1917 Finnish parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in the Grand Duchy of Finland on 1 and 2 October 1917. The general voter turnout was higher than in previous elections. The Social Democrats lost the absolute majority that they had had in the previous two elections (although they, like the other parties, had increased their number of votes in absolute terms). In other words, the "bourgeois" (non-socialist) parties taken together now had more than half the seats.

Background

The elections were the result of the constitutional crisis in Finland caused by the Russian revolution. As Russian Tsar Nicholas, head of state in Finland, had abdicated without a successor, the Finnish Parliament stated that it would become 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.

Campaign

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.[1][2]

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Social Democratic Party of Finland	444,670	44.79	92	–11
	Finnish Party–Young Finnish Party–People's Party^[a]	299,516	30.17	61	+5
	Agrarian League	122,900	12.38	26	+7
	Swedish People's Party	108,190	10.90	21	0
	Christian Workers' Union	15,489	1.56	0	–1
	Others	1,997	0.20	0	–
Total		992,762	100	200	0
Valid votes		992,762	99.51
Invalid/blank votes		4,903	0.49
Total votes cast		997,665	100
Registered voters/turnout		1,441,075	69.23
Source: Mackie & Rose[3]

^a The Finnish Party won 32 seats, the Young Finnish Party 24 and the People's Party five.

Popular vote SDP   44.79% SP-NSP-K   30.17% ML   12.38% RKP   10.90% KTL   1.56% Others   0.20%

Parliament seats SDP   46.00% SP   16.00% ML   13.00% NSP   12.00% RKP   10.50% K   2.50%

References

1. Seppo Zetterberg et al (2003_ A Small Giant of the Finnish History WSOY
2. Allan Tiitta and Seppo Zetterberg (1992) Finland Through the Ages Reader's Digest
3. Thomas T Mackie & Richard Rose (1991) The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan, p243 (vote figures)