Some Finnish MPs stumble over unofficial citizenship test

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When put to the test, Finnish Members of Parliament could get no more than a "satisfactory" mark in an unofficial test of citizenship that Helsingin Sanomat compiled.
      A total of 11 MPs were tested, all of them members or deputy members in the Parliamentary Administration Committee, dealing with foreigners’ affairs.
      The HS citizenship test consisted of 15 multiple-choice questions.
     
The questions had been copied from similar tests arranged for would-be citizens in other countries. In order to pass the test one has to give the right answers to 70 percent of the questions. Only seven out of the total of 11 tested MPs passed the test.
      Some gaps in these MPs' knowledge of their country were surprising. Almost half of the respondents did not know precisely who is liable for military service in Finland.
      None of the eleven got all the answers right, and just two of the questions - including naming the Finnish head of state - were answered correctly by all of them.
     
Finland does not have a test for foreign citizens who wish to apply for Finnish citizenship, and neither is such a test under consideration, while similar examinations are arranged in many other countries.
      In Europe, a would-be citizen has to pass a test at least in Estonia, Latvia, Great Britain, and in Holland.
      Apart from the conscription topic, another difficult question appeared to be Tiernapojat, a traditional Finnish Christmas mystery play. More than half of respondents did not know the origin of this tradition.
      Moreover, the test also revealed - somewhat shockingly - that three MPs apparently believe that pensions are exempt from taxes.
      In addition, four respondents did not recognize Finland’s national anthem among alternative verses given. One wonders what they have been singing all these years.
      Social security, everyman’s rights, and children’s rights appeared to be the most difficult topics.
     
More than 13,000 foreign citizens moved into Finland last year, while the number of permanent foreign residents in the country is more than 120,000.
      Last year the Government of Finland approved an immigration policy programme, the purpose of which is to actively promote work-related immigration.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Ministry of Labour: Government approved immigration policy programme (19.10.2006)

See also:
  Kelpaatko Suomen kansalaiseksi? Take the test yourself (In Finnish)

Helsingin Sanomat