Finnish parliamentary election, 1907
Encyclopedia
The Finnish
parliamentary election in 1907, in the autonomous
Grand Duchy of Finland
, was the first parliamentary election in which members of parliament
were elected to the new Parliament of Finland
by universal suffrage
.
The election followed the parliamentary reform of 1906 which replaced the Diet of Finland
, which was based on the Estates and had its institutional roots in the period of Swedish
reign, with a modern unicameral parliament
of 200 MPs. The reform was agreed upon after a general strike in Finland in 1905 during which demands for a parliamentary reform arose especially among the Socialists
. This coincided with similar development in Russia
which too saw a general strike and, after the Russo-Japanese War
, the birth of a new institution, the Duma
. This background explains why Emperor Nicholas II of Russia
allowed the parliamentary reform in Finland.
All political factions of Finland reached an agreement on the reform and the first election to the Parliament of Finland were set for 1907. The 1906 reform ended the first period of attempted Russification
in the Grand Duchy of Finland which had begun in 1899 and seen such dramatic episodes as the assassination
of Nikolai Bobrikov, the Governor-General
of Finland, in 1904.
Before the election of 1907 the legislative power in the Grand Duchy had been vested in the Diet of the Estates, an age old institution of four Estates (the nobility, the clergy, the burghers and the peasants) deriving from the period of Swedish rule and representing only a small portion of the people. This kind of institution had become quite ancient by the early years of the 20th century and the need for reform was thus genuine. The new unicameral parliament was to have 200 MPs, all elected by universal and equal suffrage of citizens over 24 years of age. Women as well were allowed to vote and stand for election; Finnish women received these rights as the first women in Europe. Previously only New Zealand
had approved universal female suffrage, Finland was the second in the world to do that and the first to grant women the right to stand as candidates in election. Thus, in comparison with the former political system this reform can be considered radical.
The language strife of Finland
was an important issue in the late 19th and early 20th century Finnish politics. Thus the first political parties
of Finland, the Finnish Party
and the Swedish Party, were born respectively around Fennoman
and Svecoman
ideas. A Liberal
party was founded but soon also dissolved. The Finnish party was later split in the supporters of the "Old Finns" and the "Young Finns
" who founded a party of their own. An even more important event was the founding of a Socialist party in 1899. First called the Finnish Labour Party, it adopted the name Social Democratic Party of Finland
in 1903 and sought the support of urban working class
and the rural landless population. Universal suffrage was naturally very important for these groups since they had no political power in the Diet of the Estates. In 1906 the Agrarian League
was founded to represent the interests of peasants and in the same year the Swedish Party adopted its present name, the Swedish People's Party. The topics of the campaign into the election touched for example social issues and the parties' stances to the Russification attempts.
The results of this first parliamentary election in Finnish history
were somewhat a surprise for the traditional parties: the Social Democrats came through as clear winners, gaining 80 seats of the total of 200, which made them the largest party, although they did not reach a majority of the seats. Of the right wing, or centre right, parties the Finnish Party gained the most seats, 59, followed by the Young Finnish Party, 26 seats, and the Swedish People's Party, 24 seats. The Agrarian League gained only 9 seats but in the following years its support grew rapidly. In the election of 1907 the voters voted for party lists rather than individual candidates.
As a result of the election the representatives of workers and the landless people became the largest group in the parliament, whereas previously they had no political representation whatsoever in the legislative body. Women too gained representation; 19 female MPs were elected. They became the first female MPs in the World.
The joy of the Social Democrats over their victory proved to be short lasting. The second period of attempted Russification in the Grand Duchy of Finland began the following year and the Russian Emperor dissolved the Parliament of Finland on numerous occasions in 1908-1917. During World War I
the parliament did not convene for a long time. Thus the Social Democrats were not able to push through most of their desired reforms during these final years of the period of Finland's autonomy, despite being able to keep their position as the largest party in all elections of this period. As a result many Socialist supporters lost their initially high hopes for the parliament elected by universal suffrage. This in turn was one factor among others in the development which lead to the Finnish Civil War
in 1918.
The parliamentary reform of 1906 and the Finnish parliamentary election of 1907 gave birth to Finnish democracy
. The Parliament of Finland elected by universal suffrage has existed continually since then. When Finland gained its independence in 1917 the country already had a working parliament and experience of free elections, unlike many other new states which gained their independence during World War I or in its aftermath. The centennial anniversary of the 1907 election was celebrated by the Finnish parliament in 2007.
