1994 Finnish presidential election

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1994 Finnish presidential election
Flag of Finland.svg
  1988 16 January 1994 (first round)
6 February 1994 (second round)
2000  
Turnout78.43% (first round)
78.68% (second round)
  Martti Ahtisaari Mantyniemessa (cropped).jpg Elisabeth Rehn 1993.jpg
Candidate Martti Ahtisaari Elisabeth Rehn
Party SDP RKP
Popular vote1,723,4851,476,294
Percentage53.86%46.14%

Finnish presidential election results (first round) by province, 1994.png
  Martti Ahtisaari
  Elisabeth Rehn
  Paavo Väyrynen
  Keijo Korhonen
Finnish presidential election results (second round) by province, 1994.svg
  Martti Ahtisaari
  Elisabeth Rehn

President before election

Mauno Koivisto
SDP

Elected President

Martti Ahtisaari
SDP

Presidential elections were held in Finland on 16 January 1994, with a second round on 6 February. [1] It was the first time the President had been solely and directly elected by a popular vote. Martti Ahtisaari defeated Elisabeth Rehn in the second round. [2]

Contents

Voter turnout was 78.4% in the first round and 78.7% in the second. [3] This was an open presidential election, because the two-term Finnish President, Mauno Koivisto, had refused to seek a third term. His popularity had also clearly declined since Finland entered into a deep economic recession in 1991.

Martti Ahtisaari, a former primary school teacher and a long-time United Nations diplomat, emerged as the frontrunner after winning the Social Democratic presidential primary in the spring of 1993. Having lived abroad for many years during his diplomatic career, he was at first largely unknown to most Finnish voters. On the other hand, he appeared not to be tainted with political scandals or allegations of opportunism, contrary to some of his opponents, especially the Centre Party presidential candidate, Paavo Väyrynen. This was also the first Finnish presidential election to include a popular female candidate. Elisabeth Rehn, the small Swedish People's Party's presidential candidate, appealed to voters through her reputation as a diligent, caring and sincere woman. She was serving as Defence Minister during the election.

Rehn's popularity rose dramatically in early January 1994, helping her defeat her two major bourgeois rivals, Väyrynen and the National Coalition candidate, Raimo Ilaskivi. Väyrynen bitterly blamed the media for scheming to make his support appear to be falling just before the first round of voting. Some Finns voted tactically for Rehn on the first round to eliminate Väyrynen from the second round. Ahtisaari and Rehn agreed on many issues, such as Finland's intention to become a member of the European Union. They disagreed partly on economic issues, with Ahtisaari favouring more economic stimulation and Rehn viewing increased economic stimulus sceptically. The three-week period between the first and second rounds of voting saw Ahtisaari's support rise significantly, and during the final week of campaigning opinion polls showed him leading Rehn. [4] [5] [6] [7]

Candidates

Results

Paavo Lipponen, Eeva and Martti Ahtisaari in the election supervisors Paavo Lipponen seka Eeva ja Martti Ahtisaari vaalivalvojaisissa.jpg
Paavo Lipponen, Eeva and Martti Ahtisaari in the election supervisors
Finland's president Mauno Koivisto with his successor Martti Ahtisaari Finland's president Martti Ahtisaari's inaugural 1994 (JOKAOM13HeV aae-1).tif
Finland's president Mauno Koivisto with his successor Martti Ahtisaari
CandidatePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Martti Ahtisaari Social Democratic Party 828,03825.911,723,48553.86
Elisabeth Rehn Swedish People's Party 702,21121.971,476,29446.14
Paavo Väyrynen Centre Party 623,41519.51
Raimo Ilaskivi National Coalition Party 485,03515.18
Keijo Korhonen Independent186,9365.85
Claes Andersson Left Alliance 122,8203.84
Veltto Virtanen Independent95,6502.99
Eeva Kuuskoski Independent82,4532.58
Toimi Kankaanniemi Christian Democrats 31,4530.98
Sulo Aittoniemi Finnish Rural Party 30,6220.96
Pekka Tiainen  [ fi ]Independent7,3200.23
Total3,195,953100.003,199,779100.00
Valid votes3,195,95399.733,199,77999.53
Invalid/blank votes8,5780.2714,9820.47
Total votes3,204,531100.003,214,761100.00
Registered voters/turnout4,085,62378.434,085,62278.68
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, Seppänen [8]

