1935 Weranian federal election: Difference between revisions

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| type              = parliamentary
| type              = parliamentary
| ongoing            = no
| ongoing            = no
| previous_election  = [[1925 Weranian federal election]]
| previous_election  = [[1924 Weranian federal election]]
| previous_year      = [[1925 Weranian federal election|1925]]
| previous_year      = [[1924 Weranian federal election|1924]]
| next_election      = [[1939 Weranian federal election]]
| next_election      = [[1939 Weranian federal election]]
| next_year          = [[1939 Weranian federal election|1939]]
| next_year          = [[1939 Weranian federal election|1939]]
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| party1        = [[Weranic Section of the Workers' International|OSAI]]
| party1        = [[Weranic Section of the Workers' International|OSAI]]
| color1        = F0001C
| color1        = F0001C
| last_election1 = 184 seats, 28.71%
| last_election1 = 164 seats, 25.13%
| seats_before1  = 195
| seats1        = 224
| seats1        = 204
| seat_change1  = {{increase}}60
| seat_change1  = {{increase}}9
| popular_vote1  = 6,148,372
| popular_vote1  = 5,648,372
| percentage1    = 37.37%
| percentage1    = 34.09%
| swing1        = {{increase}}12.24%
| swing1        = {{increase}}5.38%


<!-- KSP -->
<!-- Radicals-->
| image2       = [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1989-040-27, Gustav Stresemann (cropped).jpg|150x150px]]
| image2         = [[File:Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk 1925.PNG|150x150px]]
| leader2        = [[Otto Röttgen]]
| leader2        = [[Otto Röttgen]]
| leaders_seat2  = [[Cislania]]
| leaders_seat2  = Bonnlitz-Ostbrücken
| party2        = [[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|KSP]]
| party2        = [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radicals]]
| color2        = FAA61A
| color2        = a672a6
| last_election2 = 143 seats, 22.29%
| last_election2 = 54 seats, 8.38%
| seats_before2  = 143
| seats2        = 80
| seats2        = 165
| seat_change2  = {{increase}}26
| seat_change2  = {{increase}}22
| popular_vote2  = 2,206,843
| popular_vote2  = 4,596,028
| percentage2    = 13.41%
| percentage2    = 27.74%
| swing2        = {{increase}}5.03%
| swing2        = {{increase}}5.98%


<!-- SPO -->
<!-- KSP -->
| image3        = [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-14240, Gustav Noske (cropped).jpg|150x150px]]
| image3        = [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146III-105, Joseph Wirth.jpg|150x150px]]
| leader3        = [[August Olbrich]]
| leader3        = [[Gustav Blumentritt]]
| leaders_seat3  = [[Cislania]]
| leaders_seat3  = [[Cislania]]
| party3        = [[Social Democratic Party of Werania|SPO]]
| party3        = [[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|KSP]]
| color3        = DE3163
| color3        = FAA61A
| last_election3 = 45 seats, 7.16%
| last_election3 = 142 seats, 21.76%
| seats_before3  = 88
| seats3        = 79
| seats3        = 56
| seat_change3  = {{decrease}}63
| seat_change3  = {{decrease}}32
| popular_vote3  = 2,187,028
| popular_vote3  = 1,559,570
| percentage3    = 13.29%
| percentage3    = 9.41%
| swing3        = {{decrease}}8.47%
| swing3        = {{increase}}2.25%


