The Finnish Parliament has started its 2008 spring season. On February 4th, the Parliament elected the Speaker and two deputy speakers. The Speaker of the Parliament is Mr. Sauli Niinistö. First deputy speaker is Seppo Kääriäinen and second deputy speaker is Johannes Koskinen. The 2008 parliamentary session was officially opened on Tuesday, the 5th of February.

The parliament has approved an amendment to the Universities and Polytechnics Act. The amendment provides the universities and polytechnics right to organize made-to-order degree education for citizens outside the European Economic Area. Made-to-order education may be arranged for a group but not for individual students. The education can be purchased by a legal person under private or public law, such as a limited company, an association, a foundation or a state, a municipality or a municipal consortium.

The Parliament of Finland participated in celebrating Finland's 90 years of Independence by convening to a jubilee session on December 5th. Finland gained independence on December 6th, 1917. The unicameral Parliament of Finland is even older: Finland adopted a new Parliament Act in 1906, while still an autonomous part of Russia. This act gave all adult Finns the right to vote as well as the right to stand for election. The first parliamentary elections were consequently held in March 1907.