Heikki Vestman
MP, Chair of the Constitutional Law Committee, Eduskunta
Heikki Vestman is a Member of Parliament and chair of the Finnish Parliament's Constitutional Law Committee. When he appeared on Negotiator in 2025 he explained why in Finland the interpretation of the constitution is decided by an elected committee rather than a court. His argument is structural: whoever interprets the constitution always exercises significant societal power and must take positions on value-laden questions, which is why judicial appointments have become politicised in every country with a constitutional court. The Finnish model locates legitimacy in elected representatives while protecting the courts from politicisation. Vestman is concerned about the juridification of political debate and the inflation of human rights: if everything is legal, there is a risk that soon nothing is.
Topics: Leadership & Governance · Free Speech & Society · Finnish Economy & Policy
Latest English episode: The Finnish constitution | Heikki Vestman | Negotiator 312
