View source for 1968 Besmenian federal election

{{Infobox election
| election_name     = 1968 Besmenian federal election
| country           = [[Besmenia]]
| flag_year         = 
| flag_image        = Flag of Besmenia.png
| type              = parliamentary <!-- presidential, parliamentary, legislative, primary, or by-election --><!-- MANDATORY, and limited to the preceding five types -->
| vote_type         = Popular <!-- default -->
| ongoing           = 
| party_colour      = 
| party_name        = 
| alliance_name     = 
| previous_election = 
| previous_year     = {{nowrap|[[1964 East Besmenian federal election|East 1964]]<br>← [[1966 West Besmenian parliamentary election|West 1966]]}}
| outgoing_members  = 
| election_date     = 14 January 1968<!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| elected_members   = 
| next_election     = <!--page title, will be linked if it exists-->
| next_year         = [[1972 Besmenian federal election|1972]]
| votes_for_election= 
| needed_votes      = 
| seats_for_election= 427 seats
| majority_seats    = 214
| opinion_polls     = 
| registered        = 
| turnout           = 
| votes_counted     = <!-- Use ONE out of votes_counted, reporting or declared, do not include percentage (%) sign-->
| reporting         = <!-- Use ONE out of votes_counted, reporting or declared, do not include percentage (%) sign-->
| declared          = <!-- Use ONE out of votes_counted, reporting or declared, do not include percentage (%) sign-->
| last_update       = 
| time_zone         = 
| image_upright     = 
| filler            = <!-- (fills whitespace to the left of image1 with filler text, such as "Political selections")-->

<!--        person 3        -->
| image3            = [[File:Jürgen Rothmann.png|120x120px]]
| image3_size       = 100px
| image3_upright    = 
| colour3           = FFFF00
| nominee3          = <!-- when appropriate, candidate1 can be used instead -->
| candidate3        = [[Jürgen Rothmann]]<!-- any type of election -->
| leader3           = <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->
| party3            = [[Free Besmenian Citizen's Party|FBBP]]
| alliance3         = 

<!-- presidential -->
| home_state3       = 
| running_mate3     = 
| electoral_vote3   = 
| delegate_count3   = 
| states_carried3   = 
| districts_won3    = 

<!-- legislative or parliamentary -->
| leader_since3     = 
| leaders_seat3     = 
| last_election3    = 
| seats_before3     = 
| seats_needed3     = 
| seats3            = 
| seats_after3      = 
| seat_change3      = 

<!-- any -->
| popular_vote3     = 
| percentage3       = 16,9%
| swing3            = {{decrease}} 2,0pp <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->

<!--        person 2        -->
| image2            = [[File:Alfons Gorbach 1965.jpg|120x120px]]
| image2_size       = 100px
| image2_upright    = 
| colour2           = 0F0FFF
| nominee2          = <!-- presidential only, when appropriate, candidate2 can be used instead -->
| candidate2        = [[Helmut Glaubrecht]]<!-- any type of election -->
| leader2           = <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->
| party2            = [[Besmenian People's Party|BVP]]
| alliance2         = 

<!-- presidential -->
| home_state2       = 
| running_mate2     = 
| electoral_vote2   = 
| delegate_count2   = 
| states_carried2   = 
| districts_won2    = 

<!-- legislative or parliamentary -->
| leader_since2     = 
| leaders_seat2     = 
| last_election2    = 
| seats_before2     = 
| seats_needed2     = 
| seats2            = 
| seats_after2      = 
| seat_change2      = 

<!-- any -->
| popular_vote2     = 
| percentage2       = 29,2%
| swing2            = {{decrease}} 1,5pp<!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->

<!--        person 1        -->
| image1            = [[File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F014898-0006, Alfons Goppel.jpg|120x120px]]
| image1_size       = 100px
| image1_upright    = 
| colour1           = FF0000
| nominee1          = <!-- presidential only, when appropriate, candidate2 can be used instead -->
| candidate1        = [[Johannes Schmidt]]<!-- any type of election -->
| leader1           = <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->
| party1            = [[Social Democratic Union (Besmenia)|SDU]]
| alliance1         = 

<!-- legislative or parliamentary -->
| leader_since1     = 
| leaders_seat1     = 
| last_election1    = 
| seats_before1     = 
| seats_needed1     = 
| seats1            = 
| seats_after1      = 
| seat_change1      = 

