1865 Italian general election

{{Infobox election

| country = Kingdom of Italy

| type = legislative

| previous_election= 1861 Italian general election

| previous_year = 1861

| next_election = 1867 Italian general election

| next_year = 1867

| seats_for_election = All 443 seats in the Chamber of Deputies{{br}}222 seats needed for a majority

| election_date = 22 October 1865 (first round)
29 October 1865 (second round)

| image_size = 130x130px

| image1 = Alfonso La Marmora.jpg

| leader1 = Alfonso Ferrero La Marmora

| party1 = Historical Right

| seats1 = 183

| image2 = Urbano Rattazzi-lookingleft.jpg

| leader2 = Urbano Rattazzi

| party2 = Historical Left

| seats2 = 156

| image3 = Giuseppe Mazzini.jpg

| leader3 = Giuseppe Mazzini

| party3 = Historical Far Left

| seats3 = 14

| map_image = 1865 Italian general election map.svg

| map_caption = Constituencies used for the elections

| title = Prime Minister

| posttitle = Elected Prime Minister

| before_election = Alfonso Ferrero La Marmora

| after_election = Alfonso Ferrero La Marmora

| before_party = Historical Right

| after_party = Historical Right

}}

General elections were held in Italy on 22 October 1865, with a second round of voting on 29 October.Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1047 {{ISBN|978-3-8329-5609-7}} It was the second one in the history of Italy.

Electoral campaign

The Historical Right was led by the former Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sardinia, Alfonso Ferrero La Marmora, a long-time general who fought during the Italian unification.

On the other hand, the bloc of the Historical Left was led by Urbano Rattazzi, a liberal politician who was between the founders of the Italian left-wing parliamentary group.

In opposition to the two main blocs there were a third party known as The Extreme, a far-left coalition, under the leadership of Giuseppe Mazzini, an Italian revolutionary and a key figure of the Unification.

On 22 and 29 October only 504,263 men of a total population of around 23 million were entitled to vote.Nohlen & Stöver, p1049 Right-wing candidates emerged as the largest bloc in Parliament with around 41% of the 443 seats.Nohlen & Stöver, p1082 They were largely aristocrats representing rentiers from the north of the country, and held moderate political views including loyalty to the crown and low government spending;Nohlen & Stöver, p1028 the general La Marmora was appointed prime minister by the king Victor Emmanuel II.