1965 Irish general election

1965 Irish general election

← 1961 7 April 1965 1969 →
← outgoing members elected members →
144 seats in Dáil Éireann[a] 73 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	75.1% 4.5pp
First party Second party   Leader Seán Lemass James Dillon Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Leader since 22 June 1959 21 March 1959 Leader's seat Dublin South-Central Monaghan Last election 70 seats, 43.8% 47 seats, 32.0% Seats before 71 48 Seats won 72 47 Seat change 2 Percentage 47.7% 34.1% Swing 3.9% 2.1%   Third party Fourth party   Leader Brendan Corish Seán MacBride Party Labour Clann na Poblachta Leader since 2 March 1960 21 January 1946 Leader's seat Wexford N/A Last election 16 seats, 11.6% 1 seat, 1.1% Seats before 18 1 Seats won 22 1 Seat change 6 Percentage 15.4% 0.8% Swing 3.7% 0.3%
Percentage of seats gained by each of the three major parties, and number of seats gained by smaller parties and independents.
Taoiseach before election Seán Lemass Fianna Fáil Taoiseach after election Seán Lemass Fianna Fáil

The 1965 Irish general election to the 18th Dáil was held on Wednesday, 7 April, following the dissolution of the 17th Dáil on 18 March by President Éamon de Valera on the request of Taoiseach Seán Lemass. The general election took place in 38 Dáil constituencies throughout Ireland for 144 seats in Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas. The governing Fianna Fáil saw a slight increase, though did not obtain a majority.

The 18th Dáil met at Leinster House on 21 April to nominate the Taoiseach for appointment by the president and to approve the appointment of a new government of Ireland. Lemass was re-appointed Taoiseach, forming the 11th government of Ireland, a single-party minority Fianna Fáil government.

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