FINLAND - The Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman

The Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman is an autonomous institution of the Parliament

headed by the Ombudsman. It has more than 70 employees.

The Parliamentary Ombudsman is a supreme overseer of legality elected by the national

parliament whose duties are set out in the Constitution. The Ombudsman exercises oversight
to ensure that the authorities, public servants and others who perform public tasks obey the
law and fulfil their duties. The Ombudsman has a special focus on the implementation of
good governance and fundamental and human rights. The Parliamentary Ombudsman and
two Deputy-Ombudsmen work independently and have the same powers.

The Ombudsman investigates complaints received by him or her and, based on the results of
the investigation, takes any action he or she finds necessary. The Ombudsman may also
investigate illegalities or shortcomings on his or her own initiative. Every year, the Office of
the Parliamentary Ombudsman receives some 7,000 complaints, which are divided between
legal advisers specialising in different branches of administration for investigation. During an
investigation, the object of the complaint is heard, and information and statements are
requested from the relevant authorities.

The office carries out some 100 inspections of closed institutions, units of the Defence Forces
and offices every year. Shortcomings observed in the course of inspections are subsequently
investigated on the Ombudsman’s own initiative. One of the priorities within the
Parliamentary Ombudsman’s remit is to monitor the implementation of the rights of persons
with disabilities, older people and children.

About 75% of the personnel in the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman are legal
advisers, and about 25% office staff. Complaints are investigated by the three divisions led by
the Ombudsman and the two Deputy-Ombudsmen. The administration division directed by
the Secretary General is responsible for the administrative running of the Office, recording
complaints, customer service, filing and communications.

The Human Rights Centre and its Human Rights Delegation operate in connection with the
Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The Human Rights Centre operates autonomously,
but administratively it is part of the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The
Ombudsman, the Human Rights Centre and the Human Rights Delegation together form the
national Human Rights Institution of Finland in accordance with the UN’s Paris Principles.

Key values jointly defined by the Office personnel are fairness, responsibility and closeness
to people. Working at the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman is motivating and
interesting. The Office has a good working atmosphere and a low hierarchy. The Office
occupies modern and attractive premises on the first floor of the Parliament's annex building,
Pikkuparlamentti.

The next country to introduce the office of Ombudsman after Sweden in 1919
was Finland whose legal system was very close to Sweden’s. Consequently, the
model introduced in Finland was very much similar to the Swedish one. The
powers of the Finnish Ombudsman were more extensive including: the right to
initiate criminal proceedings against chairmen of the supreme and highest
administrative courts of Finland.