<!-- any -->
| popular_vote1     = 
| percentage1       = '''30,1%'''
| swing1            = {{decrease}} 4,4pp<!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->

<!--        person 4        -->
| image4            = [[File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F024060-0007, Udo Hein.jpg|120x120px]]
| image4_size       = 100px
| image4_upright    = 
| colour4           = FFAB00
| nominee4          = <!-- presidential only, when appropriate, candidate2 can be used instead -->
| candidate4        = [[Reinhard Heide]]<!-- any type of election -->
| leader4           = <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->
| party4            = [[Besmenian Republican Party|BRP]]
| alliance4         = 

<!-- legislative or parliamentary -->
| leader_since4     = 
| leaders_seat4     = 
| last_election4    = 
| seats_before4     = 
| seats_needed4     = 
| seats4            = 
| seats_after4      = 
| seat_change4      = 

<!-- any -->
| popular_vote4     = 
| percentage4       = 8,4%
| swing4            = {{decrease}} 3,6pp<!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->

<!--        person 6        -->
| image6            = [[File:Udo Kühbacher.png|120x120px]]
| image6_size       = 100px
| image6_upright    = 
| colour6           = 008B8B
| nominee6          = <!-- presidential only, when appropriate, candidate2 can be used instead -->
| candidate6        = [[Udo Kühbacher]]<!-- any type of election -->
| leader6           = <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->
| party6            = [[Besmenian Libertarian Party|BELP]]
| alliance6         = 

<!-- legislative or parliamentary -->
| leader_since6     = 
| leaders_seat6     = 
| last_election6    = 
| seats_before6     = 
| seats_needed6     = 
| seats6            = 
| seats_after6      = 
| seat_change6      = 

<!-- any -->
| popular_vote6     = 
| percentage6       = 6,2%
| swing6            = ''New party'' <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->

<!--        person 5        -->
| image5            = [[File:Herbert Dau.jpg|120x120px]]
| image5_size       = 100px
| image5_upright    = 
| colour5           = 00FFFF
| nominee5          = <!-- presidential only, when appropriate, candidate2 can be used instead -->
| candidate5        = [[Erich Saalfeld]]<!-- any type of election -->
| leader5           = <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->
| party5            = [[Democratic Besmenia|DB]]
| alliance5         = 

<!-- legislative or parliamentary -->
| leader_since5     = 
| leaders_seat5     = 
| last_election5    = 
| seats_before5     = 
| seats_needed5     = 
| seats5            = 
| seats_after5      = 
| seat_change5      = 

<!-- any -->
| popular_vote5     = 
| percentage5       = 6,8%
| swing5            = ''New party'' <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->

<!-- polls -->
| poll1_date        = 
| poll1_source      = 
| poll1_nominee1    = <!-- presidential only, when appropriate, poll1_candidate1 can be used instead -->
| poll1_party1      = <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->
| poll1_nominee2    = <!-- presidential only, when appropriate, poll1_candidate2 can be used instead -->
| poll1_party2      = <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->
| poll2_date        = 
| poll2_source      = 
| poll2_nominee1    = <!-- presidential only, when appropriate, poll2_candidate1 can be used instead -->
| poll2_party1      = <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->
| poll2_nominee2    = <!-- presidential only, when appropriate, poll2_candidate2 can be used instead -->
| poll2_party2      = <!-- legislative or parliamentary only-->

<!-- auxiliary rows -->
| 1blank            = 
| 1data1            = 
| 1data2            = 
| 2blank            = 
| 2data1            = 
| 2data2            = 

<!-- map -->
| map_image         = Besmenia1968electionmap.png
| map_size          = 200px
| map_alt           = 
| map               = 
| map_caption       = Strongest party by state

<!-- bottom -->
| title             = 
| before_election   = 
| before_party      = 
| posttitle         = 
| after_election    = 
| after_party       = 
}}
The '''1968 Besmenia federal election''' was held on January 14, 1968 in [[Besmenia]].