By province

First round

Province Martti Ahtisaari Elisabeth Rehn Paavo Väyrynen Raimo Ilaskivi Keijo Korhonen Claes Andersson Pertti Virtanen Eeva Kuuskoski Toimi Kankaanniemi Sulo Aittoniemi Pekka Tiainen ElectorateVotesValidInvalid
Southern Savonia 30,50417,13529,49914,8685,7721,7432,7612,7691,6711,002116135,687108,155107,840315
Northern Savonia 38,03727,17644,20116,95013,9505,4963,8434,6391,7171,495316199,494158,201157,820381
North Karelia 31,99014,25025,27413,78110,0251,8742,8863,4151,6011,089181136,007106,645106,366279
Kainuu 7,8244,65913,8574,03924,0562,5019811,10537724716172,98259,95759,807150
Uusimaa 202,936243,11957,044140,85026,16531,38223,52017,5274,5924,2841,735903,287754,803753,1541,649
Eastern Uusimaa 13,17724,5615,3585,7061,5181,3321,34487433531411565,49754,71254,63478
Southwest Finland 73,46856,59544,45449,35513,07712,2128,33610,8031,8642,665950333,960274,512273,779733
Tavastia Proper 33,32118,84115,91919,7294,8013,5003,6312,4521,0361,376230127,679105,206104,836370
Päijänne Tavastia 35,01426,66717,54623,7566,0873,9923,8862,8231,5331,395278154,166123,328122,977351
Kymenlaakso 40,34525,76619,48419,6275,2262,9314,4322,6881,1481,204175152,635123,379123,026353
South Karelia 27,75915,97220,03513,9613,9641,4392,8552,0851,11383697110,68790,41890,116302
Central Finland 46,26522,41740,02617,14711,1206,9625,2545,0493,5991,542242197,538160,106159,623483
Southern Ostrobothnia 19,69012,20955,28121,3127,1032,3963,7042,4012,0551,545185152,638128,185127,881304
Ostrobothnia 20,40353,42815,7929,5062,6253,4091,9251,5421,135413143131,449110,572110,321251
Satakunta 45,67822,24531,36626,5909,1138,4514,7443,7721,7912,085321191,434156,661156,156505
Pirkanmaa 75,41052,24336,61150,50815,93314,54711,4607,2602,9165,714982333,374274,420273,584836
Central Ostrobothnia 7,9418,25017,0174,0452,8581,4151,2788896195855252,89445,08144,949132
Northern Ostrobothnia 43,99026,72576,27819,98716,6379,2745,6585,9841,4271,835493252,472208,853208,288565
Lapland 26,54312,85654,86210,1776,2007,1742,8063,543674839474151,563126,563126,148415
Åland 1,41210,4598621484910816805914618,88513,27013,21357
Source: European Election Database Archived 2021-06-24 at the Wayback Machine

Second round

Province Martti Ahtisaari Elisabeth Rehn ElectorateVotesValidInvalid
Southern Savonia 56,90450,551135,687107,966107,455511
Northern Savonia 85,21872,608199,494158,527157,826701
North Karelia 61,23945,910136,007107,648107,149499
Kainuu 31,19024,94472,98256,52156,134387
Uusimaa 405,872350,232903,287759,479756,1043,375
Eastern Uusimaa 24,44530,79565,49755,40955,240169
Southwest Finland 156,749118,022333,960276,025274,7711,254
Tavastia Proper 61,19344,596127,679106,316105,789527
Päijänne Tavastia 71,54652,574154,166124,720124,120600
Kymenlaakso 74,89850,008152,635125,440124,906534
South Karelia 50,66739,902110,68791,00890,569439
Central Finland 93,63765,665197,538160,106159,302804
Southern Ostrobothnia 46,70676,407152,638123,899123,113786
Ostrobothnia 41,26571,028131,449112,656112,293363
Satakunta 94,84462,493191,434158,070157,337733
Pirkanmaa 164,619109,400333,374275,349274,0191,330
Central Ostrobothnia 18,14425,97752,89444,33244,121211
Northern Ostrobothnia 104,482101,687252,472207,109206,169940
Lapland 67,19655,695151,563123,570122,891679
Åland 2,53111,45018,88414,02813,98147
Source: European Election Database Archived 2021-06-24 at the Wayback Machine

References

  1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p606 ISBN   978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. Arter, David (1994). "The 1994 Finnish presidential election: Honesty was not the best policy!". West European Politics. 17 (4): 190–192. doi:10.1080/01402389408425049. ISSN   0140-2382.
  3. Nohlen & Stöver, p632
  4. Timo Vihavainen, "The Welfare Finland" (Hyvinvointi-Suomi), pgs. 902-903 in Seppo Zetterberg et al., eds., A Small Giant of the Finnish History / Suomen historian pikkujättiläinen. Helsinki: WSOY, 2003
  5. Olavi Jouslehto&Jaakko Okker, From Tamminiemi To Mäntyniemi (Tamminiemestä Mäntyniemeen), pgs. 140-155. Porvoo: WSOY, 2000
  6. Tapani Ruokanen, On a Journey: Martti Ahtisaari's Story / Matkalla. Martti Ahtisaaren tarina. Helsinki: Otava Ltd., 2009, pgs. 182-191, 197-200, 204-205, 247-256
  7. What-Where-When: A Citizen's Yearbook (Mitä-Missä-Milloin - Kansalaisen vuosikirja) 1994 and 1995. Helsinki: Otava Ltd., 1993 and 1994
  8. Seppänen, Timo. "Eduskunnan kynnys on korkea pienpuolueille". Yle . Retrieved 5 September 2022.