Parliamentary election in Estonia in 1932

The winner of the election, Konstantin Päts of the Unified Farmers' Party (Ühinenud Põllumeeste Erakond)

Jaan Tõnisson , the leader of the National Center Party (Rahvuslik Keskerakond)

The Estonian parliamentary elections in 1932 took place from May 21 to 23. It was the elections for the fifth term of the Estonian Parliament ( Riigikogu ) after the adoption of the Estonian Constitution of 1920.

Election date

The clashes in the election campaign were dominated by the global economic crisis , which began in November 1929 and had serious effects on Estonia since the early 1930s . Falling export prices for Estonian agricultural and industrial products, high unemployment, currency turbulence of the Estonian kroon and social distribution conflicts were the result.

Consolidation of the party landscape

Before the parliamentary elections of May 1932, at the end of the fourth parliamentary term, the economic crisis led to a consolidation of the Estonian party system and a pooling of party forces:

• On October 29, 1931, the Estonian People's Party (Eesti Rahvaerakond) and the Christian People's Party (Kristlik Rahvaerakond) merged .

• On January 29, 1932, the party united with the Estonian Labor Party (Eesti Tööerakond) to form the National Center Party (Rahvuslik Keskerakond) . The faction of “house owners, merchants, industrialists and other supporters of private property” (Majaomanikud, kaupmehed, töösturid ja teised eraomandust pooldajad) also joined it on February 5th .

• On January 26, 1932, the two factions of the " Association of Farmers " (Põllumeeste Kogud) and the Association of "Settlers, Small Farmers and State Tenants" ( Asunikkude, Väikepõllupidajate ja Riigirentnikkude Koondus - AVRK) came together. Both parties represented the agrarian party spectrum. The official party merger was decided on at a union congress on February 29, 1932. However, it was a unification project of the party leaders. One year after the parliamentary elections, on May 18, 1933, the union broke up again. The basis of the AVRK consisted mainly of small farmers in the countryside, who were hardest hit by the economic crisis. The dispute over the right policy in the crisis heated up tensions with the urban or large-scale supporters of the “Federation of Farmers”.

Election process and course

The 100 MPs were elected for a three-year legislative period on the basis of proportional representation. The parties drew up lists for the ten constituencies for election. The same candidates could run in multiple constituencies. Seats were allocated according to the D'Hondt procedure .

In the parliamentary elections in 1932, nine parties and groups stood for election. Six made the jump over the two percent hurdle.

Election result

The big election winner was the merger of the two conservative-agarist oriented parties. The common faction broke apart a year after the election due to irreconcilable disputes between the various wings.

Far behind were the National Center Party (Rahvuslik Keskerakond) and the social democratic Estonian Socialist Workers' Party (Eesti Sotsialistlik Tööliste Party) .

In addition, a communist front organization and the national minorities of the Baltic Germans , Estonian Swedes and Russians were represented in parliament as small parties .

Official end result

• Number of eligible voters: 737,930 (excluding army personnel)
• Number of eligible voters: 747,528 (including members of the army)
• Turnout: 495,313 (67.1%) and 8,587 members of the army
• Turnout with members of the army: 67.4%
• Invalid votes (including military personnel): 3,388 (0.7%)
• Valid votes (including military personnel): 500,512 (99.3%)

Parties represented in parliament

Official final result of the 1932 parliamentary election (100 seats)

Political party		German name	political orientation	% (Election 1932)	Seats V. Riigikogu (election 1932)	% (Election 1929)	Seats IV. Riigikogu (election 1929)
	Ühinenud Põllumeeste Erakond	United Farmers' Party	conservative-agrarian	39.8%	42	36.8%	38
	Rahvuslik Keskerakond	National Center Party	Middle right	22.1%	23	26.1%	26th
	Eesti Sotsialistlik Tööliste party	Estonian Socialist Workers Party	social democratic	21.0%	22nd	24.0%	25th
	Pahempoolsed töölised ja kehvikud	Left-wing workers and small farmers	Communist	5.2%	5	6.2%	6th
	Vein Rahvuslik Liit Eestis ; Vene Pahempoolsete Sotsialistide ja Talupidajate Koondus	Russian National Association in Estonia; Russian Association of Left-wing Socialists and Peasants	Russian-speaking minority	7.5%	8th	2.5%	2
	Saksa-Rootsi valimisblokk	German-Swedish electoral bloc	Baltic German and Swedish Estonian minorities	3.1%	3	3.2%	3

