1866 Swedish general election

General elections were held in Sweden in 1866. They were the first elections for the new Second Chamber (Andra kammaren) in the Riksdag, which would serve a three-year term. Suffrage was given to men over the age of 21 who either had a taxable income of at least 800 riksdaler a year, owned a property worth at least 1,000 riksdaler, or rented a property taxed to at least 6,000 riksdaler.[1] This meant that around 5.5% of the population were able to vote, a slight reduction from the 6% that had been eligible under the previous Estates system.[2] The changes had been approved following a 60,000-strong petition and a vote in the House of Nobility in December 1865 during which crowds had gathered outside to pressure the nobles into approving it.[2]

Politics of Sweden
Basic Laws Instrument of Government Act of Succession Freedom of the Press Act Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression
Monarchy King (list): Carl XVI Gustaf Crown Princess: Victoria Royal family Royal Court Marshal of the Realm: Fredrik Wersäll
Executive Government: Kristersson Cabinet Prime Minister (list): Ulf Kristersson Deputy Prime Minister: Ebba Busch Government offices: Ministries Government agencies
Legislature Riksdag Speaker: Andreas Norlén Deputy Speakers 1st — Åsa Lindestam 2nd — Lotta Johnsson Fornarve 3rd — Kerstin Lundgren Membership Current members National apportionment Committees War Delegation
Judiciary Supreme Court Courts of appeal District courts Supreme Administrative Court Administrative courts of appeal Administrative courts Council on Legislation Judicial review
Elections Political parties Recent elections General: 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 European: 2009 2014 2019 2024 Local: 2014 2018 Referendums
Administrative divisions Counties County administrative boards Regional councils Municipalities
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Tobias Billström Diplomatic missions of / in Sweden Nationality law Passport Visa requirements Visa policy Sweden–NATO relations China–Sweden relations Denmark–Sweden relations Finland–Sweden relations France–Sweden relations Germany–Sweden relations Italy–Sweden relations Norway–Sweden relations Russia–Sweden relations Sweden–Turkey relations Sweden–United Kingdom relations Sweden–United States relations Politics of the European Union
Related topics Sámi Parliament Armed Forces Police Authority
Sweden portal Other countries

The 190 seats consisted of one representative from every Domsaga (or two for Domsaga with a population exceeding 40,000) and one representative for every 10,000 residents of a town (with smaller towns merged into combined constituencies).[1] Candidates were required to be at least 25 years old.[1]

Around 187,000 voters qualified by real estate, 9,500 through their rental arrangements and 10,500 through their income. Many property owners were farmers, giving the rural Lantmanna Party a dominant position in the second chamber.

The other house in the Riksdag, the 125-seat First Chamber, was dominated by the upper classes, with membership restricted to the 6,000 wealthiest people in the country, less than 1% of the population.[2]