Finnish parliamentary election, 1924
Encyclopedia
Parliamentary elections were held in Finland
on 1 and 2 April 1924. Although the Social Democratic Pary
remained the largest in Parliament with 60 of the 200 seats, Lauri Ingman
of the National Coalition Party formed a centre-right majority government in May 1924. It remained intact until the Agrarians
left in November 1924. Voter turnout was 57.4%.
decided to dissolve Parliament in January 1924 and to organise early elections for April 1924, as since August 1923, Parliament had been 27 members short following the arrest of the Communist MPs suspected them of treason. Around December 1923 and January 1924, the Social Democrats threatened to withdraw from Parliament, unless early elections were held. Prime Minister Kyösti Kallio
opposed the dissolution of Parliament, true to his parliamentary principles, and resigned after Ståhlberg indicated that he would dissolve Parliament. After Kallio's resignation, Ståhlberg appointed a caretaker government of civil servants, led by Professor Aimo Cajander
(a Progressive
). The 1922 land reform had been enacted, on the initiative of Prime Minister Kallio. The National Coalitioners were becoming more right-wing and less reformist. The Progressives were losing votes to the National Coalitioners and Agrarians, with their brand of petty-bourgeois, urban liberalism losing its appeal in the still heavily agrarian Finland.
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...
on 1 and 2 April 1924. Although the Social Democratic Pary
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...
remained the largest in Parliament with 60 of the 200 seats, Lauri Ingman
Lauri Ingman
Lauri Ingman was a Finnish theologian, bishop and politician. From 1916 to 1930 he was the professor of practical theology in the University of Helsinki...
of the National Coalition Party formed a centre-right majority government in May 1924. It remained intact until the Agrarians
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...
left in November 1924. Voter turnout was 57.4%.
Background
President Kaarlo Juho StåhlbergKaarlo Juho Ståhlberg
Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg was a Finnish jurist and academic, who played a central role in the drafting of the Constitution of Finland in 1919. He was the first President of Finland and a nationalist liberal.-Early life:...
decided to dissolve Parliament in January 1924 and to organise early elections for April 1924, as since August 1923, Parliament had been 27 members short following the arrest of the Communist MPs suspected them of treason. Around December 1923 and January 1924, the Social Democrats threatened to withdraw from Parliament, unless early elections were held. Prime Minister Kyösti Kallio
Kyösti Kallio
Kyösti Kallio was the fourth President of Finland . He was a prominent leader of the Agrarian League, and served as Prime Minister four times and Speaker of the Parliament six times.-Early life:...
opposed the dissolution of Parliament, true to his parliamentary principles, and resigned after Ståhlberg indicated that he would dissolve Parliament. After Kallio's resignation, Ståhlberg appointed a caretaker government of civil servants, led by Professor Aimo Cajander
Aimo Cajander
Aimo Kaarlo Cajander was, outside of botany, best known as Prime Minister of Finland up to the Winter War....
(a Progressive
National Progressive Party (Finland)
The National Progressive Party was a liberal political party in Finland from 1918 to 1951. The party was founded December 8 1918, after the Finnish Civil War, by the republican majority of the Young Finnish Party and the republican minority of the Finnish Party...
). The 1922 land reform had been enacted, on the initiative of Prime Minister Kallio. The National Coalitioners were becoming more right-wing and less reformist. The Progressives were losing votes to the National Coalitioners and Agrarians, with their brand of petty-bourgeois, urban liberalism losing its appeal in the still heavily agrarian Finland.
Results
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Democratic Party 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... |
255,068 | 29.0 | 60 | |
| 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... |
177,982 | 20.2 | 44 | –1 |
| National Coalition Party | 166,880 | 19.0 | 38 | |
| Swedish People's Party | 105,733 | 12.0 | 23 | –2 |
| Socialist Workers' Party Socialist Workers' Party of Finland Socialist Workers' Party of Finland was a Finnish political party in the early 1920s. The SSTP consisted of radical leftists who split from the Social Democratic Party of Finland after the Finnish Civil War of 1918. The banned Communist Party of Finland was the main force behind the party but... |
91,839 | 10.4 | 18 | –9 |
| National Progressive Party National Progressive Party (Finland) The National Progressive Party was a liberal political party in Finland from 1918 to 1951. The party was founded December 8 1918, after the Finnish Civil War, by the republican majority of the Young Finnish Party and the republican minority of the Finnish Party... |
79,937 | 9.1 | 17 | |
| Peasants' List | 456 | 0.1 | 0 | New |
| Others | 1,046 | 0.1 | 0 | – |
| Invalid/blank votes | 4,884 | – | – | – |
| Total | 883,825 | 100 | 200 | 0 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | ||||