Parties not represented in parliament from 1932

The three other parties and groups did not receive a mandate:

• Rahvuslik Töökoondus ("National Labor Association"): 1.9%
• Vene sotsialistlike tööliste ja talupoegade parteid ("Russian parties of workers and peasants"): 1.0%
• Põllumeeste Ühing ("Association of Farmers"): 0.9%

Parliament meets

On June 20, 1932, the newly elected Riigikogu met for its inaugural session. According to parliamentary practice, the previous government , which was only appointed in February 1932, under the state elder Jaan Teemant , submitted its resignation.

From June 20 to July 19, 1932, Karl Eindund held the office of President of Parliament. On July 19, 1932, the parliament elected the leader of the second largest faction, Jaan Tõnisson of the National Center Party , as president of the parliament.

The two parties of the Russian-speaking minority elected to parliament (Vene Rahvusliku Liit Eestis and Vene Pahempoolsete Sotsialistide ja Talupidajate Koondus) united under the name Vene vähemusrahvuse Riigikogu prühm ("Parliamentary Group of the Russian Minority") to form a parliamentary group.

Government formation and crisis years of the republic

The election result opened up a political constellation that was in principle favorable for the Republic of Estonia with three large parties that were all capable of forming a coalition with one another. After the fragmented parliaments of the 1920s, the new Riigikogu offered the opportunity for stable government work. It was not used by the Estonian politicians.

When forming a government, it quickly became apparent that Estonia lacked a functioning culture of political compromise. In the severe economic crisis, the political and social conflicts intensified. The Estonian constitution did not provide for the balancing office of a state president. Because of this, the demands for a revision of the Estonian constitution grew stronger.

Cabinet binding and first constitutional referendum

In July 1932, from the agriculturally oriented election winner , Karl Einbund formed a coalition government with the National Center Party (Rahvuslik Keskerakond) . The government had a majority of 65 votes in the Riigikogu .

Before the parliamentary elections, the Riigikogu had on the proposal of the " Union of Farmers " and the Estonian People's Party on 23/24. March 1932 passed a draft constitutional amendment aimed at stabilizing Estonia's political system, which was in crisis. He envisaged a reduction in parliament from 100 to 80 members. The legislative period should be four years instead of the previous three years. The draft also proposed the creation of the office of President. He should have the right to veto laws of the Riigikogu , be able to issue emergency ordinances and have the power to prematurely dissolve parliament.

The constitutional amendment was the subject of a referendum that took place from August 13-15, 1932. She narrowly failed. Only 49.2% of those who voted voted for the constitutional amendment.

Cabinet Päts

In October 1932 the government broke up. The background was clashes between the Party of United Farmers and the National Center Party on economic issues. Above all, the coalition partners argued about the devaluation of the Estonian krona in order to make Estonian products internationally competitive again.

Konstantin Päts formed a coalition of his party on November 1, 1932 with the National Center Party (Rahvuslik Keskerakond) and two ministers of the Estonian Socialist Workers' Party (Eesti Sotsialistlik Tööliste Party) .

The government only lasted until May 1933. Because of disagreements over economic policy, the National Center Party withdrew its ministers from the cabinet.

Meanwhile, the republic came under increasing pressure from the right-wing extra-parliamentary opposition. The right-wing extremist " Central League of Estonian Freedom Fighters " ( Eesti Vabadussõjalaste Keskliit - EVKL, popularly known as Vapsid ) gained more and more supporters due to the global economic crisis and the dissatisfaction of the population with the party dispute. The federal government and its leaders Andres Larka and Artur Sirk made no secret of their contempt for pluralism, democracy and the rule of law.