The 100th anniversary of the first Finnish Parliament was recently selected as the main motif for a high value commemorative coin, the €10 100th Anniversary of the Finnish Parliamentary commemorative coin, minted in 2006. The obverse shows the silhouette of a woman's and a man's hands, and below the hands ballots being inserted in a ballot-box. On the reverse, two stylized faces in the centre part, one male and the other female, separated by a thin curved line is depicted. They symbolize the equality of genders, as does the fact that the pictorial subjects on both sides are equal in respect to the centre of the coin.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
parliamentary election in 1907, in the autonomous
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
Grand Duchy of Finland
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...
, was the first parliamentary election in which members of parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
were elected to the new Parliament of Finland
Parliament of Finland
The Eduskunta , is the parliament of Finland. The unicameral parliament has 200 members and meets in the Parliament House in Helsinki. The latest election to the parliament took place on April 17, 2011.- Constitution :...
by universal suffrage
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
.
The election followed the parliamentary reform of 1906 which replaced the Diet of Finland
Diet of Finland
The Diet of Finland , was the legislative assembly of the Grand Duchy of Finland from 1809 to 1906 and the recipient of the powers of the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates....
, which was based on the Estates and had its institutional roots in the period of Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
reign, with a modern unicameral parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
of 200 MPs. The reform was agreed upon after a general strike in Finland in 1905 during which demands for a parliamentary reform arose especially among the Socialists
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
. This coincided with similar development in Russia
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
which too saw a general strike and, after the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, the birth of a new institution, the Duma
Duma
A Duma is any of various representative assemblies in modern Russia and Russian history. The State Duma in the Russian Empire and Russian Federation corresponds to the lower house of the parliament. Simply it is a form of Russian governmental institution, that was formed during the reign of the...
. This background explains why Emperor Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
allowed the parliamentary reform in Finland.
All political factions of Finland reached an agreement on the reform and the first election to the Parliament of Finland were set for 1907. The 1906 reform ended the first period of attempted Russification
Russification of Finland
The policy of Russification of Finland was a governmental policy of the Russian Empire aimed at limiting the special status of the Grand Duchy of Finland and possibly the termination of its political autonomy and cultural uniqueness...
in the Grand Duchy of Finland which had begun in 1899 and seen such dramatic episodes as the assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
of Nikolai Bobrikov, the Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of Finland, in 1904.
Before the election of 1907 the legislative power in the Grand Duchy had been vested in the Diet of the Estates, an age old institution of four Estates (the nobility, the clergy, the burghers and the peasants) deriving from the period of Swedish rule and representing only a small portion of the people. This kind of institution had become quite ancient by the early years of the 20th century and the need for reform was thus genuine. The new unicameral parliament was to have 200 MPs, all elected by universal and equal suffrage of citizens over 24 years of age. Women as well were allowed to vote and stand for election; Finnish women received these rights as the first women in Europe. Previously only New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
had approved universal female suffrage, Finland was the second in the world to do that and the first to grant women the right to stand as candidates in election. Thus, in comparison with the former political system this reform can be considered radical.
The language strife of Finland
Finland's language strife
The language strife was one of the major conflicts of Finland's national history and domestic politics. It revolved around the question of what status Swedish—the language which since the Middle Ages had been the main language of administration and high culture in Finland—and, on the other hand,...
was an important issue in the late 19th and early 20th century Finnish politics. Thus the first political parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
of Finland, the Finnish Party
Finnish Party
The Finnish Party was a Fennoman conservative political party in the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland and independent Finland. Born out of Finland's language strife in the 1860s, the party sought to improve the position of the Finnish language in Finnish society...
and the Swedish Party, were born respectively around Fennoman
Fennoman
The Fennomans were the most important political movement in the 19th century Grand Principality of Finland. They succeeded the fennophile interests of the 18th and early 19th century.-History:...
and Svecoman
Svecoman
The Svecoman movement was a Swedish nationalist movement that arose in the Grand Duchy of Finland at the end of the 19th century chiefly as a reaction to the demands for increased use of Finnish vigorously presented by the Fennoman movement...
ideas. A Liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
party was founded but soon also dissolved. The Finnish party was later split in the supporters of the "Old Finns" and the "Young Finns
Young Finnish Party
The Young Finnish Party or Constitutional-Fennoman Party was a liberal and nationalist political party in the Grand Duchy of Finland...
