Finnish parliamentary election, 1917
Encyclopedia
The Finnish parliamentary election 1917 was a result of the constitutional crisis
in Finland resulting from the Russian revolution. As the Russian tsar, head of state in Finland, had abdicated without there being a successor, the Finnish parliament stated that it would take the highest power in internal matters. The Russian Provisional Government
did not accept this, but ordered premature parliamentary elections, which was thought illegal by the Socialists. Enough Finnish voters switched their allegiance from the Social Democrats to the bourgeois parties for the parliamentary majority to become again bourgeois (centre-right). The Social Democrats demanded the quick implementation of eight-hour work day and the quick freeing of tenant farmers. The bourgeois parties, on average, wanted first to ensure that Finland would become fully independent, and only then to implement such social and economic reforms (see, for example, Seppo Zetterberg et al., eds., A Small Giant of the Finnish History / Suomen historian pikkujattilainen, Helsinki: WSOY, 2003; Allan Tiitta and Seppo Zetterberg, eds., Finland Through the Ages / Suomi kautta aikojen, Helsinki: Reader´s Digest Ltd., 1992).
Constitutional crisis
A constitutional crisis is a situation that the legal system's constitution or other basic principles of operation appear unable to resolve; it often results in a breakdown in the orderly operation of government...
in Finland resulting from the Russian revolution. As the Russian tsar, head of state in Finland, had abdicated without there being a successor, the Finnish parliament stated that it would take the highest power in internal matters. The Russian Provisional Government
Russian Provisional Government
The Russian Provisional Government was the short-lived administrative body which sought to govern Russia immediately following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II . On September 14, the State Duma of the Russian Empire was officially dissolved by the newly created Directorate, and the country was...
did not accept this, but ordered premature parliamentary elections, which was thought illegal by the Socialists. Enough Finnish voters switched their allegiance from the Social Democrats to the bourgeois parties for the parliamentary majority to become again bourgeois (centre-right). The Social Democrats demanded the quick implementation of eight-hour work day and the quick freeing of tenant farmers. The bourgeois parties, on average, wanted first to ensure that Finland would become fully independent, and only then to implement such social and economic reforms (see, for example, Seppo Zetterberg et al., eds., A Small Giant of the Finnish History / Suomen historian pikkujattilainen, Helsinki: WSOY, 2003; Allan Tiitta and Seppo Zetterberg, eds., Finland Through the Ages / Suomi kautta aikojen, Helsinki: Reader´s Digest Ltd., 1992).
Results
| Turnout | 69.2% | +13.7 | 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... |
92 | 44.79% | 444,670 | |
| 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... /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... /People's Party |
32/24/5 | 30.17% | 299,516 | |
| Agrarian League | 26 | 12.38% | 122,900 | |
| Swedish People's Party | 21 | 10.90% | 108,190 | |
| Christian Workers' League | 1.56% | 15,489 | ||
| Others | 0.20% | 1,997 | ||
| Total | 200 | 100% | 992,762 | |
| Source: Suomen virallinen tilasto 29 A, 8 (Tilastollinen päätoimisto), p. 35. | ||||