Parliamentary election in Finland 1966

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Result (in%)

 %

30th

20th

10

0

27.2

21.2

21.2

13.8

6.5

5.7

2.6

1.0

0.8

SDP

KESK

SKDL

COOK

LKP

RKP

TPSL

SPP

Otherwise.

Gains and losses

compared to 1962

 % p

   8th

   6th

   4th

   2

   0

  -2

  -4

+7.7

-1.8

-0.8

-1.3

-0.4

-0.4

-1.8

-1.2

± 0.0

SDP

KESK

SKDL

COOK

LKP

RKP

TPSL

SPP

Otherwise.

Distribution of seats

       

A total of 200 seats

• SKDL : 41
• SDP : 55
• Otherwise: 8
• LBP : 9
• RKP : 12
• KESK : 49
• KOK : 26

The 1966 parliamentary elections in Finland took place on March 20 and 21, 1966. It was the election for the 24th Finnish parliament .

The elections brought the Social Democratic Party of Finland under its chairman Rafael Paasio significant gains and the party became the strongest party in parliament ahead of the strongest force to date, the Center Party. This left slide led in May 1966 to the formation of a government between the Social Democratic Party and the Communist Party-dominated Democratic Union of the Finnish People, supported by the Center Party and the Social Democratic Union of Workers 'and Small Peasants' Union.

Starting position

Since September 12, 1964, a center-right coalition consisting of the Center Party (previously Landbund), the Collection Party, the Swedish People's Party and the People's Party of Finland ruled under Prime Minister Johannes Virolainen of the Landbund. This government launched some major reforms, such as a general health insurance law, a new language law and a new sales tax law. Sales tax was increased, which led to displeasure, especially in lower income groups, as gasoline and cars, among other things, became very expensive.

Within the left party landscape, there have been conceivable changes in personnel. While the People's Democrats elected Ele Alenius, a non-Communist, as chairman, Rafael Paasio , who was striving for rapprochement with the People's Democratic Union, became chairman of the Social Democratic Party. A coalition between the two important left parties no longer seemed impossible.

Participating parties

Ten different parties ran for election.

The following parties were already represented in parliament:

Political party		Alignment	Top candidate
	Finnish Center Party Suomen Keskusta (KESK) Centern i Finland	social liberal	Johannes Virolainen
	Democratic Union of the Finnish People Suomen Kansan Demokraattinen Liitto (SKDL) Demokratiska Förbundet för Finlands Folk (DFFF)	socialist	Ele Alenius
	Social Democratic Party of Finland Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (SDP) Finlands Socialdemokratiska Parti	social democratic	Rafael Paasio
	National Collection Party Kansallinen Kokoomus (KOK) Samlingspartiet	conservative	Juha Rihtniemi
	Liberal People's Party Liberaalinen Kansanpuolue (LKP) Liberala Folkpartiet	liberal	Mikko E. Juva
	Swedish People's Party Ruotsalainen Kansanpuolue (RKP) Svenska Folkpartiet (SFP)	liberal	Jan-Magnus Jansson
	Social-Democratic Federation of Workers and Small Farmers Työvänen ja Pienviljelijäin Sosialidemokraattinen Liitto (TPSL) Arbetarnas och Småbrukarnas Socialdemokratiska Förbund (ASSF)	social democratic
	Smallholder Party of Finland Suomen Pientalonpoikien Puolue (SPP)	centrist

Election result

The turnout was 84.9 percent, 0.2 percentage points below the turnout in the last general election in 1966.

Result of the parliamentary election in Finland in 1966

Political party		be right			Seats
		number	%	+/-	number	+/-
	Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP)	645,339	27.23	+7.73	55	+17
	Finnish Center Party (KESK)	503.047	21.23	−1.72	49	−4
	Democratic Union of the Finnish People (SKDL)	502.374	21.20	−0.82	41	−6
	National Collection Party (KOK)	326.928	13.79	−1.27	26th	−6
	Liberal People's Party (LKP) (*)	153 259	6.47	−0.4	9	−5
	Swedish People's Party (RKP)	134,832	5.69	−0.42	11	−2
	Social Democratic Federation of Workers and Small Farmers (TPSL)	61,274	2.59	−1.77	7th	+5
	Small Farmers Party of Finland (SPP)	24,351	1.03	−1.13	1	+1
	Christian Federation of Finland (SKL)	10,646	0.45	+0.45	-	-
	Åländsk Samling (**)	7.118	0.30	−0.02	1	-
	Independence party	513	0.02	+0.02	-	-
	Christian women of Western Finland	124	0.01	+0.01	-	-
	Christian believers in northern Savos	30th	0.00	+0.00	-	-
	Enroll Lists	161	0.01	-	-	-
	Others	51	0.00	-	-	-
total		2,370,046	100.00		200
Valid votes		2,370,046	99.64
Invalid votes		8,537	0.36
voter turnout		2,378,711	84.94
Eligible voters		2,800,461	100.00
Source:

• (*) Comparative values ​​for the Liberal People's Party are the 1962 election results of the People's Party of Finland and the Liberal Association combined.
• (**) Åland mandate

After the election

The Social Democrat Rafael Paasio formed a left-dominated “Popular Front Government” made up of the Social Democratic Party, the Center Party, the People's Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Federation of Workers' and Small Farmers. This coalition had a three-quarters majority in parliament and launched a primary school reform and a family pension law. However, Paasio was accused of having a weak stance towards the Center Party and President Urho Kekkonen . His rather cool Soviet Union course was also viewed critically. Rafael Paasio finally offered his office as prime minister and on March 22, 1968, the social democrat Mauno Koivisto became the new prime minister at the request of Kekkonen. The coalition was strengthened under him with the Swedish People's Party by another force.

Overview of the cabinets:

50. Cabinet Paasio I - Rafael Paasio (Social Democratic Party) - Government made up of the Social Democratic Party, Center Party, People's Democratic Union, Social Democratic Union of Workers and Small Peasants (May 27, 1966 to March 22, 1968)
51. Cabinet Koivisto I - Mauno Koivisto (Social Democratic Party) - government made up of the Social Democratic Party, Center Party, Swedish People's Party, People's Democratic Union, Social Democratic Federation of Workers' and Small Farmers

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Official result of the 1966 general election yle.fi (Finnish)
2. ↑ ^{a b} Valtiolliset ja kunnalliset vaalit, 1951–2012  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. stat.fi , Excel file  

Web links

• Finnish Postage Stamps - 1962 to 1966