<!-- Radicals-->
<!-- SPO -->
| image4        = [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-01112, Friedrich Ebert.jpg|150x150px]]
| image4        = [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-14240, Gustav Noske (cropped).jpg|150x150px]]
| leader4        = [[Lothar Kuehnelt]]
| leader4        = [[August Olbrich]]
| leaders_seat4  = Bonnlitz-Ostbrücken
| leaders_seat4  = [[Cislania]]
| party4        = [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radicals]]
| party4        = [[Social Democratic Party of Werania|SPO]]
| color4        = a672a6
| color4        = DE3163
| last_election4  = 55 seats, 8.58%
| last_election4  = 58 seats, 8.91%
| seats_before4  =
| seats4        = 56
| seats4        = 54
| seat_change4  = {{decrease}}2
| seat_change4  = {{decrease}}1
| popular_vote4  = 1,559,570
| popular_vote4  = 1,495,843
| percentage4    = 9.48%
| percentage4    = 9.03%
| swing4        = {{increase}}0.57%
| swing4        = {{increase}}0.45%


<!-- NLP-->
<!--Landbund-->
| image5         = [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-2002-0625-505, Dr. Wilhelm Cuno (cropped).jpg|150x150px]]
| image5       = [[File:Thomas Bechtold.jpg|150x150px]]
| leader5        = [[Walther von Pittermann]]
| leader5        = Thomas Bechtold
| leaders_seat5  = [[Westbrücken]]
| leaders_seat5  = Prizen
| party5        = [[National Liberal Party (Werania)|NLP]]
| party5        = [[Centre Party (Werania)|Landbund]]
| color5        = 33D6AD
| color5        = 1BB100
| last_election5 = 53 seats, 8.38%
| last_election5 = 72 seats, 10.99%
| seats_before5  =
| seats5        = 54
| seats5        = 53
| seat_change5  = {{decrease}}18
| seat_change5  = {{steady}}
| popular_vote5  = 1,478,944
| popular_vote5  = 1,475,936
| percentage5    = 8.99%
| percentage5    = 8.91%
| swing5        = {{decrease}}2%
| swing5        = {{increase}}0.53%


<!--OVP-->
<!-- Liberal-->
| image6        = [[File:ErnstRüdigerFürstStarhembergBA1556417.jpg|150x150px]]
| image6        = [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-12733, Hjalmar Schacht.jpg|150x150px]]
| leader6        = Karl Theophil von Pölten
| leader6        = Elmar Künneth
| leaders_seat6  = Prizen
| leaders_seat6  = [[Westbrücken]]
| party6        = [[Weranian Fatherland Party|OVP]]
| party6        = [[Liberal Party (Werania)|Liberal]]
| color6        = 1F497D
| color6        = 48A5EE
| last_election6 = 62 seats, 9.67%
| last_election6 = 66 seats, 10.10%
| seats_before6  = 62
| seats6        = 53
| seats6        = 52
| seat_change6  = {{decrease}}13
| seat_change6  = {{decrease}}10
| popular_vote6  = 1,475,936
| popular_vote6  = 1,458,302
| percentage6    = 8.97%
| percentage6    = 8.80%
| swing6        = {{decrease}}1.13%
| swing6        = {{decrease}}0.87%


<!-- Map -->
<!-- Map -->
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The '''22<sup>nd</sup> federal election''' was held in the [[Werania|Weranian Confederation]] for the [[House of Deputies (Werania)|House of Deputies]] (the lower house of the [[Bundestag of Werania|Bundestag]]) on the 17<sup>th</sup> April 1935. All 584 members of the House of Deputies were elected under a system of {{wp|proportional representation}} with each ''{{wp|regierungsbezirke}}'' treated as an electoral districts. The elections were the first held in almost a decade as elections had been suspended during the [[Great War (Kylaris)|Great War]].  
The '''22<sup>nd</sup> federal election''' was held in the [[Werania|Weranian Confederation]] for the [[House of Deputies (Werania)|House of Deputies]] (the lower house of the [[Bundestag of Werania|Bundestag]]) on the 17<sup>th</sup> April 1935. All 584 members of the House of Deputies were elected under a system of {{wp|proportional representation}} with each ''{{wp|regierungsbezirke}}'' treated as an electoral districts. The elections were the first held in almost a decade as elections had been suspended during the [[Great War (Kylaris)|Great War]].  


