1913 Finnish parliamentary election explained

Country:Finland
Flag Year:1809
Type:parliamentary
Next Election:1916 Finnish parliamentary election
Next Year:1916
Seats For Election:All 200 seats in the Parliament of Finland
Majority Seats:101
Election Date:1–2 August 1913
Image1:Museovirasto.A9C413B554AFAA4D65AB3008AD4E4233-0-original (cropped).jpg
Leader1:Matti Paasivuori
Party1:Social Democratic Party of Finland
Seats1:90
Popular Vote1:312,214
Percentage1:43.11%
Party2:Finnish Party
Seats2:38
Popular Vote2:143,982
Percentage2:19.88%
Image3:3x4.svg
Party3:Young Finnish Party
Seats3:29
Popular Vote3:102,313
Percentage3:14.13%
Image4:Axel Lille in 1906 (cropped).jpg
Leader4:Axel Lille
Party4:Swedish People's Party
Seats4:25
Popular Vote4:94,672
Percentage4:13.07%
Image5:Maalaisliiton eduskuntaryhmä 1907 (cropped).jpg
Leader5:Kyösti Kallio
Party5:Agrarian League (Finland)
Seats5:18
Popular Vote5:56,977
Percentage5:7.87%
Seat Change1: 4
Swing1: 3.08pp
Last Election1:40.03%, 86 seats
Previous Election:1911 Finnish parliamentary election
Previous Year:1911
Last Election2:21.71%, 43 seats
Seat Change2: 5
Swing2: 1.83pp
Last Election3:14.88%, 28 seats
Seat Change3: 1
Swing3: 0.75pp
Seat Change4: 1
Swing4: 0.24pp
Last Election4:13.31%, 26 seats
Last Election5:7.84%, 16 seats
Seat Change5: 2
Swing5: 0.03pp

Parliamentary elections were held in the Grand Duchy of Finland on 1 and 2 August 1913. In 1914, the Russian government decided to suspend the Finnish Parliament for the duration of World War I.

Campaign

Finnish voters' growing frustration with Parliament's performance was reflected by the low voter turnout; the Social Democrats and Agrarians, championing the cause of poor workers and farmers, kept gaining votes at the expense of the Old Finns, whose main concern was the passive defence of Finland's self-government. They disagreed on the social and economic policies, and thus did not formulate very clear positions on them.[1] [2]

Notes and References

  1. Seppo Zetterberg et al (2008) A Small Giant of the Finnish History WSOJ
  2. Allan Tiitta and Seppo Zetterberg (1992) Finland Through the Ages Reader's Digest