It was the first election to the [[Federal Chamber (Besmenia)|Federal Chamber]] after the [[Besmenian reunification]] in September 1967. It was also the first ever snap election in the history of the Federal Republic of Besmenia, after the Besmenian government under [[Prime Minister of Besmenia|Prime Minister]] [[Johannes Schmidt]] decided to hold the elections originally held in September 1968 in January 1968 in order to democratically integrate West Besmenia into parliament as quickly as possible. This was possible after the Federal Chamber decided in 1960 to allow snap elections. Before that, the [[Basic Law of Besmenia|Basic Law]] did not allow snap elections. The statutory membership of the Federal Chamber was increased to 427 MPs.

The parties SDU, BVP, FBBP and BRP previously represented in the Federal Chamber all lost votes. The new parties DB and BELP managed to enter parliament by clearing the 5% hurdle. With the entry of DB and BELP, more than four parties were elected to the Federal Chamber for the first time since 1936. Only four parties were represented there between 1940 and 1968.

The [[1968 Besmenian capital city referendum]] also took place on the same day.
==Background==
==Electoral system==
==Contesting parties==
==Prime Minister candidate of the parties==
===SDU===
===BVP===
===FBBP===
===BRP===
===BELP===
===DB===
==Campaign==
[[File:Johannes Schmidt 1968 election poster.png|188px|thumb|right|SDU election poster reading "We create the new Besmenia"]]
This was the first election to the Federal Chamber conducted after Besmenian reunification which took place on 14 September 1967. Previously, the [[National Assambly (West Besmenia|National Assambly]], West Besmenia's parliament, had selected 205 of its members which were then co-opted as Members of the East Besmenian parliament and served until the end of the 12th Federal Chamber.

==Results==
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:right
|colspan="5"|[[File:BEKA 1968-1972.PNG|center|300px]]
|-
!colspan=2 rowspan="2" style="width:60px;"|Party
!rowspan="2" style="width:60px;"|Votes
!rowspan="2" style="width:60px;"|%
!rowspan="1" style="width:60px;"|Seats
|-
|
|-
|style="background:#FF0000"| ||align=left|[[Social Democratic Union (Besmenia)|Social Democratic Union]]||||30,7||132
|-
|style="background:#0F0FFF"| ||align=left|[[Besmenian People's Party]]||||29,2||128
|-
|style="background:#FFFF00"| ||align=left|[[Free Besmenian Citizen's Party]]||||16,9||74
|-
|style="background:#FFAB00| ||align=left|[[Besmenian Republican Party]]||||8,4||37
|-
|style="background:#00FFFF| ||align=left|[[Democratic Besmenia]]||||6,8||29
|-
|style="background:#008B8B"| ||align=left|[[Besmenian Libertarian Party]]||||6,2||27
|-
|style="background:#D3D3D3"| ||align=left|Other parties||||2,4||0
|-
|align=left colspan=2|'''Total'''||||'''100'''||'''427'''
|-
|align=left colspan=2|Invalid/blank votes||||||–
|-
|align=left colspan=2|Registered voters/turnout||||92,03||–
|}

{{Bar box
| title    = Popular vote
| titlebar = #ddd
| width    = 600px
| barwidth = 410px
| bars     = 
{{Bar percent|SDU|#FF0000|30.7}}
{{Bar percent|BVP|#0F0FFF|29.2}}
{{Bar percent|FBBP|#FFFF00|16.9}}
{{Bar percent|BRP|#FFAB00|8.4}}
{{Bar percent|DB|#00FFFF|6.8}}
{{Bar percent|BELP|#008B8B|6.2}}
{{Bar percent|Other parties|#D3D3D3|2.4}}
}}

==Government formation==
The previous SDU-BVP coalition was [[Second Schmidt cabinet|continued]] after the 1968 election. After the right-wing populist politician [[Robert Gleitzmann]] was elected BVP chairman on 31 March, 1969, Schmidt announced the termination the SDU-BVP coalition. Even before that, Gleitzmann had criticized Schmidt's leadership and the economic policy under the  SDU-BVP federal government. After talks between the two parties, the BVP decided to leave the government and went into opposition. The BVP members left the government on 10 April. In order not to hold snap elections, the SDU held talks with the FBBP and DB, with the result that the FBBP and DB agreed to support an SDU minority government. [[Third Schmidt cabinet|Schmidt's third cabinet]] was inaugurated on 6 May.

==Aftermatch==
[[Category: Besmenia]]