The first election held under {{wp|universal suffrage}} (with women being granted the vote five months prior to the election) the 1935 election saw the wartime coalition of the [[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|Catholic]], [[National Liberal Party (Werania)|National Liberals]], [[Social Democratic Party of Werania|Social Democrats]], [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radicals]] and [[Weranian Fatherland Party|Conservatives]] (the {{wp|Burgfriedenspolitik|landsmann union}}) under [[Premier of Werania|premier]] [[Otto Röttgen]] splinter on the issue of post-war reconstruction. In particular the Radicals opposed the [[Leopoldism|Leopoldist]] programme of premier Röttgen with the radicals accusing Röttgen and [[Leopold IV of Werania|Leopold IV]] of attempting to create a {{wp|dictatorship}}. Nevertheless Röttgen was popular due to his wartime leadership and aimed to secure a firm mandate to implement post-war reforms.  
The first election held under {{wp|universal suffrage}} (with women being granted the vote five months prior to the election) the 1935 election saw the wartime coalition of the [[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|Catholic]], [[Liberal Party (Werania)|Liberals]], [[Social Democratic Party of Werania|Social Democrats]], [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radicals]] and the [[Centre Party (Werania)|Agrarians]] (the [[Constitutionalist Bloc]]) under [[Premier of Werania|premier]] [[Otto Röttgen]] splinter on the issue of post-war reconstruction. In particular there was within the coalition opposition to the [[Leopoldism|Leopoldist]] programme of premier Röttgen with some accusing Röttgen and [[Leopold IV of Werania|Leopold IV]] of attempting to create a {{wp|dictatorship}}. Nevertheless Röttgen was popular due to his wartime leadership and aimed to secure a firm mandate to implement post-war reforms.  


The wartime abolition of Ruttish parties meant that this was the first Weranian election in decades contested purely by federal parties. The abolition of Ruttish parties and the increased influence of the leftists in [[Euclea]] benefitted the [[Weranic Section of the Workers' International]]. The OSAI supported the notion of entering the government for the first time since its split in 1920 but refused to cooperate with Röttgen.
The wartime abolition of Ruttish parties meant that this was the first Weranian election in decades contested purely by federal parties. The abolition of Ruttish parties and the increased influence of the leftists in [[Euclea]] benefitted the [[Weranic Section of the Workers' International]]. The OSAI supported the notion of entering the government for the first time since its split in 1920 but refused to cooperate with Röttgen.


