1943 Irish general election

The 1943 Irish general election was held on 23 June 1943, having been called on 31 May by proclamation of President Douglas Hyde on the instruction of Taoiseach Éamon de Valera. It took place in 34 parliamentary constituencies for 138 seats in Dáil Éireann the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament). Fianna Fáil lost its overall majority of seats. The newly elected members of the 11th Dáil assembled on 1 July when the Éamon de Valera was re-elected Taoiseach at the head of a minority Fianna Fáil government.

1943 Irish general election

23 June 1943
137 of 138 seats in Dáil Éireann 70 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	74.2% 2.5pp
First party Second party   Leader Éamon de Valera W. T. Cosgrave Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Leader since 26 March 1926 September 1934 Leader's seat Clare Cork Borough Last election 77 seats, 51.9% 45 seats, 33.3% Seats before 77 44 Seats won 67 32 Seat change 10 12 Popular vote 557,525 307,490 Percentage 41.9% 23.1% Swing 10.0% 10.2%   Third party Fourth party   Leader William Norton Michael Donnellan Party Labour Party Clann na Talmhan Leader since 19 July 1932 29 June 1939 Leader's seat Kildare Galway East Last election 9 seats, 10.0% Did not stand Seats before 9 N/A Seats won 17 10 Seat change 8 10 Popular vote 208,812 130,452 Percentage 15.7% 9.0% Swing 5.7% New party
Percentage of seats gained by each of the three major parties, and number of seats gained by smaller parties and independents.
Taoiseach before election Éamon de Valera Fianna Fáil Subsequent Taoiseach Éamon de Valera Fianna Fáil

Exceptionally, because of the state of emergency arising from the Second World War, the outgoing Dáil was not dissolved until after the election, although it did not meet after 26 May. In April the government had proposed to postpone the election by introducing a bill to extend the maximum term of the Dáil from five to six years; however, in the absence of support from the Fine Gael opposition, the bill was withdrawn.

The Emergency Powers Act 1939 was in force at the time of the election campaign, and concomitant press censorship affected coverage.

Result

11th Irish general election – 23 June 1943
Party		Leader	Seats	±	% of seats	First Pref votes	% FPv	±%
	Fianna Fáil	Éamon de Valera	67	–10	48.6	557,525	41.9	–10.0
	Fine Gael	W. T. Cosgrave	32	–13	23.2	307,490	23.1	–10.2
	Labour Party	William Norton	17	+8	12.3	208,812	15.7	+5.7
	Clann na Talmhan	Michael Donnellan	10	New	7.2	130,452	9.8	–
	Monetary Reform Party	Oliver J. Flanagan	1	New	0.7	4,377	0.3	–
	Córas na Poblachta	Simon Donnelly	0	New	0	3,892	0.3	–
	Ailtirí na hAiséirghe		0	New	0	3,137	0.2	–
	Independent	N/A	11	+4	7.3	116,024	8.7	+4.0
Spoilt votes						16,198	—	—
Total			138	0	100	1,347,907	100	—
Electorate/Turnout						1,816,142	74.2%	—

• Fianna Fáil minority government formed.

Voting summary

First preference vote Fianna Fáil   41.86% Fine Gael   23.09% Labour   15.68% Clann na Talmhan   9.80% Others   0.86% Independent   8.71%

Seats summary

Assembly seats Fianna Fáil   48.55% Fine Gael   23.19% Labour   12.32% Clann na Talmhan   7.25% Monetary Reform   0.72% Independent   7.97%

First time TDs

• Liam Cosgrave
• Frank Daly
• Michael Donnellan
• Michael Hilliard
• James Kilroy
• Martin O'Sullivan
• Leo Skinner
• Dan Spring
• Richard Stapleton
• Patrick Finucane

Outgoing TDs

• Eamonn Cooney (Lost seat)
• Thomas Dowdall (Deceased)
• Daniel Hogan (Lost seat)
• Henry McDevitt (Retired)
• Thomas Mullen (Retired)
• John Munnelly (Deceased)
• Frank Loughman (Lost seat)
• Peter O'Loghlen (Lost seat)
• Laurence Walsh (Lost seat)
• Richard Walsh (Lost seat)

See also

• Members of the 11th Dáil
• Government of the 11th Dáil
• Parliamentary Secretaries of the 11th Dáil

Sources

• Manning, Maurice, 1972. Irish Political Parties: An Introduction. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-7171-0536-6