Åland legislative election, 2007
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Åland legislative election was held on 21 October 2007 in the Åland Islands for the Lagting
, the regional parliament of Åland. All 30 seats were up for election to four-year terms using proportional representation
. The Åland Progress Group
did not participate in the elections, as its sole member of the Lagting, Ronald Boman, opted to retire, while a new organisation, the HUT Group
, unsuccessfully contested its first election.
The Liberals for Åland
won the most seats in the election and formed a government
with Åland Centre
, in which Liberal Viveka Eriksson
became the new premier
.
, which supports the independence of Åland from Finland
and was contesting its second election to the Lagting, would more than double its vote. A 2007 survey, on the other hand, indicated that the Åland Centre would remain the largest party in the Lagting.
, Freeminded Co-operation
and the Åland Social Democrats
, incurred heavy losses, with the Social Democrat representation in the Lagting being cut in half and Freeminded Co-operation falling below 10% of the votes for the first time in the party's history. The third party in the government, the Åland Centre, made narrow gains. The winner of the election was the Liberals for Åland, who reclaimed the mantle as the largest party and, for the first time in the party's history, crossed the 30% mark.
The significant losses for Freeminded Co-operation and the Social Democrats can be partially explained by discontent with the government, as well as the retirements of popular members of the Lagting, Harriet Lindeman
(Freeminded Co-operation) and Lasse Wiklöf
(Social Democrats). The election also marked the return of former Åland member
of the Finnish parliament and member of the Lagting Gunnar Jansson
for the Liberals, who became the most popular candidate with 745 votes cast for him, or 5.6% of all votes cast in the election. Former member of the Lagting, Lantråd
(premier of the government of Åland) and recently retired member of the Finnish parliament, Roger Jansson
(Freeminded co-operation), while not receiving as many votes as Gunnar Jansson, was also elected.
Parliament of Åland
The Lagting, or Lagtinget, is the parliament of Åland, an autonomous, demilitarised and unilingually Swedish-speaking territory of Finland. The Lagting has 30 seats.- Elections :- See also :*Government of Åland, or Ålands landskapsregering...
, the regional parliament of Åland. All 30 seats were up for election to four-year terms using proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
. The Åland Progress Group
Åland Progress Group
The Åland Progress Group is a political party in the Åland Islands that contested elections in 1999 and 2003.The party split from Freeminded Co-operation during 1995 to 1999 season. At the elections of 2003, the party won 3.4 % of popular votes and 1 out of 30 seats...
did not participate in the elections, as its sole member of the Lagting, Ronald Boman, opted to retire, while a new organisation, the HUT Group
Hut Group
The Hut Group is a political party in the Åland Islands. In the 21 October 2007 parliamentary elections, the party won only 153 votes and failed to win any seat....
, unsuccessfully contested its first election.
The Liberals for Åland
Liberals for Åland
The Liberals for Åland is a liberal political party of the Åland Islands. The party is an observer at Liberal International. At the 2007 legislative elections, the party won 10 out of 30 seats. The current party leader is Viveka Eriksson.-Elections:...
won the most seats in the election and formed a government
Government of Åland
The Landskapsregering is the government of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland. The government is led by a Lantråd, the premier of Åland, who is elected by the Lagting, the parliament of Åland.-List of Premiers of Åland :...
with Åland Centre
Åland Centre
The Åland Centre is a centrist, agrarian political party in the Åland Islands.At the 2003 elections, the party won 24.1 % of popular votes and 7 out of 30 seats. On the October 21st, 2007, parliamentary elections, the party won 23.5 % of the popular vote and 8 out of 30 seats.- External links :*...
, in which Liberal Viveka Eriksson
Viveka Eriksson
Viveka Eriksson or Viveca Eriksson is a politician on the autonomous Åland Islands and the current Premier of the Government of Åland...
became the new premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
.
Polling
A 2006 survey indicated that the Liberals for Åland would regain their status as the largest party in the Lagting, while the previously dominant Åland Centre would fall below 20% of the vote for the first time in its history. The Future of ÅlandFuture of Åland
The Future of Åland is a separatist political party in the Åland Islands. The goal of the party is to make Åland an independent state....