The election saw a swing to the left with the OSAI retaining its status as the largest party in the House of Deputies increasing its seat and vote share. Nevertheless the KSP saw the largest increase in both seats and vote consolidating its status as the largest non-socialist party. The election saw the left bloc of the OSAI, SPO and Radicals attain a majority but the SPO refused to work with the OSAI due to continued tensions between the two parties. As such Röttgen formed a centrist cabinet predominantly made of KSP and NLP parliamentarians with support from the SPO and OVP. The centrist coalition would continue to hold office during the legislative term under Röttgen's successor [[Walther von Pittermann]].
The election saw a swing to the left with the OSAI retaining its status as the largest party in the House of Deputies increasing its seat and vote share signalling clear desire from the electorate for social reform to be adopted. The right-wing parties suffered major losses with the KSP losing half of its parliamentary delegation and the Radicals becoming the largest non-socialist party. As such Röttgen reformed the five-party alliance made of Radical, NLP, KSP, SPO and Landbund parliamentarians. The five-party coalition would continue to hold office during the legislative term under Röttgen's successor [[Gustav Blumentritt]].
==Electoral process==
==Electoral process==
The election was held using a system of {{wp|proportional repsentation}} that had been introduced in 1905. The country had 76 electoral districts based on the {{wp|regierungsbezirke}} with no {{wp|electoral threshold}}. There were calls to amend the electoral system prior to the election as it had consistently delivered heavily divided legislatures in the period leading up to the Great War that struggled to produce majority governments - however a proposal to introduce a {{wp|two-round system}} was rejected by the cabinet.  
The election was held using a system of {{wp|proportional repsentation}} that had been introduced in 1905. The country had 76 electoral districts based on the {{wp|regierungsbezirke}} with no {{wp|electoral threshold}}. There were calls to amend the electoral system prior to the election as it had consistently delivered heavily divided legislatures in the period leading up to the Great War that struggled to produce majority governments - however a proposal to introduce a {{wp|two-round system}} was rejected by the cabinet.  
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The government introduced several changes prior to the election however. The seats in the chamber were reduced from 621 to 584, making a majority in the chamber 293 deputies. The government also passed {{wp|women's suffrage}} granting women the right to vote for the first time in Weranian history. The measure was the result of rare cooperation between the Catholics and socialists who were seen as the most likely beneficiaries. In addition the voting age was lowered from 25 to 20.   
The government introduced several changes prior to the election however. The seats in the chamber were reduced from 621 to 584, making a majority in the chamber 293 deputies. The government also passed {{wp|women's suffrage}} granting women the right to vote for the first time in Weranian history. The measure was the result of rare cooperation between the Catholics and socialists who were seen as the most likely beneficiaries. In addition the voting age was lowered from 25 to 20.   
==Background==
==Background==
The election occurred in the aftermath of the [[Great War (Kylaris)|Great War]] which changed the political landscape of Werania. Prior to the war Werania had undergone a period of political instability with anti-parliamentarian parties such as the {{wp|national syndicalism|national syndicalist}} [[Weranic Syndicalist Union]] and [[Ruttland|Ruttish]] {{wp|nationalism|nationalist}} [[National Resurrection Party]] undermining Weranian democracy. The presence of these parties alongside the {{wp|Cordon sanitaire (politics)|cordon sanitaire}} around the [[Weranic Section of the Workers' International]] meant that governments often became unwieldy coalitions of the so-called "constitutionalist parties" (the [[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|Catholics]], [[National Liberal Party (Werania)|National Liberals]], [[Social Democratic Party of Werania|Social Democrats]], [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radicals]], the [[Workers' Party of Werania|Workers']] and [[Weranian Fatherland Party|Conservatives]]). At the outbreak of war however the government banned the anti-parliamentarian parties (the TPP) whilst forming a {{wp|national unity government}} in support of the war effort, the {{wp|Burgfriedenspolitik|landsmann union}}. The OSAI was split on the war question although its most prominent personality, Aurimas Kreickamas, supported the war on anti-functionalist grounds. Additionally the leader of the Workers' Party Oskar Breuer eventually opposed the war altogether leading to the Workers' Party to splinter with a minority going to the OSAI and the majority to the SPO.
The election occurred in the aftermath of the [[Great War (Kylaris)|Great War]] which changed the political landscape of Werania. Prior to the war Werania had undergone a period of political instability with anti-parliamentarian parties such as the {{wp|national syndicalism|national syndicalist}} [[Weranic Syndicalist Union]] undermining Weranian democracy. The presence of these parties alongside the {{wp|Cordon sanitaire (politics)|cordon sanitaire}} around the [[Weranic Section of the Workers' International]] meant that governments often became unwieldy coalitions of the so-called "constitutionalist parties" (the [[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|Catholics]], [[Liberal Party (Werania)|Liberals]], [[Social Democratic Party of Werania|Social Democrats]], [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radicals]] and the [[Centre Party (Werania)|Agrarians]]). At the outbreak of war however the government banned the anti-parliamentarian parties whilst forming a {{wp|national unity government}} in support of the war effort. The OSAI was split on the war question although its most prominent personality, Aurimas Kreickamas, supported the war on anti-functionalist grounds.  


