Final Report on the Citizen Participation Policy Programme
oikeusministeriö
30.11.2007
Julkaisusarja:
Oikeusministeriön julkaisu 2007:34
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-466-617-6Tiivistelmä
The Citizen Participation Policy Programme was a Finnish national democracy project run in accordance with the Government Programme (2003–2007). It promoted active citizenship, the operation of civil society, exercise of influence by ordinary people and the effective functioning of representative democracy. Several projects promoting citizen participation were implemented under this cross-administrative programme by many different ministries and in cooperation with civil society and the research community.
The most important achievements of the programme were to do with increased efficiency of civic and democracy education, improved interaction between government and civil society, promotion of municipal democracy and improved functioning of municipal councils as well as evaluations of the need for legislative policies.
The Citizen Participation Policy Programme focused particularly on strengthening the knowledge base for democracy and arranging for the permanent collection of related indicator information. The Policy Programme formulated a plan for a democracy policy that will enable the government to promote social participation and influence by citizens as required by the Constitution of Finland.
There is no quick fix available for the problems of Finnish democracy. Sustained efforts to reach common goals are needed instead. This calls for permanent cooperation between ministries as well as cooperation with civil society. In future this process will be coordinated by the Democracy Unit which will be established under the Ministry of Justice.
The most important achievements of the programme were to do with increased efficiency of civic and democracy education, improved interaction between government and civil society, promotion of municipal democracy and improved functioning of municipal councils as well as evaluations of the need for legislative policies.
The Citizen Participation Policy Programme focused particularly on strengthening the knowledge base for democracy and arranging for the permanent collection of related indicator information. The Policy Programme formulated a plan for a democracy policy that will enable the government to promote social participation and influence by citizens as required by the Constitution of Finland.
There is no quick fix available for the problems of Finnish democracy. Sustained efforts to reach common goals are needed instead. This calls for permanent cooperation between ministries as well as cooperation with civil society. In future this process will be coordinated by the Democracy Unit which will be established under the Ministry of Justice.