 August 1991) link, Preamble. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
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2.
Claim: The Åland Parliament has exclusive legislative power over a wide list of matters including its own organisation and elections, municipal administration, the additional Åland income tax, public order, building and planning, health care, social welfare, education and culture, agriculture and fisheries, and the Åland flag.
- Act on the Autonomy of Åland (1991/1144) (Parliament of Finland / Government of Åland, via UN Peacemaker, 16 August 1991) link, s. 18. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
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3.
Claim: The Finnish State retains exclusive legislative power over matters including the Constitution, foreign relations, citizenship and aliens legislation, criminal law and judicial proceedings (subject to Åland's own administrative court), the armed forces and border guard, currency, and most civil and commercial law.
- Act on the Autonomy of Åland (1991/1144) (Parliament of Finland / Government of Åland, via UN Peacemaker, 16 August 1991) link, s. 27. Government perspective or primary official source Source record
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4.
Claim: The President of Finland, after obtaining an opinion from the Supreme Court, may annul an Act of Åland in full or in part if it exceeds the Åland Parliament's legislative powers or concerns the State's internal or external security.
- Act on the Autonomy of Åland (1991/1144) (Parliament of Finland / Government of Åland, via UN Peacemaker, 16 August 1991) link, s. 19. Government perspective or primary official source Source record