As the war neared its end the matter of the post-war settlement begun to enter the Weranian political discourse. The socialists had been gaining in popularity both due to increased [[Kirenia]]n influence and a shift by the socialists towards assimilating patriotism and reverence for the army into their political discourse, notions they had previously belittled. To counter this the monarch [[Leopold IV of Werania|Leopold IV]] and the [[Premier of Werania|premier]] [[Otto Röttgen]] formulated a political programme, [[Leopoldism]], that sought to introduce moderate social reform whilst centralising governmental control and limiting parliamentary democracy.
As the war neared its end the matter of the post-war settlement begun to enter the Weranian political discourse. The socialists had been gaining in popularity both due to increased [[Valduvia]]n influence and a shift by the socialists towards assimilating patriotism and reverence for the army into their political discourse, notions they had previously belittled. To counter this the monarch [[Leopold IV of Werania|Leopold IV]] and the [[Premier of Werania|premier]] [[Otto Röttgen]] formulated a political programme, [[Leopoldism]], that sought to introduce moderate social reform whilst centralising governmental control and limiting parliamentary democracy.


The 1925-1929 legislative term had technically elapsed in 1929 but was extended for another four years twice, in 1929 and 1933. Röttgen and Leopold IV both supported holding an election when the legislative extension expired in 1937 due to the belief that an earlier election would benefit the socialists due to the poor social conditions. The governments post-war reconstruction scheme, the Bader-Fritz Plan, had only begun to take effect and wartime devastation still afflicted the country. Röttgen privately aimed to dissolve the Bundestag following the conclusion of peace treaties with [[Gaullica]] and [[Shangea]] in order to take advantage of post-war triumphalism.
The 1924-1928 legislative term had technically elapsed in 1928 but was extended for another four years twice, in 1928 and 1932. Röttgen and Leopold IV both supported holding an election when the legislative extension expired in 1936 due to the belief that an earlier election would benefit the socialists due to the poor social conditions. The governments post-war reconstruction scheme, the Bader-Fritz Plan, had only begun to take effect and wartime devastation still afflicted the country. Röttgen privately aimed to dissolve the Bundestag following the conclusion of peace treaties with [[Gaullica]] and [[Shangea]] in order to take advantage of post-war triumphalism.


However the continual postponement of elections sat uneasily with Röttgen's coalition partners, particularly the Radicals and Social Democrats. The radical leader and former premier Lothar Kuehnelt in particular distrusted Röttgen seeing him as a potentially authoritarian figure to close to both the monarchy and the clergy and pushed for an early election in order to reassert the power of the legislature. After Shangea officially surrendered to the [[Grand Alliance]] forces in December 1934 Kuehnelt requested to Röttgen to call an early election but the premier demurred. By February 1935 relations between the KSP and Radicals had collapsed leading to Kuehnelt to withdraw the party from the wartime coalition announcing that the Radicals would support the socialists demand to hold an early election.  
However the continual postponement of elections sat uneasily with Röttgen's coalition partners, particularly the largest of the bourgeois parties the Catholics. The Catholics distrusted Röttgen seeing him as a potentially authoritarian figure to close to both the monarchy and pushed for an early election in order to reassert the power of the legislature. After Shangea officially surrendered to the [[Grand Alliance]] forces in December 1934 the KSP parliamentary delegation requested to Röttgen to call an early election but the premier demurred. By February 1935 relations between the KSP and Radicals had collapsed leading to the KSP to threaten to withdraw from the government and call for early elections.  


The withdrawal of the radicals from the coalition caused a crisis for Röttgen. Röttgen had hoped to continue the wartime unity government in order to have societal consensus for post-war reforms and to isolate the socialists from executive power. In response to the Radicals decision the OSAI stated it would be willing to support a centre-left government provided Röttgen had no role in it, threatening the premiers position. Röttgen additionally was not the leader of his party, the KSP, and so with his coalition diminished faced greater uncertainty on his ability to run the country.  
The threatened withdrawal of the KSP from the coalition caused a crisis for Röttgen. Röttgen had hoped to continue the wartime unity government in order to have societal consensus for post-war reforms and to isolate the socialists from executive power. In response to the KSP's decision the OSAI stated it would be willing to support a centre-left government provided Röttgen had no role in it, threatening the premiers position among the left-wing of the Radicals. Röttgen additionally was not the leader of his party, the Radicals, and so with his coalition diminished faced greater uncertainty on his ability to run the country.  