" who founded a party of their own. An even more important event was the founding of a Socialist party in 1899. First called the Finnish Labour Party, it adopted the name Social Democratic Party of Finland
Social Democratic Party of Finland
The Social Democratic Party of Finland is one of the three major political parties in Finland, along with the Centre Party and the National Coalition Party. Jutta Urpilainen is the current SDP leader. The party has been in the Finnish government cabinet for long periods and has set many...
in 1903 and sought the support of urban working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
and the rural landless population. Universal suffrage was naturally very important for these groups since they had no political power in the Diet of the Estates. In 1906 the Agrarian League
Centre Party (Finland)
The Centre Party is a centrist and Nordic agrarian political party in Finland. It is one of the four largest political parties in the country, along with the Social Democratic Party , the National Coalition Party and the True Finns , and currently has 35 seats in the Finnish Parliament...
was founded to represent the interests of peasants and in the same year the Swedish Party adopted its present name, the Swedish People's Party. The topics of the campaign into the election touched for example social issues and the parties' stances to the Russification attempts.
The results of this first parliamentary election in Finnish history
History of Finland
The land area that now makes up Finland was settled immediately after the Ice Age, beginning from around 8500 BCE. Most of the region was part of the Kingdom of Sweden from the 13th century to 1809, when it was ceded to the Russian Empire, becoming the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland. The...
were somewhat a surprise for the traditional parties: the Social Democrats came through as clear winners, gaining 80 seats of the total of 200, which made them the largest party, although they did not reach a majority of the seats. Of the right wing, or centre right, parties the Finnish Party gained the most seats, 59, followed by the Young Finnish Party, 26 seats, and the Swedish People's Party, 24 seats. The Agrarian League gained only 9 seats but in the following years its support grew rapidly. In the election of 1907 the voters voted for party lists rather than individual candidates.
As a result of the election the representatives of workers and the landless people became the largest group in the parliament, whereas previously they had no political representation whatsoever in the legislative body. Women too gained representation; 19 female MPs were elected. They became the first female MPs in the World.
The joy of the Social Democrats over their victory proved to be short lasting. The second period of attempted Russification in the Grand Duchy of Finland began the following year and the Russian Emperor dissolved the Parliament of Finland on numerous occasions in 1908-1917. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the parliament did not convene for a long time. Thus the Social Democrats were not able to push through most of their desired reforms during these final years of the period of Finland's autonomy, despite being able to keep their position as the largest party in all elections of this period. As a result many Socialist supporters lost their initially high hopes for the parliament elected by universal suffrage. This in turn was one factor among others in the development which lead to the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
in 1918.
The parliamentary reform of 1906 and the Finnish parliamentary election of 1907 gave birth to Finnish democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
. The Parliament of Finland elected by universal suffrage has existed continually since then. When Finland gained its independence in 1917 the country already had a working parliament and experience of free elections, unlike many other new states which gained their independence during World War I or in its aftermath. The centennial anniversary of the 1907 election was celebrated by the Finnish parliament in 2007.
Results
| Turnout | 70.7% | http://www.stat.fi/til/evaa/2003/evaa_2003_2004-05-31_tau_005.html & http://www.vaalit.fi/uploads/rfsvyrtb.pdf |
|---|
| Party | Seats | % | Votes | |
| Social Democratic Party of Finland Social Democratic Party of Finland The Social Democratic Party of Finland is one of the three major political parties in Finland, along with the Centre Party and the National Coalition Party. Jutta Urpilainen is the current SDP leader. The party has been in the Finnish government cabinet for long periods and has set many... |
80 | 37.03% | 329,946 | |
| Finnish Party Finnish Party The Finnish Party was a Fennoman conservative political party in the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland and independent Finland. Born out of Finland's language strife in the 1860s, the party sought to improve the position of the Finnish language in Finnish society... |
59 | 27.34% | 243,573 | |
| Young Finnish Party Young Finnish Party The Young Finnish Party or Constitutional-Fennoman Party was a liberal and nationalist political party in the Grand Duchy of Finland... |
26 | 13.65% | 121,604 | |
| Swedish People's Party | 24 | 12.60% | 112,267 | |
| Agrarian League | 9 | 5.75% | 51,242 | |
| Finnish Christian Workers' League | 2 | 1.55% | 13,790 | |
| Others | 2.08% | 18,568 | ||
| Total | 200 | 100% | 890,990 | |
| Source: Suomen virallinen tilasto 29 A, 8 (Tilastollinen päätoimisto), p. 35. | ||||
See also
Sources
- Toivo Nygård & Veikko Kallio: Rajamaa, in Suomen historian pikkujättiläinen (edit. Seppo Zetterberg), p. 553-565, WSOY: Porvoo 2006. ISBN 951-0-27365-1
- Esko Heikkonen, Matti Ojankoski & Jaakko Väisänen: Muutosten maailma 4: Suomen historian käännekohtia, p. 67-71, WSOY: 2005. ISBN 951-0-27645-6