1966 Finnish parliamentary election

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]

1966 Finnish parliamentary election

← 1962 20–21 March 1966 1970 →

All 200 seats in the Parliament of Finland
101 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Rafael Paasio Johannes Virolainen Kusti Kulo
Party SDP Centre SKDL
Last election 19.50%, 38 seats 22.95%, 53 seats 22.02%, 47 seats
Seats won 55 49 41
Seat change Increase 17 Decrease 4 Decrease 6
Popular vote 645,339 503,047 502,374
Percentage 27.23% 21.23% 21.20%
Swing Increase 7.73pp Decrease 1.72pp Decrease 0.82pp

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Juha Rihtniemi Lars Erik Taxell Mikko Juva
Party National Coalition RKP Liberal People's
Last election 15.06%, 32 seats 6.11%, 13 seats 6.86%, 14 seats
Seats won 26 11 9
Seat change Decrease 6 Decrease 2 Decrease 5
Popular vote 326,928 134,831 153,259
Percentage 13.79% 5.69% 6.47%
Swing Decrease 1.27pp Decrease 0.42pp Increase 0.39p

  Seventh party Eighth party Ninth party
 
Leader Aarre Simonen Veikko Vennamo
Party TPSL Smallholders' Party ÅS
Last election 4.36%, 2 seats 2.16%, 0 seats 0.32%, 1 seat
Seats won 7 1 1
Seat change Increase 5 Increase 1 Steady
Popular vote 61,274 24,351 7,118
Percentage 2.59% 1.03% 0.30%
Swing Decrease 1.77pp Decrease 1.13pp Decrease 0.02pp

Prime Minister before election

Johannes Virolainen
Centre

Prime Minister after election

Rafael Paasio
SDP

Background

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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

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

 
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Social Democratic Party645,33927.2355+17
Centre Party503,04721.2349–4
Finnish People's Democratic League502,37421.2041–6
National Coalition Party326,92813.7926–6
Liberal People's Party153,2596.479–5
Swedish People's Party134,8315.6911–2
Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders61,2742.597+5
Smallholders' Party24,3511.031+1
Finnish Christian League10,6460.450New
Åland Coalition7,1180.3010
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

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Finland's 1966 parliamentary election results service
Electoral district Total
seats
Seats won
SDP Kesk SKDL Kok RKP LKP TPSL SPP ÅS
Åland 1 1
Central Finland 11 4 3 2 1 1
Häme 14 5 2 2 3 1 1
Helsinki 21 7 4 4 3 2 1
Kymi 15 6 4 1 2 1 1
Lapland 10 1 4 4 1
North Karelia 9 3 4 1 1
North Savo 12 2 4 4 1 1
Oulu 18 2 8 6 1 1
Pirkanmaa 12 4 1 4 3
Satakunta 13 4 3 3 2 1
South Savo 10 3 4 1 1 1
Uusima 18 6 2 3 2 3 1 1
Vaasa 20 3 7 3 3 4
Varsinais-Suomi 16 5 3 3 2 1 1 1
Total 200 55 49 41 26 11 9 7 1 1
Source: Statistics Finland[5]

References

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  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.