As a result shortly following Kuehnelt's withdrawal Röttgen announced that he had obtained consent from the monarch to dissolve the Bundestag in the hope that voters would re-elect the wartime coalition. Röttgen had not consulted the cabinet regarding an election and so his announcement was greeted with surprise. Notably the socialists were caught off guard by the holding of an electing predicting that Röttgen would attempt to cling onto office and so entered the campaign unprepared.  
As a result shortly after receiving the KSP's ultimatum withdrawal Röttgen announced that he had obtained consent from the monarch to dissolve the Bundestag in the hope that voters would re-elect the wartime coalition. Röttgen had not consulted the cabinet regarding an election and so his announcement was greeted with surprise. Notably the socialists were caught off guard by the holding of an electing predicting that Röttgen would attempt to cling onto office and so entered the campaign unprepared.  
==Parties==
==Parties==
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:left
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:left
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!colspan=3|Party
!colspan=3|Party
!Ideology
!Ideology
!Political position
!{{wp|Lead Candidate|Spitzenkandidat}}
!{{wp|Lead Candidate|Spitzenkandidat}}
!1925 result
!1924 result
!In government
!In government
|-
|-
| {{wp|Left-wing politics|Left}}
|rowspan=2| {{wp|Left-wing politics|Left}}
| style="background:#F0001C" |
| style="background:#8B0000" |
| [[File:Natsyn logo.png|50px]]
| [[Weranic Syndicalist Union]]
| {{wp|National syndicalism}}, {{wp|Revolutionary nationalism}}
| [[Siegfried Höcker]]
| {{Composition bar|0|621|hex=#F0001C}}
| {{N}}
|-
| style="background:#FF0000" |
| [[File:OSAI-O.png|50px]]
| [[File:OSAI-O.png|50px]]
| [[Weranic Section of the Workers' International]]
| [[Weranic Section of the Workers' International]]
| {{wp|Socialism}}, {{wp|Revolutionary socialism}}
| {{wp|Socialism}}, {{wp|Revolutionary socialism}}
| {{Wp|Left-wing politics|Left-wing}}
| [[Aurimas Kreickamas]]
| [[Aurimas Kreickamas]]
| {{Composition bar|184|621|hex=#F0001C}}
| {{Composition bar|164|621|hex=#F0001C}}
| {{N}}
| {{N}}
|-
|-
Line 159: Line 159:
| [[Social Democratic Party of Werania]]
| [[Social Democratic Party of Werania]]
| {{wp|Social democracy}}, {{Wp|Reformism}}
| {{wp|Social democracy}}, {{Wp|Reformism}}
| {{Wp|Centre-left politics|Centre-left}}
| [[August Olbrich]]
| [[August Olbrich]]
|  {{Composition bar|45|621|hex=#DE3163}}
|  {{Composition bar|58|621|hex=#DE3163}}
| {{Y}}
| {{Y}}
|-
|-
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| [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radical Party]]
| [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radical Party]]
| {{wp|Radicalism (historical)|Radicalism}}, {{wp|Anti-clericalism}}
| {{wp|Radicalism (historical)|Radicalism}}, {{wp|Anti-clericalism}}
| {{Wp|Centrism|Centre}}
| [[Otto Röttgen]]
| [[Lothar Kuehnelt]]
| {{Composition bar|54|621|hex=#a672a6}}
| {{Composition bar|55|621|hex=#a672a6}}
| {{Y}}
| {{N}}
|-
|-
|rowspan=2| {{wp|Centre-right}}
|rowspan=2| {{wp|Centre-right}}
| style="background:#33D6AD" |
| style="background:#1BB100" |
| [[File:National Liberal Party Werania logo.png|50px]]
| [[File:Landbund logo.svg|50px]]
| [[National Liberal Party (Werania)|National Liberal Party]]
| [[Centre Party (Werania)|Landbund]]
| {{wp|National Liberalism}}, {{wp|Classical liberalism}}
| {{wp|Agrarianism}}, {{wp|Populism}}
| {{Wp|Centre-right politics|Centre-right}}
| Thomas Bechtold
| [[Walther von Pittermann]]
| {{Composition bar|72|621|hex=#1BB100}}
| {{Composition bar|53|621|hex=#33D6AD}}
| {{Y}}
| {{Y}}
|-
|-
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| [[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|Catholic Social Party]]
| [[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|Catholic Social Party]]
| {{wp|Political Catholicism}}, {{Wp|Christian Democracy|Sotirian Democracy}}
| {{wp|Political Catholicism}}, {{Wp|Christian Democracy|Sotirian Democracy}}
| {{Wp|Centre-right politics|Centre-right}}
| [[Gustav Blumentritt]]
| [[Otto Röttgen]]
| {{Composition bar|142|621|hex=#FAA61A}}
| {{Composition bar|143|621|hex=#FAA61A}}
| {{Y}}
| {{Y}}
|-
|-
|{{wp|Right-wing politics|Right}}
|{{wp|Right-wing politics|Right}}
| style="background:#1F497D" |
| style="background:#48A5EE" |
| [[File:Conservative Party Werania logo.png|50px]]
| [[File:National Liberal Party Werania logo.png|50px]]
| [[Weranian Fatherland Party]]
| [[Liberal Party (Werania)|Liberal Party]]
| {{wp|National conservatism}}, {{wp|Monarchism}}
| {{wp|National Liberalism}}, {{wp|Classical liberalism}}
| {{Wp|Right-wing politics|Right-wing}}
| Elmar Künneth
| Karl Theophil von Pölten
| {{Composition bar|66|621|hex=#48A5EE}}
| {{Composition bar|62|621|hex=#1F497D}}
| {{Y}}
| {{Y}}
|}
|}


