Incentive given to female candidates in Parliamentary elections (TAS 291/2012)

The Ombudsman for Equality was contacted by a client who considered that the Finnish Equality Act had been violated because the women's organisation of a political party had given EUR 100 to the party's female candidates at Parliamentary elections.

The Ombudsman for Equality pointed out in her statement that associations are regulated by the Constitution of Finland and the Associations Act. The basis of the freedom of association comprises the associations' internal right of self-determination and freedom of action, the autonomy of associations. By virtue of its right of self-determination, an association is entitled, in principle, to freely arrange its organisation and other internal affairs. Thus associations can adopt such rules as they desire and select their members accordingly.

The women's organisation in question is the party's nationwide, registered women's organisation. According to the rules of the association, an individual member of the organisation must be a woman who is a member of the party. The rules of the party's women's organisation state that the association can support its members who are candidates on the party's candidate lists in general elections. Since the women's organisation of the party in question was allowed to support its own members in election work according to its rules, the Ombudsman for Equality considered that the procedure could not be regarded as a violation of the Equality Act.

08.07.2014