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A landslide victory is an election result in which the victorious candidate or party wins by an overwhelming margin. [1] The term became popular in the 1800s to describe a victory in which the opposition is "buried", [1] similar to the way in which a geological landslide buries whatever is in its path. A landslide victory is the opposite of an electoral wipeout; a party which wins in a landslide typically inflicts a wipeout on its opposition. What constitutes a landslide varies by the type of electoral system. Even within an electoral system, there is no consensus on what sized margin makes for a landslide. [1]
Local and mayoral elections:
State and territory elections:
In Barbadian general elections, a landslide victory involves a large swing from one party to another as well as one party winning a large majority in parliament. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood.
In a Canadian federal election, a landslide victory occurs when a political party gains a significant majority of the House of Commons of Canada.
Landslide victories may also occur during provincial elections, and territorial elections in Yukon. Landslide victories are not possible for territorial elections in the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, as its members are elected without reference to political parties, operating as a consensus government.
The following Canadian federal elections resulted in landslide victories: [6]
Only include those after 1958.
In Grenadian general elections, a landslide victory involves a large swing from one party to another as well as one party winning a large majority in parliament. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood.
Legislative Council elections:
Local elections:
The 1977 Irish general election, which elected members of the 21st Dáil Éireann on 16 June 1977, resulted in a landslide win for the main opposition party Fianna Fáil. The election saw the party win 84 seats in the 148 Dáil, receiving 50.6% of all first preference votes cast. The incumbent Fine Gael/ Labour National Coalition government was defeated, with Fianna Fáil gaining a 20-seat majority in the lower house of the Oireachtas (Ireland's national parliament). This was the last time a single political party won an outright majority in an Irish general election.
In Jamaican elections, a landslide victory involves a large swing from one party to another as well as one party winning a large majority in parliament. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood.
Monaco is traditionally dominated by conservative parties with only two cases in which left-of-centre parties won any seats ( 1963 and 1973).
Until 1993, New Zealand used the traditional first-past-the-post system as in the U.K. to determine representation in its Parliament. Thus, landslide elections at that time were defined in an identical fashion, i.e. where one party got an overwhelming majority of the seats. Since 1996, New Zealand has used the mixed member proportional system as in Germany, making landslides much less likely. [12]
First past the post
MMP
In 1941, the Nacionalista Party won the presidency, vice presidency, all seats in the Senate, and all but 3 seats in the House of Representatives. This was the biggest landslide in Philippine history. The legislators won't serve until 1945 though, due to World War II.
Starting in 1987, the Philippines evolved into a multi-party system, and coupled with the introduction of party-list elections in 1998, no party was able to win a landslide, much less a majority of seats, in the House of Representatives since then. This has also meant that no presidential and vice presidential election winner won a majority of votes, although, in 1998, the winners were described as having landslide victories, despite winning less than a majority of votes, due to large winning margins. Senatorial landslides are more possible though in midterm elections, as voters are usually presented with two distinct choices. The 2022 presidential election was the first landslide since 1987.
Presidential and vice presidential elections
In the Philippines, while there are presidential tickets, the positions of president and vice president are elected separately.
Senate
House of Representatives
Legislative Elections
Presidential Elections
Azorean Regional Elections
Madeiran Regional Elections
Alberto João Jardim, member of the Social Democratic Party was the president of the Madeira region from 1978 to 2015. During this period of time, landslide victories for the Social Democrats were the norm.
Year | % of votes for the Social Democratic Party | 2nd most voted party | % of votes for the 2nd most voted party | Margin |
---|---|---|---|---|
1976 Madeiran regional election | 59.6% | Socialist Party | 22.3% | 37.3 |
1980 Madeiran regional election | 65.3% | Socialist Party | 15.0% | 50.3 |
1984 Madeiran regional election | 67.8% | Socialist Party | 15.3% | 52.5 |
1988 Madeiran regional election | 62.3% | Socialist Party | 16.8% | 45.5 |
1992 Madeiran regional election | 56.9% | Socialist Party | 22.6% | 34.3 |
1996 Madeiran regional election | 56.9% | Socialist Party | 24.8% | 32.1 |
2000 Madeiran regional election | 56.0% | Socialist Party | 21.0% | 35.0 |
2004 Madeiran regional election | 53.7% | Socialist Party | 27.4% | 26.3 |
2007 Madeiran regional election | 64.2% | Socialist Party | 15.4% | 48.8 |
2011 Madeiran regional election | 48.6% | CDS – People's Party | 17.6% | 31.0 |
2015 Madeiran regional election | 44.4% | CDS – People's Party | 13.7% | 30.7 |
A landslide victory in the elections of St. Vincent and the Grenadines involves a large swing from one party to another as well as one party winning a large majority in parliament. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood.
