Kansanvalta.fi

Even between elections, it is the task of Members of Parliament and municipal councillors to listen to their voters’ opinions. Citizens’ feedback – the views and concerns of their voters – is always important to politicians.  

You can contact your local municipal councillor or Member of Parliament by letter, email or telephone.  In most cases communications to MPs are handled by their assistants, who will also decide on any further action.

New technology provides better opportunities for direct contacts with those at the top of political life. In 2005 the handling of Finland’s new Copyright Act resulted in an unparalleled avalanche of email to decision-makers.

A good idea is worth marketing

If an idea presented by a citizen turns out to be a good one, it will be taken further and its feasibility examined. 

In Finland citizens do not have the right to propose bills, but individual MPs do have this opportunity. Above all, a municipal councillor or an MP is able to promote an idea presented by a citizen within their own party group. 

Therefore it is worth a citizen’s while to market their idea or proposal to decision-makers. There may not be any use in hoping to see one’s proposal one day become concretised as an individual act, but ideas may find their way to decision-making tables through packages of laws, draft budgets or question hours.

Informal contacts are unofficial. They do not require any measures such as a response or action to be taken by the decision-maker. Nevertheless, MPs’ assistants continuously screen the influx of messages for the most interesting feedback from citizens.

Who to contact?

The best way is to directly contact the decision-maker with most real influence in the issue. For example, it is a good idea to find out which committee deals with the issue and then contact MPs who are members of that committee.

Creating contacts as a job

Lobbying is an activity where a person authorised by an interest grouping seeks to influence decisions made for the benefit of the group.

Through lobbying, communities, enterprises, interest groups or groups of citizens try to influence decisions related to them. In the EU there are even professional, efficiently networked lobbyists who are assigned to advocate the interests of various groups.

Related links:
Public sector contact directory JULHA [Population Register Centre]
Search members of parliament [Parliament of Finland]
EU Whoiswho, the official directory of the European Union [Europa]

Updated on October 12, 2006