March 15, 1907

1907 Finnish parliamentary election

Finland begins its first election to the new unicameral Parliament

Sixty-two women ran and nineteen won. But the boast in the listing — first national election with women candidates — belongs to Australia in 1903.

Two days of voting, sometimes reached on skis

Voting began across the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland on 15 March 1907 and continued on 16 March, in the first election for its new 200-seat unicameral Parliament. People in rural districts sometimes travelled to polling places on skis over hardened early-spring snow.

The poll put the 1906 system of equal national suffrage and candidacy into practice for women and men aged 24 or older, landless workers included. Turnout was reported as 70.7 percent, with no reported disorder or election irregularities.

The Social Democratic Party won 80 of the 200 seats, making representatives of workers and landless people the largest group in the chamber.

The world first, stated precisely

Sixty-two women stood as candidates and 19 won seats — the first women elected to any national parliament. Among them were a former servant, seamstresses, teachers and prominent women's-rights organisers.

The listing's claim of the first national assembly election with women candidates does not hold: four women contested Australia's federal election in 1903, though none won.

Finland's defensible firsts are electing women to a national parliament, and being the first European polity to grant women equal national voting and candidacy rights.

"Universal" came with nine exceptions

The minimum voting age was 24, and nine disqualification categories excluded roughly 10 to 15 percent of otherwise voting-age people, including some poor-relief recipients. The claim that all adult citizens could vote and run is inaccurate.

Finland was still an autonomous grand duchy within the Russian Empire. Finnish reform bodies and the Diet prepared and approved the Parliament Act; Nicholas II ratified it on 20 July 1906 and retained authority to approve laws and dissolve Parliament.

He used the dissolution power from 1908; the military-dominated "Sabre Senates" were appointed only from late 1909.

Sources

Researched 24 Aug 2026 5 sources not yet audited

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What the sources leave uncertain

The listed date is only the first polling day; voting continued on March 16.
“Universal suffrage” is the standard historical description, but it did not mean every adult could vote. The minimum age was 24, and nine disqualification categories excluded roughly 10–15 percent of otherwise voting-age people, including some poor-relief recipients.
Finland was the first place to elect women to a national parliament and the first European polity to give women equal national voting and candidacy rights. It was not the first national election with women candidates: four women contested Australia’s federal election in 1903 but none won.