==Campaign==
==Campaign==
The campaign saw the right-wing parties - the KSP, OVP and NLP - rally around premier Röttgen with the far-right being marginalised as a political force as they were discredited due to their association with wartime collaboration. Röttgen and his allies campaigned on a vague platform of social reform and virulent anti-socialism, warning voters of the danger of electing a left-leaning government. Röttgen denounced the OSAI as a sect that represented "narrow class interests" and appealed to the spirit of wartime unity.  
[[File:Holdovaci průvod na Hrad roku 1930.JPG|thumb|The Radical's women branch campaigning in [[Ruttland]].|250px]]
The campaign saw the pro-government parties - the Radicals, KSP, Landbund, SPO and Liberals - rally around premier Röttgen with the far-right being marginalised as a political force as they were discredited due to their association with wartime collaboration. Röttgen and his allies campaigned on a vague platform of social reform and virulent anti-socialism, warning voters of the danger of electing a left-leaning government. Röttgen denounced the OSAI as a sect that represented "narrow class interests" and appealed to the spirit of wartime unity. The right-wing parties largely were unable to tap into the spirit of post-war reformism leading to the Radicals to soon become the choice for many centrist voters as Röttgen moved to the right.
 
The OSAI were split on the prospect of either leading or merely supporting a left-wing government, although its senior leadership supported a coalition with the SPO and the left-wing the radicals. The SPO did not support a coalition with the OSAI but were uncomfortable with working with Röttgen who they increasingly perceived to be moving in a right-wing direction. SPO chairman August Olbrich called for a renewal of the wartime unity government in order to herald in social reforms but without the figure of Röttgen, instead proposing that the KSP leader Gustav Blumentritt lead an all-party government.


