1968 Finnish presidential election

Two-stage presidential elections were held in Finland in 1968. On 15 and 16 January the public elected presidential electors to an electoral college.[1] They in turn elected the President. The result was a victory for Urho Kekkonen, who won on the first ballot.[2] The turnout for the popular vote was 70.2.[3]

1968 Finnish presidential election

15.–16 January 1968

Nominee Urho Kekkonen Matti Virkkunen Party Centre National Coalition Electoral vote 201 66 Popular vote 1,221,078 482,693   Nominee Veikko Vennamo Party Rural Party Electoral vote 33 Popular vote 231,959

President before election Urho Kekkonen Centre Elected President Urho Kekkonen Centre

Republic of Finland
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Finland
State Constitution Declaration of Independence Human rights Law enforcement Military
Executive President (list) Sauli Niinistö Prime Minister (list) Sanna Marin Government Ministries (list)
Legislative Parliament Speaker: Matti Vanhanen
Judiciary General Courts Supreme Court Courts of Appeal District Courts Administrative Courts Supreme Administrative Court Regional Administrative Courts Prosecutor General Chancellor of Justice
Recent elections Presidential: 2006 2012 2018 Parliamentary: 2011 2015 2019 European: 2009 2014 2019
Political parties Social Democratic Party (SDP) Finns Party (PS) National Coalition Party (KOK) Centre Party (KESK) Green League (VIHR) Left Alliance (VAS) Swedish People's Party (RKP) Christian Democrats (KD) Movement Now (LIIK)
Administrative divisions Regions (Maakunnat, Landskap) Sub-regions (Seutukunnat, Ekonomiska regioner) Municipalities (Kunnat, Kommuner)
Foreign relations Ambassadors Politics of the European Union
Other countries

Kekkonen's two opponents, the centre-right National Coalition Party's candidate Director of the National Commercial Bank Matti Virkkunen and the populist Finnish Rural Party's leader Veikko Vennamo, criticized him for governing Finland in a too autocratic way.

Vennamo in particular accused Kekkonen of pursuing a too dependent and servile foreign policy towards the Soviet Union. Since almost thirty per cent of the eligible Finnish voters abstained from voting, there was some underlying discontent with the presidential candidates, or Kekkonen's wide lead over his two opponents. Notably, the National Coalitioners and Ruralists - both opposition parties at the time - gained clearly higher percentages of the popular vote than in the 1966 Finnish parliamentary elections. This foreshadowed their major gains in the 1970 Finnish parliamentary elections. Although during this presidential campaign, Kekkonen promised not to run for president again (see, for example, Timo Vihavainen, "The Welfare Finland" (Hyvinvointi-Suomi), pp. 859–861 in Seppo Zetterberg et al., eds., A Small Giant of the Finnish History / Suomen historian pikkujättiläinen. Helsinki: WSOY, 2003; Pentti Virrankoski, A History of Finland / Suomen historia, volumes 1&2. Helsinki: Finnish Literature Society (Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura), 2009, p. 961; Martti Häikiö, The Election of President / Presidentin valinta, p. 96. Porvoo: WSOY, 1993; What-Where-When: A Citizen's Yearbook (Mitä-Missä-Milloin - Kansalaisen vuosikirja) 1969, p. 140. Helsinki: Otava Ltd., 1968), however, he extended his presidential term in 1973 and ran nearly unopposed in 1978.