1966 Finnish parliamentary election

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1966 Finnish parliamentary election
Flag of Finland 1920-1978 (State).svg
  1962 20–21 March 1966 1970  

All 200 seats in the Parliament of Finland
101 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Rafael-Paasio-1963 (cropped 2).jpg JohannesVirolainen1975 (cropped).jpg Kulo (cropped).JPG
Leader Rafael Paasio Johannes Virolainen Kusti Kulo
Party SDP Centre SKDL
Last election19.50%, 38 seats22.95%, 53 seats22.02%, 47 seats
Seats won554941
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 17Decrease2.svg 4Decrease2.svg 6
Popular vote645,339503,047502,374
Percentage27.23%21.23%21.20%
SwingIncrease2.svg 7.73ppDecrease2.svg 1.72ppDecrease2.svg 0.82pp

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
  Juha-Rihtniemi.jpg Lars Erik Taxell.jpg Voorzitter Juva, Bestanddeelnr 928-1087 (cropped).jpg
Leader Juha Rihtniemi Lars Erik Taxell Mikko Juva
Party National Coalition RKP Liberal People's
Last election15.06%, 32 seats6.11%, 13 seats6.86%, 14 seats
Seats won26119
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 6Decrease2.svg 2Decrease2.svg 5
Popular vote326,928134,831153,259
Percentage13.79%5.69%6.47%
SwingDecrease2.svg 1.27ppDecrease2.svg 0.42ppIncrease2.svg 0.39p

 Seventh partyEighth partyNinth party
  Aarre-Simonen.jpg Veikko Vennamo in 1967 (cropped).jpg
Leader Aarre Simonen Veikko Vennamo
Party TPSL Smallholders' Party ÅS
Last election4.36%, 2 seats2.16%, 0 seats0.32%, 1 seat
Seats won711
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 5Increase2.svg 1Steady2.svg
Popular vote61,27424,3517,118
Percentage2.59%1.03%0.30%
SwingDecrease2.svg 1.77ppDecrease2.svg 1.13ppDecrease2.svg 0.02pp

Prime Minister before election

Johannes Virolainen
Centre

Prime Minister after election

Rafael Paasio
SDP

Parliamentary elections were held in Finland on 20 and 21 March 1966. [1] The Social Democratic Party (SDP) overtook the Centre Party as the largest faction in Parliament. Rafael Paasio of the SDP subsequently became Prime Minister and formed a popular front government consisting of the SDP, the Centre Party, the People's Democratic League (SKDL), and the Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders (TPSL) in May 1966. [2] [3]

Contents

Background

Prior to the elections, Centre Party Prime Minister Johannes Virolainen had led a centre-right coalition government since September 1964. Meanwhile, Paasio had moved the SDP further to the left in order to attract back voters from the TPSL. Finnish society was undergoing a period of radical criticism of traditional values, such as Christianity, marriage, parents' authority over their children, teachers' authority over their students, patriotism, and civil servants' (including judges') authority over private citizens. The Social Democrats and the SKDL tapped into this discontent at the expense of the centre-right coalition. At the same time, leading Social Democrats, such as former Minister of Social Affairs and Minister of the Interior Väinö Leskinen, had promised to support President Kekkonen's foreign policy with regards to the Soviet Union, and his continuance as President.

Results

Overall, the leftist coalition achieved a combined majority (51.0%) of the votes cast in the election.

1966 Eduskunta.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Social Democratic Party 645,33927.2355+17
Centre Party 503,04721.2349–4
Finnish People's Democratic League 502,37421.2041–6
National Coalition Party 326,92813.7926–6
Liberal People's Party 153,2596.479–5
Swedish People's Party 134,8315.6911–2
Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders 61,2742.597+5
Smallholders' Party 24,3511.031+1
Finnish Christian League 10,6460.450New
Åland Coalition 7,1180.3010
Independence Party5130.020New
Christian Women of Western Finland1240.010New
Christian-minded of Northern Savonia300.000New
Others510.000
Write-ins1610.010
Total2,370,046100.002000
Valid votes2,370,04699.64
Invalid/blank votes8,5370.36
Total votes2,378,583100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,800,46184.94
Source: Tilastokeskus 2004 [4]

By electoral district

Finland's 1966 parliamentary election results service Eduskuntavaalit 1966 4.jpg
Finland's 1966 parliamentary election results service
Electoral district Total
seats
Seats won
SDP Kesk SKDL Kok RKP LKP TPSL SPP ÅS
Åland 11
Central Finland 1143211
Häme 14522311
Helsinki 21744321
Kymi15641211
Lapland 101441
North Karelia93411
North Savo1224411
Oulu 1828611
Pirkanmaa 124143
Satakunta 1343321
South Savo1034111
Uusimaa 186232311
Vaasa 2037334
Varsinais-Suomi 165332111
Total20055494126119711
Source: Statistics Finland [5]

References

  1. Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p606 ISBN   978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. Seppo Zetterberg et al (2003) A Small Giant of the Finnish History, WSOY
  3. Allan Tiitta and Seppo Zetterberg (1992) Finland Through the Ages, Reader's Digest
  4. 595. Eduskuntavaalit 1927–2003 (Tilastokeskus 2004)
  5. Suomen virallinen tilasto XXIX A:29: Kansanedustajain vaalit 1966. Statistics Finland. 1966.