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Open Ministry Crowdsources Laws In Finland

Posted by samzenpus on from the power-of-the-group dept.

First time accepted submitter emakinen writes "The new Citizens' Initiative service started today in Finland. On the Open Ministry website, anyone can present an idea for a law or initiative. If the idea wins enough support, the ministry's volunteer workers will work on it and turn it into a presentable bill for the MPs to chew over. If 50,000 citizens of voting age agree on a bill Parliament has to take it up."

7 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. The only drawback by buchner.johannes · · Score: 5, Funny

    The only drawback there are only 49,000 citizens.

    --
    NB: The message above might reflect my opinion right now, but not necessarily tomorrow or next year.
  2. Although nobody is yet able to register support... by solarissmoke · · Score: 5, Informative

    There is, however, one obstacle that the Open Ministry and the entire citizens’ initiative law is already facing.

    The Ministry of Justice should have a website where people can sign the initiatives. To be legally valid, the signing of an initiative requires a bank identifier code or some other form of accepted online signature to prove the signee is who he or she says he is.

    The Ministry of Justice has not even commenced the constructing of such a system. It will not be up and running before the end of the year at the earliest.

  3. Copyright and patent laws reform, here I come by Gaygirlie · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This thing could very likely be used for the purposes of doing a complete patent and copyright system reform in small steps. I personally do not seek to completely abolish either, but I wish to bring both of them down to a maximum of 10 years so that people who patent stuff will actually have to also start utilizing their patents and not just hoard them, and copyrights won't keep on benefiting the creator for several lifetimes without them having to do any work ever again.

    Do we have any Finns around here on /. that agree? I'm just curious.

  4. This has been around for a while by hammeraxe · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Something similar has been running in Latvia for a while now. People can sign online petitions that are submitted to the parliament if they get enough signatures. The identity verification is done by logging in with your bank details (as there is no official electronic ID as of now). Some of the successful initiatives include tighter tax control for shady offshore companies and stricter control of whether MPs actually obey their vows.

  5. Re:That democracy doesn't work. by speedwaystar · · Score: 5, Insightful

    you noticed the bit where it said "Parliament has to consider the proposition," not "the proposition automatically becomes law", didn't you?

  6. Re:Although nobody is yet able to register support by Luckyo · · Score: 4, Informative

    So I will sign with my banking credentials (pretty much everyone has them here nowadays, they're offered for pretty much any new bank account). You just get a series of links containing "confirm your identity with your bank", click your bank, it takes you to the page of your bank where you enter your banking credentials and confirm that you want to be recognised by that site.

    Whole process takes about 30 seconds.

  7. Re:All land between the lines on roads world wide by Luckyo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    In Finland, the most right wing party advertises itself as a "champion of welfare state". They're not really, but even they have to pay at least lip service.

    We understand what we pay our taxes for. We have one of the most politically stable, safe, competitive and equal countries in the world. US-style unequal society is viewed with derision at best.