政一B 邱科翰 (2-3)

姓名 : 邱科翰

班級 : 政一B

學號 : 07114248

[標題] Finland's government resigns over failed healthcare reform

[內文] Finland's entire government has resigned over its failure to achieve a key policy goal on social welfare and healthcare reform.

Prime Minister Juha Sipila said he was "hugely disappointed" in the outcome.

Finland's extensive welfare systems are under financial pressure as the nation's population ages, yet reform plans remain politically controversial.

Mr Sipila's government is expected to stay on in a caretaker capacity until a planned election in April.

Some political opponents questioned the need for the high-profile resignation of the Centre Party government with just weeks to go until the election.

But Antti Kaikkonen, a senior member of the Centre Party, defended the decision, which was taken after it became clear the party could not achieve its goals.

"If anyone asks what political responsibility means, then I would say that this is an example," he tweeted.

Mr Sipila, a former IT entrepreneur who made millions before entering politics, had previously said he would consider resigning if his primary reform policy failed.

The government had hoped its planned reforms would save up to €3bn (£2.6bn) over the next decade.

What is Finland's healthcare problem?

Like many developed nations, Finland has an ageing population that is putting financial pressure on its social welfare systems.

As an increasing number of people live longer in retirement, the cost of providing pension and healthcare benefits can rise. Those increased costs are paid for by taxes collected from of the working-age population – who make up a smaller percentage of the population than in decades past.

In 2018, those aged 65 or over made up 21.4% of Finland's population, the fourth highest after Germany, Portugal, Greece, and Italy, according to Eurostat.

Finland's welfare system is also generous in its provisions, making it relatively expensive. Attempts at reform have plagued Finnish governments for years.

Mr Sipila’s proposed solutions included creating regional authorities for health and welfare services, rather than the local municipalities that currently manage the system, and offering including private companies in the healthcare system to a greater extent to offer "freedom of choice".

Mr Sipila's government also famously experimented with a guaranteed minimum income scheme – giving €560 (£480) a month to 2,000 unemployed people as a basic income with no conditions attached.

Initial results suggested the pilot scheme left people happier, but still unemployed.

Mr Sipila's Centre Party has been in a centre-right coalition government since 2015. Since a 2017 re-negotiation, the government has been formed of the Centre Party, the National Coalition, and Blue Reform.

The opposition Social Democrats have taken the lead in recent polls by several percentage points.

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[相關憲法條文]

憲法第三十五條 : 總統為國家元首，對外代表中華民國。

憲法第三十六條 : 總統統率全國陸海空軍。

憲法第四十條 : 總統依法行使大赦、特赦、減刑及復權之權。

憲法第四十一條 : 總統依法任免文武官員。

憲法第五十三條 : 行政院為國家最高行政機關。

憲法第五十六條 : 行政院副院長，各部會首長及不管部會之政務委員，由行政院院長提請總統任命之。

憲法第六十三條 : 立法院有議決法律案、預算案、戒嚴案、大赦案、宣戰案、媾和案、條約案及國家其他重要事項之權。

憲法增修條文第三條 (節選) : 行政院院長由總統任命之。

行政院依左列規定，對立法院負責，憲法第五十七條之規定，停止適用：

一、行政院有向立法院提出施政方針及施政報告之責。立法委員在開會時，有向行政院院長及行政院各部會首長質詢之權。

二、行政院對於立法院決議之法律案、預算案、條約案，如認為有窒礙難行時，得經總統之核可，於該決議案送達行政院十日內，移請立法院覆議。立法院對於行政院移請覆議案，應於送達十五日內作成決議。

如為休會期間，立法院應於七日內自行集會，並於開議十五日內作成決議。覆議案逾期未議決者，原決議失效。覆議時，如經全體立法委員二分之一以上決議維持原案，行政院院長應即接受該決議。

三、立法院得經全體立法委員三分之一以上連署，對行政院院長提出不信任案。不信任案提出七十二小時後，應於四十八小時內以記名投票表決之。如經全體立法委員二分之一以上贊成，行政院院長應於十日內提出辭職，並得同時呈請總統解散立法院；不信任案如未獲通過，一年內不得對同一行政院院長再提不信任案。

憲法增修條文第十條 (節選) : 國家應推行全民健康保險，並促進現代和傳統醫藥之研究發展。

國家對於身心障礙者之保險與就醫、無障礙環境之建構、教育訓練與就業輔導及生活維護與救助，應予保障，並扶助其自立與發展。

國家應重視社會救助、福利服務、國民就業、社會保險及醫療保健等社會福利工作，對於社會救助和國民就業等救濟性支出應優先編列。

[相關法條] The Constitution of Finland

Chapter 1, Section 3 (節選) : The legislative powers are exercised by the Parliament, which shall also decide on State finances. 