, which supports the independence of Åland from Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and was contesting its second election to the Lagting, would more than double its vote. A 2007 survey, on the other hand, indicated that the Åland Centre would remain the largest party in the Lagting.
| Survey by Tidningen Åland, October 13, 2007 | ||||
| Parties | % | Seats | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survey | +/- 2003 | Survey | +/- 2003 | |
| Åland Centre Åland Centre The Åland Centre is a centrist, agrarian political party in the Åland Islands.At the 2003 elections, the party won 24.1 % of popular votes and 7 out of 30 seats. On the October 21st, 2007, parliamentary elections, the party won 23.5 % of the popular vote and 8 out of 30 seats.- External links :*... (Ålands Center) |
27.9 | +3.8 | 9 | +2 |
| Liberals for Åland Liberals for Åland The Liberals for Åland is a liberal political party of the Åland Islands. The party is an observer at Liberal International. At the 2007 legislative elections, the party won 10 out of 30 seats. The current party leader is Viveka Eriksson.-Elections:... (Liberalerna på Åland) |
22.6 | -1.5 | 7 | 0 |
| Non-aligned Coalition (Obunden Samling) | 14.2 | +5.1 | 4 | +1 |
| Åland Social Democrats Åland Social Democrats The Åland Social Democrats is a social democratic political party in the Åland Islands. In the 21 October 2007 parliamentary elections, the party won only 11.5 % of the popular vote and 3 out of 30 seats, a loss of three.... (Ålands Socialdemokrater) |
12.6 | -5.4 | 4 | -2 |
| Freeminded Co-operation Freeminded Co-operation The Moderates of Åland is a liberal conservative political party in the Åland Islands. At the 2003 elections, the party won 13.6% of popular votes and 4 out of 30 seats. The current party leader is Johan Ehn... (Frisinnad Samverkan) |
11.4 | -3.4 | 3 | -1 |
| The Future of Åland Future of Åland The Future of Åland is a separatist political party in the Åland Islands. The goal of the party is to make Åland an independent state.... (Ålands Framtid) |
10.3 | +3.8 | 3 | +1 |
| HUT Group Hut Group The Hut Group is a political party in the Åland Islands. In the 21 October 2007 parliamentary elections, the party won only 153 votes and failed to win any seat.... (HUT-Gruppen) |
1.0 | N/A | 0 | N/A |
| Participants in the poll: 301 | 30 | |||
| Source: Tidningen Åland, October 13 2007 | ||||
| Survey by Ålands statistik- och utredningsbyrå, Autumn 2006 | ||||
| Parties | % | Seats | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survey | +/- 2003 | Survey | +/- 2003 | |
| Liberals for Åland Liberals for Åland The Liberals for Åland is a liberal political party of the Åland Islands. The party is an observer at Liberal International. At the 2007 legislative elections, the party won 10 out of 30 seats. The current party leader is Viveka Eriksson.-Elections:... (Liberalerna på Åland) |
24.0 | -0.1 | 8 | +1 |
| Åland Centre Åland Centre The Åland Centre is a centrist, agrarian political party in the Åland Islands.At the 2003 elections, the party won 24.1 % of popular votes and 7 out of 30 seats. On the October 21st, 2007, parliamentary elections, the party won 23.5 % of the popular vote and 8 out of 30 seats.- External links :*... (Ålands Center) |
19.9 | -4.2 | 6 | -1 |
| Åland Social Democrats Åland Social Democrats The Åland Social Democrats is a social democratic political party in the Åland Islands. In the 21 October 2007 parliamentary elections, the party won only 11.5 % of the popular vote and 3 out of 30 seats, a loss of three.... (Ålands Socialdemokrater) |
18.0 | -1.0 | 6 | 0 |
| Freeminded Co-operation Freeminded Co-operation The Moderates of Åland is a liberal conservative political party in the Åland Islands. At the 2003 elections, the party won 13.6% of popular votes and 4 out of 30 seats. The current party leader is Johan Ehn... (Frisinnad Samverkan) |
14.2 | +0.6 | 4 | 0 |
| The Future of Åland Future of Åland The Future of Åland is a separatist political party in the Åland Islands. The goal of the party is to make Åland an independent state.... (Ålands Framtid) |
13.6 | +7.1 | 4 | +2 |
| Non-aligned Coalition (Obunden Samling) | 6.5 | -2.9 | 2 | -1 |
| Åland Progress Group Åland Progress Group The Åland Progress Group is a political party in the Åland Islands that contested elections in 1999 and 2003.The party split from Freeminded Co-operation during 1995 to 1999 season. At the elections of 2003, the party won 3.4 % of popular votes and 1 out of 30 seats... (Ålands Framstegsgrupp) |
1.3 | -2.1 | 0 | -1 |
| Participants in the poll: ~1,140 | 30 | |||
| Source: ÅSUB | ||||
Election results
Ultimately, two of the parties in the LandskapstyrelseGovernment of Åland
The Landskapsregering is the government of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland. The government is led by a Lantråd, the premier of Åland, who is elected by the Lagting, the parliament of Åland.-List of Premiers of Åland :...
