Finland celebrates 100 years of Parliament

Photo: Finland celebrates 100 years of Parliament

Parliament's 100th anniversary celebrations began with the unveiling of a medal to commemorate the occasion, and a presentation of medals of honor to two former presidents and President Tarja Halonen, Finland's first female head of state who was re-elected for a second six-year term in January.

After 700 years of Swedish rule, Finland was annexed to Russia in 1809 when Sweden lost a war to Finland's huge eastern neighbor.

But czarist rulers granted the country wide autonomy, and in 1906 a law was enacted giving all citizens the right to vote and full political rights to women, the first country in the world to do so. A year later, 19 women were elected into the 200-member single chamber, and women have continued to play an important political role in the egalitarian Nordic nation.

In 1893, New Zealand became the first country permitting women to vote, but it initially did not allow them to compete in elections, the AP reports.

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja said Finland was among "the most advanced (nations) in gender equality."

Halonen, lawmakers and other politicians attended a church service Thursday morning at the Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral. Later, some 300 foreign guests representing 50 countries joined the celebrations at a special session of Parliament.

In the evening, lawmakers attend a concert at the National Opera.