1908 Finnish parliamentary election

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1908 Finnish parliamentary election
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←  1907 1–2 July 1908 1909  →
All 200 seats in the Parliament of Finland
101 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Edvard Valpas.jpg Blank.png
Leader Edvard Valpas-Hänninen
Party Social Democratic Finnish Young Finnish
Last election37.03%, 80 seats27.34%, 59 seats13.65%, 26 seats
Seats won835526
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 3Decrease2.svg 4Steady2.svg
Popular vote310,826205,892115,201
Percentage38.40%25.44%14.23%
SwingIncrease2.svg 1.37ppDecrease2.svg 1.90ppIncrease2.svg 0.58pp
 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
  Axel Lille in 1906 (cropped).jpg Otto Karhi 1907.jpg Antti Kaarne 1909.png
Leader Axel Lille Otto Karhi Antti Kaarne
Party Swedish People's Agrarian SKrTL
Last election12.60%, 24 seats5.75%, 9 seats1.55%, 2 seats
Seats won24102
Seat changeSteady2.svgIncrease2.svg 1Steady2.svg
Popular vote103,14651,75618,848
Percentage12.74%5.75%2.33%
SwingIncrease2.svg 0.14ppIncrease2.svg 0.64ppIncrease2.svg 0.78pp

Parliamentary elections were held in the Grand Duchy of Finland on 1 and 2 July 1908.

Contents

Background

The Russian Tsar Nicholas II dissolved the first modern and democratic Finnish Parliament after its Speaker, Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, refused, in the Tsar's opinion, to show enough respect for him when speaking at the parliamentary session's opening. In 1908, the Russian government restarted its Russification policy in Finland, limiting Finnish self-government.

Campaign

Most Finns, including most Finnish parliamentarians, opposed the Russification, but disagreed on the means to effectively oppose it. The Social Democratic Party's supporters hoped for positive results from their party's work in Parliament, such as the growing prosperity of workers and tenant farmers, but would be disappointed during the next several elections. The other parliamentary parties, with the partial exception of the Agrarians, considered the Social Democrats' demands, such as an eight-hour workday, too radical to be implemented while Finland was trying to save its self-government. Parliament had no official control over the government, which was responsible only to the Tsar and to the Governor-General. Parliament's legislative power was also limited by the Tsar's ability to veto its laws, without a time limit on his consideration whether to veto the laws or not. [1] [2]

Results

Finnish Parliament 1908-1909.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Social Democratic Party 310,82638.4083+3
Finnish Party 205,89225.4455–4
Young Finnish Party 115,20114.23260
Swedish People's Party 103,14612.74240
Agrarian League 51,7566.3910+1
Christian Workers' Union 18,8482.3320
Others3,7720.470–
Total809,441100.002000
Valid votes809,44199.03
Invalid/blank votes7,8960.97
Total votes817,337100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,269,17764.40
Source: Mackie & Rose [3]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1919 Finnish parliamentary election</span>

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References

  1. ↑ Seppo Zetterberg et al., eds., A Small Giant of the Finnish History / Suomen historian pikkujattilainen, Helsinki: WSOY, 2003
  2. ↑ Allan Tiitta and Seppo Zetterberg, eds., Finland Through the Ages / Suomi kautta aikojen, Helsinki: Reader's Digest Ltd., 1992
  3. ↑ Thomas T. Mackie & Richard Rose (1991) The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan, p243 (vote figures)
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