The Church Synod celebrated its 150th anniversary during its May 2026 session week in Turku.
During the session week, the Church Synod approved amendments to the Church Order that enable a new voting method in archbishop and bishop elections. In the transferable vote system, voting is done by writing the candidates’ names on the ballot in order of preference. There is only one round of voting. The result is calculated in several stages by eliminating the candidates with the fewest votes at each stage and transferring their votes, based on next preferences, to the remaining candidates. Ultimately, the candidate who receives more than half of the votes is elected.
The Church Synod proposes that the Government amend the Church Act so that its provisions take into account the legislative project “Easier Management for the Relatives of the Deceased” (EOAVH), which concerns electronic transactions for estates of the deceased.
At its meeting, the Church Synod also approved amendments to the Church Order and a new set of rules for the Church Council, ensuring that they align with the organizational guidelines decided in the Church Council reform. These regulations will enter into force on 1 January 2027. The administrative structure of the Church Council has been reformed to operate efficiently and appropriately following change negotiations that resulted in a permanent reduction of three million euros in operating expenses.
The Church Synod also adopted a new set of procedural rules. A new feature is the possibility to hold discussions on topical issues.
The Church Synod assigned tasks related to promoting forest biodiversity to the Church Council.
This translation was produced using artificial intelligence.