, Freeminded Co-operation
Freeminded Co-operation
The Moderates of Åland is a liberal conservative political party in the Åland Islands. At the 2003 elections, the party won 13.6% of popular votes and 4 out of 30 seats. The current party leader is Johan Ehn...
and the Åland Social Democrats
Åland Social Democrats
The Åland Social Democrats is a social democratic political party in the Åland Islands. In the 21 October 2007 parliamentary elections, the party won only 11.5 % of the popular vote and 3 out of 30 seats, a loss of three....
, incurred heavy losses, with the Social Democrat representation in the Lagting being cut in half and Freeminded Co-operation falling below 10% of the votes for the first time in the party's history. The third party in the government, the Åland Centre, made narrow gains. The winner of the election was the Liberals for Åland, who reclaimed the mantle as the largest party and, for the first time in the party's history, crossed the 30% mark.
The significant losses for Freeminded Co-operation and the Social Democrats can be partially explained by discontent with the government, as well as the retirements of popular members of the Lagting, Harriet Lindeman
Harriet Lindeman
Harriet Lindeman is a politician in the Åland Islands, an autonomous and unilingually Swedish territory of Finland.* Minister of Social Affairs and Environment 2005-2007* Second Deputy Speaker of the Lagting 2003-2005...
(Freeminded Co-operation) and Lasse Wiklöf
Lasse Wiklöf
Lars-Åke "Lasse" Wiklöf was a politician in the Åland Islands, an autonomous and unilingually Swedish territory of Finland.*Minister for finance *Member of the lagting...
(Social Democrats). The election also marked the return of former Åland member
Åland Representation in the Parliament of Finland
Though Åland, an autonomous region of Finland, has its own parliament, it also elects a representative to the Finnish parliament. Åland became its own Finnish electoral district in 1948. Åland had previously been a part of the same electoral district as Varsinais-Suomi. Of the fifteen Finnish...
of the Finnish parliament and member of the Lagting Gunnar Jansson
Gunnar Jansson
Gunnar Jansson was a Swedish football forward who played for Sweden in the 1934 FIFA World Cup. He also played for Gefle IF.-External links:*...
for the Liberals, who became the most popular candidate with 745 votes cast for him, or 5.6% of all votes cast in the election. Former member of the Lagting, Lantråd
Lantråd
Lantråd is the title of the Head of Government of the Åland Islands, an autonomous and unilingually Swedish-speaking territory of Finland.The current Lantråd is mrs...
(premier of the government of Åland) and recently retired member of the Finnish parliament, Roger Jansson
Roger Jansson
Roger Jansson is a politician in the Åland Islands, an autonomous and unilingually Swedish territory of Finland. He has studied in Åbo Akademi.* Member of Ålands lagting 2007-...
(Freeminded co-operation), while not receiving as many votes as Gunnar Jansson, was also elected.