FINLAND: FINNS GO TO THE POLLS - PRESIDENT KEKKONEN VOTES

Record ID: 328444

  • Title: FINLAND: FINNS GO TO THE POLLS - PRESIDENT KEKKONEN VOTES
  • Date: 21st March 1966
  • Summary: PRESIDENT KEKKONEN AND WIFE VOTING SCENES AT POLLING STATIONS. Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 5th April 1966 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: HELSINKI, FINLAND
  • City:
  • Country: EUROPE SCANDINAVIA Finland
  • Reuters ID: LVA3I95OVIGQJEUHLXZ2HG0E79TY
  • Story Text: FINNS THRONGED TO THE POLLS YESTERDAY AND TODAY (SUNDAY AND MONDAY) TO DECIDE FINLAND'S GOVERNMENT FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AND AS THE RESULT BEGAN TO POUR IN LATE TONIGHT ALL THE PARTY LEADERS CONCEDED VICTORY TO THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS.

    AS THE PRELIMINARY RESULTS CAME IN, A COMPUTER FORECAST RUNAWAY VICTORY FOR THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS WITH 55 SEATS IN THE 200 MEMBER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT. THIS MEANS A GAIN OF 17 SEATS FOR THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS WHICH IN FINLAND IS TANTAMOUNT TO A LANDSLIDE.

    IN A NATIONWIDE TELEVISION BROADCAST PRIME MINISTER JOHANNES VIROLAINEN, THE CENTRE PARTY CHAIRMAN, CONGRATULATED THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS AND TOLD THEM THAT HE HOPED HIS PARTY COULD BECOME A LOYAL OPPOSITION.

    PRESIDENT KEKKONEN AND HIS WIFE WERE AMONGST THE FIRST TO PLACE THEIR VOTES AT A HELSINKI POLLING STATION AND POLLING CONTINUED BRISKLY. IN THE FIRST DAY OF VOTING 55% OF THE 2,800,000 ELIGIBLE VOTERS HAD RECORDED THEIR VOTES.

    IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVERALL THERE WILL BE A RECORD 90% VOTE.

    FINLAND'S OUTGOING COALITION GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN DOMINATED BY THE CENTRE PARTY. THE CENTRE PARTY WAS THE BIGGEST IN THE PARLIAMENT WITH 53 SEATS AND THE PRESIDENT, PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER WERE ALL MEMBERS OF THE CENTRE PARTY.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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