The governmental powers are exercised by the President of the Republic and the Government, the members of which shall have the confidence of the Parliament. 

Chapter 5, Section 58 (節選) : The President of the Republic makes decisions in Government on the basis of motions proposed by the Government. 

If the President does not make the decision in accordance with the motion proposed by the Government, the matter is returned to the Government for preparation. In such a case, in matters other than those concerning confirmation of an Act or appointment to an office or position, the Government may present to the Parliament a report on the matter. Thereafter, the matter will be decided in accordance with the position adopted by the Parliament on the basis of the report, if this is proposed by the Government. (1112/2011, entry into force 1.3.2012) 

Notwithstanding the provision in paragraph (1), the President makes decisions on the following matters without a motion from the Government: 

(1) The appointment of the Government or a Minister, as well as the acceptance of the resignation of the Government or a Minister;
(2) The issuance of an order concerning extraordinary parliamentary elections;
(3) Presidential pardons and other matters, as specifically laid down by Acts, concerning private individuals or matters not requiring consideration in a plenary meeting of the Government; and 

(4) Matters referred to in the Act on the Autonomy of the Åland Islands, other than those relating to the finances of the Åland Islands. 

The appropriate Minister presents matters to the President. However, the appropriate government rapporteur presents a proposal concerning the alteration of the composition of the Government, where this concerns the entire Government. 

Chapter 5, Section 61 (節選) : The Parliament elects the Prime Minister, who is thereafter appointed to the office by the President of the Republic. The President appoints the other Ministers in accordance with a proposal made by the Prime Minister. 

Chapter 5, Section 64 (節選) : The President of the Republic grants, upon request, the resignation of the Government or a Minister. The President may also grant the resignation of a Minister on the proposal of the Prime Minister. 

The President shall in any event dismiss the Government or a Minister, if either no longer enjoys the confidence of Parliament, even if no request is made. 

Chapter 5, Section 65 (節選) : The Government has the duties specifically provided in this Constitution, as well as the other governmental and administrative duties which have been assigned to the Government or a Minister or which have not been attributed to the competence of the President of the Republic or another public authority. 

Chapter 5, Section 66 (節選) : The Prime Minister directs the activities of the Government and oversees the preparation and consideration of matters that come within the mandate of the Government. The Prime Minister chairs the plenary meetings of the Government. 

The Prime Minister represents Finland on the European Council. Unless the Government exceptionally decides otherwise, the Prime Minister also represents Finland in other activities of the European Union requiring the participation of the highest level of State. 

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心得評論：

The focus this week would be the role and differences between the heads of executive of Finland and Taiwan. 

Finland used to have a semi-presidential system, with vast amount of power vested in the president, the head of state elected by universal suffrage. Since its new constitution went into force, however, the power of the president has declined. The prime minister serve as the head of government and is selected by parliament. By contrast, the premier of the ROC (Taiwan) is appointed by the president, and the legislative have no say in this process. 

While the constitution of Finland clearly defines the boundaries in which the president could exercise his/her power (ex. International relations outside of EU, commander-in-chief of the defence forces, emergency powers, etc.), thus leaving the prime minister to deal with the rest, Taiwan has a very different legal structure to define the relationship between the head of state and government. The president of Taiwan directly appoints the premier without the need for approval, making many observers believe that the premier is nothing more than the president’s right hand man, operating in accord with the president’s will. Even though the premier is, in theory, responsible to the legislative and shall have its confidence, some may argue that the likes of the president outweighs the legislative in reality. 

While the prime minister of Finland quit because his administration couldn’t push through reforms, the reason for the ousting of a premier in Taiwan could vary. It may be party politics, a way to cover up the president’s failed campaign promises, or due to ideological differences between the premier and its appointer. The prime minister of Finland is, without a doubt, the de facto leader in his/her country, while the premier of Taiwan is stuck somewhere between the legislative and the president, without its boundaries of power and position in the political system clearly defined.