Suffrage, Gender and Citizenship: International Perspectives on Parliamentary Reforms

In 2006, Finland celebrated the centenary of universal and equal suffrage. The reform in 1906 was radical: women gained the right to vote and to stand as candidates in parliamentary elections. The new rights were immediately used and 19 women were elected to the Parliament. Finland was the third country, after New Zealand and Australia, in which women were admitted to full political citizenship. Norwegian women were also granted political rights before WWI. This publication studies suffrage, citizenship and parliamentary reforms in various socio-political contexts. By highlighting national differences, the collection strives to disperse the universalising trend of research.