1970 Finnish parliamentary election

General election Finland state-1920 parliamentary 1966 Finnish parliamentary election 1966 1972 Finnish parliamentary election 1972 All 200 seats in the Parliament of Finland 101 15–16 March 1970 130x130px Rafael-Paasio-1963 (cropped 2).jpg Rafael Paasio Social Democratic Party of Finland 27.23%, 55 seats 52 594,185 23.43% 3 3.80pp Juha-Rihtniemi.jpg Juha Rihtniemi National Coalition Party 13.79%, 26 seats 37 457,582 18.05% 11 4.26pp Johannes Virolainen 1970 (cropped).jpg Johannes Virolainen Centre Party (Finland) 21.23%, 49 seats 36 434,150 17.12% 13 4.11pp Ele-Alenius-1970 (cropped).jpg Ele Alenius SKDL 21.20%, 41 seats 36 420,556 16.58% 5 4.62pp Veikko Vennamo in 1967 (cropped).jpg Veikko Vennamo Finnish Rural Party 1.03%, 1 seat 18 17 265,939 10.49% 9.46pp Jan-Magnus-Jansson-1962 (cropped).jpg Jan-Magnus Jansson Swedish People's Party of Finland 5.69%, 11 seats 11 135,465 5.34% 0.39pp PekkaTarjanne1970 (cropped).jpg Pekka Tarjanne Liberal People's 6.47%, 9 seats 8 1 150,823 5.95% 0.52pp Eino Sares (3x4 cropped).jpg Eino Sares Finnish Christian League 0.45%, 0 seats 1 1 28,547 1.13% 0.68pp Åland Coalition 0.30%, 1 seat 1 8,971 0.35% 0.05pp Mauno Koivisto Prime Minister Social Democratic Party of Finland Prime Minister after election Teuvo Aura Independent Parliamentary elections were held in Finland on 15 and 16 March 1970.Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p606 978-3-8329-5609-7 Background Mauno Koivisto had replaced Rafael Paasio as leader of the Social Democratic Party and Prime Minister in March 1968. His government was very broad-based, including the Social Democrats, the Centre Party, the Finnish People's Democratic League, the Swedish People's Party and the Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders, with over four-fifths of MPs belonging to the governing parties. Koivisto's government implemented some liberal reforms, including the sale of medium-strength beer in grocery stores and kiosks, and elective abortion (allowed also for social reasons, in addition to medical ones). The government helped the Finnish economy to grow by pursuing its predecessor's policies of subsidising export companies and fixed-term public works or government-funded jobs. Centralized incomes agreements between the employers' organizations, labour unions and government became a part of the Finnish "consensus" (broad agreement) politics. On the other hand, quickly proceeding urbanization and industrialization caused many young people and young adults to leave from the countryside, and tens of thousands of Finns moved to Sweden in pursuit of a higher standard of living. Smallholders were severely affected, particularly in eastern and northern Finland. The populist Finnish Rural Party benefited from this discontent, and its charismatic leader, former Assistant Finance Minister and presidential candidate Veikko Vennamo accused the "old parties" of deliberately worsening the farmers' living standards, emptying the countryside and appeasing the Soviet Union too much by, for example, discouraging its open criticism in the Finnish political debate and media. The increasing mocking and criticism of Christianity, traditional family values, patriotism, army and military service, and parents' and teachers' authority also helped the Rural Party and the National Coalition Party to score big gains in the elections. The opposition parties were irritated by the student radicals' "conquest" of the Old University Students' House in Helsinki in November 1968. Koivisto's government suffered heavy losses, totalling over 20 MPs, but it still had a majority. President Urho Kekkonen allowed the National Coalition Party's leader Juha Rihtniemi to try to form a new government. He was unable to form a majority government, and Kekkonen refused to allow him to form a minority centre-right government, claiming that such a government would fail in foreign policy (in other words, it would not gain the Soviet Union's trust). From May to July 1970, the Liberal city manager of Helsinki, Teuvo Aura, led a caretaker government. Long-time Foreign Minister Ahti Karjalainen managed to form a new centre-left majority government in July 1970, which excluded the National Coalition Party and Rural Party from power. One notable demographic change of these parliamentary elections was the election of several young (under 30-year-old) MPs reflecting the rising political activity of young Finns (the baby boomers), and the lowering of minimum voting age to 20 years.Seppo Zetterberg et al (2003) A Small Giant of the Finnish History, WSOYAllan Tiitta & Seppo Zetterberg (1992) Finland Through the Ages, Reader's DigestJohannes Virolainen (1991) The Last Electoral Term, Otava Results File:1970 Eduskunta.svg Social Democratic Party 594185 52 –3 National Coalition Party 457582 37 +11 Centre Party 434150 36 –13 Finnish People's Democratic League 420556 36 –5 Finnish Rural Party 265939 18 +17 Liberal People's Party 150823 8 –1 Swedish People's Party 135465 11 0 Social Democratic Union of Workers and Smallholders 35453 0 –7 Finnish Christian League 28547 1 +1 Åland Coalition 8971 1 0 Entrepreneur Party 248 0 New Others 3863 0 – 8728 0 3094359 Tilastokeskus 2004,595. Eduskuntavaalit 1927–2003 (Tilastokeskus 2004) Suomen virallinen tilastoSuomen virallinen tilasto 29 A, XXXI. By electoral district thumb|Finland's 1970 parliamentary election results service Electoral districtTotalseatsSeats wonSDPKokKeskSKDLSMPRKPLKPSKLÅSÅland11Central Finland1132321Häme1454221Helsinki2267432Kymi156321111Lapland911331North Karelia821212North Savo1122322Oulu18216531Pirkanmaa1344131Satakunta13422311South Savo1031411Uusimaa207323131Vaasa193342241Varsinais-Suomi164324111Total200523736361811811Source: Statistics FinlandSuomen virallinen tilasto XXIX A:31: Kansanedustajain vaalit 1970 Statistics Finland 1970 References Category:Parliamentary elections in Finland Parliament Finland