The Nordic Council is the official body for formal inter-parliamentary Nordic cooperation among the Nordic countries. Established in 1952, it is the official inter-parliamentary body for Nordic cooperation, comprising 87 representatives from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and as well as from the autonomous areas of the the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland.
History[]
During WWII, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden were occupied by Germany, the Soviet Union, and Sweden. Following the war, Nordic countries sought a Scandinavian defense union, but Finland, due to its neutrality policy and FCMA treaty with the USSR, couldn't participate.
Nordic cooperation failed, leading to the proposal of a consultative interparliamentary body by Danish Prime Minister Hans Hedtoft in 1951. This was agreed upon by Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden in Copenhagen on March 15-16, 1952.[1][2][3] The council's first session was held in 1953, electing Hedtoft as president. Finland joined the council in 1955 after thawing Finnish-Soviet relations after Joseph Stalin's death.[4][5]
Members[]
The Nordic Council comprises five sovereign states and three associate members, each governing self-governing regions of full member states.
| Member name | Parliament | Membership | Membership status | Members | Represented since |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finland | Eduskunta (Riksdagen) | Full | Sovereign state | 20 | 1955 |
| Sweden | Riksdag | 1952 | |||
| Denmark | Folketing | ||||
| Norway | Storting | ||||
| Iceland | Alþingi | 7 | |||
| Greenland | Inatsisartut | Associate | Self-governing regions of Denmark | 2 (each) out of Denmark's 20 | 1984 |
| Faroe Islands | Løgting | 1970 | |||
| Åland | Lagting | Self-governing region of Finland | 2 out of Finland's 20 |
References[]
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20140330201905/http://www.norden.org/en/nordic-council/the-nordic-council/the-history-of-the-nordic-council/before-1952
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20221228213145/https://www.norden.org/en/news/70-years-nordic-council-still-delivering-nordic-synergies
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20221228213149/https://www.norden.org/en/information/history-nordic-council
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20140330201909/http://www.norden.org/en/nordic-council/the-nordic-council/the-history-of-the-nordic-council/1953-1971
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20221228213151/https://svjt.se/svjt/1956/601
