Local government
Various agencies are responsible for local state administration: police departments, enforcement offices and employment and economic development offices. In recent years, the jurisdiction of local authorities has expanded to cover much larger geographical areas, even entire regions. This was the case in 2020, when the former local administrative authorities of the state, the Local Register Offices, were abolished and a joint Digital and Population Data Services Agency of the state was established. It maintains a register of the population and buildings in Finland and produces various digital services. At the beginning of 2023, there were 11 police departments, 65 enforcement offices and 15 employment and economic development offices in our country.
There are a number of other organisations that may exercise governmental power under the supervision of the Government and ministries. For example, the local offices of the Finnish Wildlife Agency issue hunting licenses while the forest management associations oversee tree planting. These organisations form an “intermediary” state administration, providing support to state administration in carrying out certain duties.
The Constitution guarantees municipalities self-government and the right to levy taxes. Municipalities organise, independently or jointly with other municipalities, the public services their residents require. However, in practice, central administration and local authorities work in close co-operation.
The Ministry of Finance has a special role in the development of whole state administration. The Ministry directs the central government financial administration, procurement, human resources policy and real estate and business premises management, among other things.