Autonomy of the Åland Islands

Gudmundur Alfredsson, S.J.D. (1982), Harvard Law School, is Senior Associate of the Stefansson Arctic Institute in Iceland.Göran Lindholm, LL.B., former Legal Director at Åland Lagting and Head of Administration at Åland Government.

“... little is known about this autonomy [of the Aland Islands] and therefore this edited book by seasoned experts like Gudmundur Alfredsson and Göran Lindholm fills a gap in a very competent and refreshing way.... On a whole, this reviewer found that this book not only contains a most valuable analysis of the Alands Islands autonomy system but it addresses also many issues of general importance for minority protection and autonomy rules. It can therefore be stated that this book is mandatory reading for anyone interested in minority and autonomy issues.”Peter Hilpold, europa ethnica, 2025 Issue 1-2.

• ContentsNotes on ContributorsIntroductionGudmundur Alfredsson and Göran Lindholm1 The Åland Islands Autonomy ParadoxBjarne Lindström2 Constitutional Status of the Åland Islands: Expectations and DemandsGöran Lindholm3 The Legislative Control of Åland LawsGöran Lindholm4 Legislative Competence in Matters Not Mentioned in EnumerationsMarkku Suksi5 Finland’s Specific Obligations Relating to Åland’s Autonomy under International and National LawLauri Hannikainen6 International Procedural Safeguards for the Åland Islands’ Autonomy? Some Reflections on the (Re-)Activation of a League of Nations MechanismRainer Hofmann and Moritz Malkmus7 On the Expression “The Special Status of Åland under International Law” – a Formula with PotentialOve Bring8 The Demilitarisation and Neutralisation of the Åland Islands: Customary Law AspectsAllan Rosas9 The Right of Self-Determination of Peoples in the Light of the Åland Islands AgreementThe Jurisprudence of the Human Rights Committee and Other BodiesAlfred de Zaya’s10 International Standards on Minority AutonomyGudmundur Alfredsson11 Minorities and Group RightsHuman Rights Complaints at Regional Organisations by Individuals, Groups and or Other States – the Council of EuropeFredrik Sundberg12 A Short Exploration of the Nexus of Autonomy, Culture & SecuritySia Spiliopoulou Åkermark13 Autonomy from an OSCE Perspective: Updating an Earlier Optimistic PictureLars-Erik Lundin14 The Åland Islands and European Union Law: Current Issues and PerspectivesRainer Hofmann, Alexander Heger and Moritz Malkmus15 Autonomy Representation in the European Parliament, Council and CommissionJulia Lindholm and Elisabeth F. Rasmussen16 Access to and Relevant International Issues at the Council of Europe and the Organisation of Security and Co-Operation in EuropeKrzysztof Drzewicki17 The Right to Language in International Human Rights Law: Åland Islands and Other Finnish MinoritiesReetta Toivanen18 Language Discrimination in Europe – Surprisingly Strict and Promising Lessons from FinlandAxel Hjo19 International Relations of the Åland IslandsAssessments and Ambitions as Expressed by the Parliament’s Autonomy CommitteeSusann Simolin20 Military Service and NATO MembershipGun-Mari Lindholm21 Åland: Sport Organisations and Sport EventsBogi Eliasen22 The Stalled Faroese Constitutional Project: Lessons to Be LearnedBárður LarsenBibliographySelected InstrumentsIndex