Finnish male MPs have wandering hands

HELSINKI (AFP) - Male members of Finland's parliament have wandering hands, according to an internal report on sexual harassment in the country's political assembly published on Thursday.

One in three female employees at the Eduskunta, or parliament, said they had received inappropriate comments from male colleagues, 15 percent had been subjected to improper advances and seven percent had received proposals to have sex.

In four of 10 cases, the advances or comments were made by an MP, according to the survey of 680 employees of the parliament.

"I hope that all of the MPs are aware of their responsibility and understand that such behaviour is unacceptable," the speaker of parliament, Sauli Niinistoe, told public broadcaster Yle.

"The situation is neither better nor worse than in other workplaces, but zero tolerance will be the rule," he said.

The Finnish parliament, which is expected to adopt measures to combat sexual harassment, has the second-highest female representation in the world after Sweden.

In March 2007 legislative elections, 84 women were elected to the 200 seats, representing 42 percent of MPs.