1933 Finnish parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Finland between 1 and 3 July 1933.[1] The Social Democratic Party remained the largest party in Parliament with 78 of the 200 seats. However, Prime Minister Toivo Mikael Kivimäki of the National Progressive Party continued in office after the elections, supported by Pehr Evind Svinhufvud and quietly by most Agrarians and Social Democrats. They considered Kivimäki's right-wing government a lesser evil than political instability (various short-lived governments) or an attempt by the radical right to gain power. Voter turnout was 62.2%.[2]

1933 Finnish parliamentary election

← 1930 1–3 July 1933 1936 →

All 200 seats in the Parliament of Finland
101 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Kaarlo Harvala Pekka Heikkinen Paavo Virkkunen
Party SDP Agrarian National CoalitionIKL
Last election 34.16%, 66 seats 27.28%, 59 seats 18.05%, 42 seats
Seats won 78 53 32
Seat change Increase 12 Decrease 6 Decrease 10
Popular vote 413,551 249,758 187,527
Percentage 37.33% 22.54% 16.93%
Swing Increase 3.17pp Decrease 4.74pp Decrease 1.12pp

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Eric von Rettig Aimo Cajander
Party RKP National Progressive Small Farmers'
Last election 10.03%, 20 seats 5.83%, 11 seats 1.85%, 1 seats
Seats won 21 11 3
Seat change Increase 1 Steady Increase 2
Popular vote 115,433 82,129 37,544
Percentage 10.42% 7.41% 3.39%
Swing Increase 0.39pp Increase 1.58pp Increase 1.54pp

  Seventh party
 
Party People's
Last election
Seats won 2
Seat change New
Popular vote 9,390
Percentage 0.85%
Swing New

Prime Minister before election

Toivo Mikael Kivimäki
National Progressive

Prime Minister after election

Toivo Mikael Kivimäki
National Progressive

Background

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The main campaign issues were the differing attitudes towards democracy and the rule of law between the Patriotic Electoral Alliance (National Coalitioners and Patriotic People's Movement) and the Legality Front (Social Democrats, Agrarians, Swedish People's Party and Progressives). The Patriotic Electoral Alliance favoured continuing the search for suspected Communists - the Communist Party and its affiliated organizations had been outlawed in 1930 as treasonous organizations - and was against the Social Democrats' joining the government under any circumstances. The Legality Front did not want to spend any significant time on searching suspected Communists, but rather wanted to concentrate on keeping the far right in check. The Lapua Movement had been outlawed after its failed Mäntsälä rebellion in March 1932, and the Patriotic People's Movement had been established as its successor later in 1932. President Svinhufvud (National Coalition) strictly guarded law and order, an attitude which made him somewhat suspicious of the Patriotic People's Movement's motives. Prime Minister Kivimäki (Progressive) led a right-wing minority government, which President Svinhufvud fully supported in the effort to fight the Great Depression. Despite the Patriotic Electoral Alliance's vigorous election campaign, only about one-sixth of the participating Finnish voters supported it.[3][4]

Results

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Social Democratic Party413,55137.3378+12
Agrarian League249,75822.5453–6
National Coalition PartyPatriotic People's Movement187,52716.9332–10
Swedish People's Party115,43310.4221+1
National Progressive Party82,1297.41110
Small Farmers' Party37,5443.393+2
People's Party9,3900.852New
List for the Working People2,6670.240New
Finnish People's Organisation2,1030.190New
List of Real Finns, Temperance People etc.1,4760.130New
National Socialist Union1,4060.130New
List of Working People, Peasants and Intellectuals7870.070New
List of Recession Men6450.060New
List of Jaakko Seise6300.060New
For the Poor–People's Party3700.030New
Rural People's Party–Party of Finnish Labor3110.030New
Party of Finnish Labor2260.020New
List "V.F.Johanson and M.Saarikoski"1450.010New
List of National Economy1010.010New
List F (Läheniemists)960.010New
Others1,5280.140
Total1,107,823100.002000
Valid votes1,107,82399.56
Invalid/blank votes4,9170.44
Total votes1,112,740100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,789,33162.19
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, Tilastokeskus 2004,[5] Suomen virallinen tilasto

References

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  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p606 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. ^ Nohlen & Stöver, p607
  3. ^ Seppo Zetterberg et al., eds., A Small Giant of the Finnish History / Suomen historian pikkujättiläinen, Helsinki: WSOY, 2003
  4. ^ Sakari Virkkunen, Finland's Presidents I / Suomen presidentit I, Helsinki: WSOY, 1994
  5. ^ Tiedosto "595. Eduskuntavaalit 1927–2003 (Tilastokeskus 2004)