Presidential and Legislative Election held on the same day
In Trinidad and Tobago's elections, a landslide victory involves a large swing from one party to another as well as one party winning a large majority in parliament. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood. Party politics and the political structure in Trinidad and Tobago has generally run along ethnic lines with most Afro-Trinidadians supporting the People's National Movement (PNM) and most Indo-Trinidadians supporting various Indian-majority parties, such as the current United National Congress (UNC) or its predecessors.
Tobago
In UK General Elections, a landslide victory involves winning a large majority in parliament and often goes with a large swing from one party to another as well. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood. In the past a majority of over 100 was regarded as the technical hurdle to be defined as a landslide, as that allows the government freedom to easily enact its policies in parliament. In more recent times, the label 'landslide' has been applied in numerous press articles to victories which would not previously have been regarded as such, for example the Conservative Party majority of 80 in 2019. Its current usage is more as political commentary rather than technical definition and is a reflection of the strength of the party's ability to put its programme through parliament. [19] [20] [21] [22]
The largest landslide by any single party in the UK parliament, since universal suffrage was introduced, was the majority of 179 won by Tony Blair's Labour Party in 1997.
Notable landslide election results
Scotland
A landslide victory in U.S. Presidential elections occurs when a candidate has an overwhelming majority in the Electoral College.
![]() | This article has multiple issues. Please help
improve it or discuss these issues on the
talk page. (
Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
A landslide victory is an election result in which the victorious candidate or party wins by an overwhelming margin. [1] The term became popular in the 1800s to describe a victory in which the opposition is "buried", [1] similar to the way in which a geological landslide buries whatever is in its path. A landslide victory is the opposite of an electoral wipeout; a party which wins in a landslide typically inflicts a wipeout on its opposition. What constitutes a landslide varies by the type of electoral system. Even within an electoral system, there is no consensus on what sized margin makes for a landslide. [1]
Local and mayoral elections:
State and territory elections:
In Barbadian general elections, a landslide victory involves a large swing from one party to another as well as one party winning a large majority in parliament. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood.
In a Canadian federal election, a landslide victory occurs when a political party gains a significant majority of the House of Commons of Canada.
Landslide victories may also occur during provincial elections, and territorial elections in Yukon. Landslide victories are not possible for territorial elections in the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, as its members are elected without reference to political parties, operating as a consensus government.
The following Canadian federal elections resulted in landslide victories: [6]
Only include those after 1958.
In Grenadian general elections, a landslide victory involves a large swing from one party to another as well as one party winning a large majority in parliament. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood.
Legislative Council elections:
Local elections:
The 1977 Irish general election, which elected members of the 21st Dáil Éireann on 16 June 1977, resulted in a landslide win for the main opposition party Fianna Fáil. The election saw the party win 84 seats in the 148 Dáil, receiving 50.6% of all first preference votes cast. The incumbent Fine Gael/ Labour National Coalition government was defeated, with Fianna Fáil gaining a 20-seat majority in the lower house of the Oireachtas (Ireland's national parliament). This was the last time a single political party won an outright majority in an Irish general election.
In Jamaican elections, a landslide victory involves a large swing from one party to another as well as one party winning a large majority in parliament. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood.
Monaco is traditionally dominated by conservative parties with only two cases in which left-of-centre parties won any seats ( 1963 and 1973).
