1979 Finnish parliamentary election

1979 Finnish parliamentary election

18–19 March 1979

All 200 seats in the Parliament of Finland
101 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Kalevi Sorsa Harri Holkeri Johannes Virolainen
Party SDP National Coalition Centre
Last election 24.86%, 54 seats 18.37%, 35 seats 17.63%, 39 seats
Seats won 52 47 36
Seat change 2 12 3
Popular vote 691,512 626,764 500,478
Percentage 23.89% 21.65% 17.29%
Swing 0.97pp 3.28pp 0.34pp

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Ele Alenius Raino Westerholm Pär Stenbäck
Party SKDL Christian League RKP
Last election 18.89%, 40 seats 3.29%, 9 seats 4.66%, 9 seats
Seats won 35 9 9
Seat change 5
Popular vote 518,045 138,244 122,418
Percentage 17.90% 4.78% 4.23%
Swing 0.99pp 1.49pp 0.43pp

  Seventh party Eighth party
 
Leader Veikko Vennamo Jaakko Itälä
Party Rural Party Liberal People's
Last election 3.59%, 2 seats 4.35%, 9 seats
Seats won 7 4
Seat change 5 5
Popular vote 132,457 106,560
Percentage 4.58% 3.68%
Swing 0.99pp 0.67pp

Prime Minister before election

Kalevi Sorsa
SDP

Prime Minister after election

Mauno Koivisto
SDP

Parliamentary elections were held in Finland on 18 and 19 March 1979.