The "Central League of Estonian Freedom Fighters" called for a new, authoritarian constitution for the country on November 10, 1932. The demands of the federal government envisaged a reduction of parliament from 100 to 50 members. The previous proportional representation should be replaced by majority voting. Above all, the Vapsid demanded a strong president with far-reaching powers.

On November 22, 1932, the Riigikogu formed a new committee for a constitutional revision. A day later, the National Center Party presented its new draft law for a new Basic Law. The draft was approved by parliament on February 14, 1933. At the same time, the Riigikogu rejected the Vapsid's draft constitution .

On April 26, 1933, Pat's government broke up. The Ministers of the National Center Party had left the cabinet because of differences of opinion on economic policy. At the same time, the union between the Päts' Bunds of Farmers and the small agrarian association of “settlers, small farmers and state tenants” broke up. On May 18, 1933, sixteen members of the Farmers' Union left the joint parliamentary group and re-established their former party.

Tõnisson cabinet and second constitutional referendum

On May 18, 1933, the leader of the National Center Party and President of Parliament, Jaan Tõnisson , succeeded in bringing about a new government under his aegis. The two-party coalition consisted of the National Center Party and the party of “settlers, state tenants and small farmers” (Asunikud, riigirentnikud ja väikepõllupidajad) .

On the same day, Karl Einbund was elected as the new President of Parliament.

At the same time, the right-wing “Central Association of Estonian Freedom Fighters” intensified its agitation against Estonian democracy. After protests by the federal government on June 1, 1933, the Estonian head of government issued a five-month state of defense for the city and county of Tartu . A day later, the Estonian Minister of the Interior banned the organizations of the Central Federation in Tartu County.

In addition, the government tried to revise the constitution, which should bring more stability to the political system. The draft constitution adopted by parliament on February 14, 1933 was submitted to the people for decision from June 10 to 12. It provided for the extension of the electoral term from three to four years and a stronger choice of persons. Estonia was to have a five-year president with limited emergency ordinances. However, the second referendum on constitutional reform also failed. 67.3% voted against the draft.

With increasing agitation of the “Central League of Estonian Freedom Fighters” after the referendum, the government took action against the extreme right-wing extra-parliamentary opposition. On August 11, 1933, all federal organizations were banned. On the same day, the government issued the state of national defense and introduced pre-censorship . This led to strong protests from the entire Estonian press. On August 19, 1933, the Estonian newspapers decided to boycott the government.

Third constitutional referendum and end of the Tõnisson government

In this politically heated atmosphere, the “Central Association of Estonian Freedom Fighters” managed to get a third referendum on a new constitution. This time the federal draft constitution should be put to the vote.

The initiative was successful. In a referendum held October 14-16, 1933, the Estonian people adopted the new Estonian constitution , largely based on the drafts of the Vapsid . The approval rate was 72.7%.

The new constitution provided for the introduction of a presidential system with strong powers for a state elder (riigivanem) elected directly by the people . A prime minister should be placed alongside him as head of government. The unicameral parliament should be reduced from 100 to 50 members, who should receive considerably fewer powers than before.

The Tõnisson government voted decisively against the Vapsid's draft constitution , which it rejected as largely undemocratic. Due to her defeat, she submitted her resignation on October 17, 1933.

Cabinet Päts

On October 21, 1933, Konstantin Päts formed a transitional government with parliamentary backing , which was to remain in office until the new elections of the state elector and parliament provided for by the new constitution. It consisted largely of experts close to Pat.

In the meantime, the “Central Association of Estonian Freedom Fighters” was renamed “Association of Estonian Freedom Fighters” ( Eesti Vabadussõjalaste Liit - EVL). On October 28, 1933, it was registered as a political party. At its party congress, the federal government celebrated on December 17th. In the local elections in January 1934, he had landslide-like successes. In the Estonian capital Tallinn he received almost half of the votes.

On January 24, 1934, the new constitution came into force. In the upcoming national elections in early 1934, the Bund was certain of its success.