Until 1993, New Zealand used the traditional first-past-the-post system as in the U.K. to determine representation in its Parliament. Thus, landslide elections at that time were defined in an identical fashion, i.e. where one party got an overwhelming majority of the seats. Since 1996, New Zealand has used the mixed member proportional system as in Germany, making landslides much less likely. [12]
First past the post
MMP
In 1941, the Nacionalista Party won the presidency, vice presidency, all seats in the Senate, and all but 3 seats in the House of Representatives. This was the biggest landslide in Philippine history. The legislators won't serve until 1945 though, due to World War II.
Starting in 1987, the Philippines evolved into a multi-party system, and coupled with the introduction of party-list elections in 1998, no party was able to win a landslide, much less a majority of seats, in the House of Representatives since then. This has also meant that no presidential and vice presidential election winner won a majority of votes, although, in 1998, the winners were described as having landslide victories, despite winning less than a majority of votes, due to large winning margins. Senatorial landslides are more possible though in midterm elections, as voters are usually presented with two distinct choices. The 2022 presidential election was the first landslide since 1987.
Presidential and vice presidential elections
In the Philippines, while there are presidential tickets, the positions of president and vice president are elected separately.
Senate
House of Representatives
Legislative Elections
Presidential Elections
Azorean Regional Elections
Madeiran Regional Elections
Alberto João Jardim, member of the Social Democratic Party was the president of the Madeira region from 1978 to 2015. During this period of time, landslide victories for the Social Democrats were the norm.
Year | % of votes for the Social Democratic Party | 2nd most voted party | % of votes for the 2nd most voted party | Margin |
---|---|---|---|---|
1976 Madeiran regional election | 59.6% | Socialist Party | 22.3% | 37.3 |
1980 Madeiran regional election | 65.3% | Socialist Party | 15.0% | 50.3 |
1984 Madeiran regional election | 67.8% | Socialist Party | 15.3% | 52.5 |
1988 Madeiran regional election | 62.3% | Socialist Party | 16.8% | 45.5 |
1992 Madeiran regional election | 56.9% | Socialist Party | 22.6% | 34.3 |
1996 Madeiran regional election | 56.9% | Socialist Party | 24.8% | 32.1 |
2000 Madeiran regional election | 56.0% | Socialist Party | 21.0% | 35.0 |
2004 Madeiran regional election | 53.7% | Socialist Party | 27.4% | 26.3 |
2007 Madeiran regional election | 64.2% | Socialist Party | 15.4% | 48.8 |
2011 Madeiran regional election | 48.6% | CDS – People's Party | 17.6% | 31.0 |
2015 Madeiran regional election | 44.4% | CDS – People's Party | 13.7% | 30.7 |
A landslide victory in the elections of St. Vincent and the Grenadines involves a large swing from one party to another as well as one party winning a large majority in parliament. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood.
Presidential and Legislative Election held on the same day
In Trinidad and Tobago's elections, a landslide victory involves a large swing from one party to another as well as one party winning a large majority in parliament. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood. Party politics and the political structure in Trinidad and Tobago has generally run along ethnic lines with most Afro-Trinidadians supporting the People's National Movement (PNM) and most Indo-Trinidadians supporting various Indian-majority parties, such as the current United National Congress (UNC) or its predecessors.
Tobago
In UK General Elections, a landslide victory involves winning a large majority in parliament and often goes with a large swing from one party to another as well. Landslide victories have usually occurred after a long period of government from one particular party and a change in the popular mood. In the past a majority of over 100 was regarded as the technical hurdle to be defined as a landslide, as that allows the government freedom to easily enact its policies in parliament. In more recent times, the label 'landslide' has been applied in numerous press articles to victories which would not previously have been regarded as such, for example the Conservative Party majority of 80 in 2019. Its current usage is more as political commentary rather than technical definition and is a reflection of the strength of the party's ability to put its programme through parliament. [19] [20] [21] [22]
The largest landslide by any single party in the UK parliament, since universal suffrage was introduced, was the majority of 179 won by Tony Blair's Labour Party in 1997.
Notable landslide election results
Scotland
A landslide victory in U.S. Presidential elections occurs when a candidate has an overwhelming majority in the Electoral College.