The end of democracy

On March 12, 1934, with the help of Johan Laidoner and the Estonian military, Head of State and Government Päts seized power in a bloodless coup. Päts and Laidoner wanted to anticipate a presumed victory of the “League of Estonian Freedom Fighters” in the upcoming parliamentary and electoral elections. In doing so, he ostensibly used the extensive powers he was entitled to under the new presidential constitution to give the coup a legal look.

The government declared the country a state of emergency ("state of defense") for six months. On March 16, 1934, parliament approved the declaration of a state of emergency. The government arrested around four hundred political opponents, most of them members of the "League of Estonian Freedom Fighters". Political meetings and demonstrations were banned. The mandates of the "Federation of Estonian Freedom Fighters", which had achieved great success in the local elections at the end of 1933, were canceled. On March 22, 1934, the Federal Minister of the Interior banned the federal government. The planned elections were postponed by a decree by Prime Minister Päts of March 19, 1934 “until the end of the state of emergency”.

With his coup d'état, Head of State and Government Päts de facto repealed the current constitution . In the following months he established a police state, which relied mainly on the army, police and domestic secret service. On September 7, 1934, the state of emergency was extended by a further year (then in the September months of 1935, 1936 and 1937 for a further twelve months).

Parliament met again on September 28, 1934. It elected Rudolf Penno as the new President of Parliament. At the same time, in its session on October 2, 1934, Parliament loudly criticized the ban on political activity that Interior Minister Integration had issued. Due to pressure from the government, the parliament was therefore no longer convened after October 2nd. It was practically resolved. Estonia thus remained de facto without a legislature. Prime Minister Päts ruled with decrees that had the force of law.

1938 Constitution

In 1935/36 Päts planned the transition from dictatorship to more orderly constitutional conditions. A referendum initiated by him on the convening of a constituent national assembly (Rahvuskogu) took place from February 23 to 25, 1936. A free political debate was not possible under the prevailing conditions. The result was what the government wanted. 474,218 voted for the calling of the Rahvuskogu (62.4%), 148,824 against. 6,175 votes were invalid.

The bicameral Rahvuskogu met from February to August 1937. After six months of work, the Rahvuskogu presented a new constitution in July 1937 . As head of state it provided for a state president who had extensive powers. He appoints a government led by the Prime Minister, which remained dependent on his trust. Estonia received a bicameral parliament, but it had only limited rights.

The new constitution was tailored entirely to Constantine Pats and the consolidation of his rule. There was no return to democracy and the rule of law. The new Basic Law was signed by Päts on August 17, 1937. The constitution came into force on January 1, 1938.

On December 31, 1937 at midnight, the fifth legislative term of the Riigikogu and the term of office of the MPs elected in 1932 ended de jure through Decree No. 290 of Konstantin Päts .

On February 24 and 25, 1938, the election for the Chamber of Deputies (Riigivolikogu) took place under the new constitution . A short time later, the members of the second chamber of parliament, the State Council (Riiginõukogu), were appointed.

literature

• Sulev Vahtre (Ed.): Eesti Ajalugu. Volume 6: Vabadussõjast Taasiseseisvumiseni. Ilmamaa, Tartu 2005, ISBN 9985-77-142-7 , pp. 83-90.
• V Riigikogu valimised 21.-23. May 1932. Elections au Parlement de 21. – 23. May 1932. Riigi Statistika Keskbüroo, Tallinn 1932.

Web links

• 1932 - Meie parliament ja aeg (Estonian)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from June 14, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from June 14, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
3. ↑ Cumulated from Põllumeeste Kogud and Asunikkude, Väikepõllupidajate ja Riigirentnikkude Koondus
4. ↑ Cumulated from Eesti Tööerakond , Eesti Rahvaerakond , Kristlik Rahvaerakond and Majaomanikud, kaupmehed, töösturid ja teised eraomandust pooldajad
5. ↑ Compared to the Eesti Tööliste party
6. ↑ Compared with the vein Rahvuslik Liit Eestis
7. ↑ RT 1936, 3, 21.
8. ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from January 25, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.