The OSAI were split on the prospect of either leading or merely supporting a left-wing government, although its senior leadership supported a coalition with the radicals. In turn the radicals rejected serving under an OSAI led government but supported a partnership between the two parties that would enable the ouster of Röttgen. The SPO did not support a coalition with the OSAI but were uncomfortable with working with Röttgen who they increasingly perceived to be moving in a right-wing direction. SPO chairman August Olbrich called for a renewal of the wartime unity government in order to herald in social reforms.
The OSU, a splinter from the OSAI, participated in its first election. It had a large base of support from ex-service and was seen as violent, with its leader Siegfried Höcker calling for a revolution to sweep away capitalism and communism.


The campaign was noted for its hyper-partisan nature which made many disillusioned with politics. In particular the banning of many Ruttish parties caused resentment in the province allowing the OSAI to tap into autonomist sentiment to gain traction.
The campaign was noted for its hyper-partisan nature which made many disillusioned with politics. In particular the banning of many Ruttish parties caused resentment in the province allowing the OSAI to tap into autonomist sentiment to gain traction.
Line 222: Line 220:
|-
|-
|style="background-color:#F0001C"|
|style="background-color:#F0001C"|
|align=left|[[Weranic Section of the Workers' International]]||5,648,372||34.09||204||<span style="color:green">+9</span>
|align=left|[[Weranic Section of the Workers' International]]||6,148,372||37.37||224||<span style="color:green">+60</span>
|-
|style="background-color:#a672a6"|
|align=left|[[Radical Party (Werania)|Radical Party]]||2,206,843||13.41||80||<span style="color:green">+26</span>
|-
|-
|style="background-color:#FAA61A"|
|style="background-color:#FAA61A"|
|align=left|[[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|Catholic Social Party]]||4,596,028||27.74||165||<span style="color:green">+22</span>
|align=left|[[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|Catholic Social Party]]||2,206,843||13.29||79||<span style="color:red">-63</span>
|-
|-
|style="background-color:#DE3163"|
|style="background-color:#DE3163"|
|align=left|[[Social Democratic Party of Werania]]||1,559,570||9.41||56||<span style="color:red">-32</span>
|align=left|[[Social Democratic Party of Werania]]||1,559,570||9.48||56||<span style="color:red">-2</span>
|-
|-
|style="background-color:#a672a6"|
|style="background-color:#1BB100"|
|align=left|[[Radical Party (Werania)|Radical Party]]||1,495,843||9.03||54||<span style="color:red">-1</span>
|align=left|[[Centre Party (Werania)|Rural Federation]]||1,478,944||8.99||54||<span style="color:red">-18</span>
|-
|-
|style="background-color:#33D6AD"|
|style="background-color:#48A5EE"|
|align=left|[[National Liberal Party (Werania)|National Liberal Party]]||1,475,936||8.91||53||-
|align=left|[[Liberal Party (Werania)|Liberal Party]]||1,475,936||8.97||53||<span style="color:red">−13</span>
|-
|-
|style="background-color:#1F497D"|
|style="background-color:#8B0000"|
|align=left|[[Weranian Fatherland Party]]||1,458,302||8.80||52||<span style="color:red">−10</span>
|align=left|[[Weranic Syndicalist Union]]||1,058,302||6.43||38||<span style="color:green">+38</span>
|-
|-
|style="background-color:#dddddd"|
|style="background-color:#dddddd"|
Line 244: Line 245:
|align=left colspan=2|Invalid/blank votes||220,485||–||–||–
|align=left colspan=2|Invalid/blank votes||220,485||–||–||–
|-
|-
|align=left colspan=2 |'''Total'''||'''16,470,368 '''||'''100'''||'''584'''||'''±0'''
|align=left colspan=2 |'''Total'''||'''16,451,312  '''||'''100'''||'''584'''||'''±0'''
|-
|-
|align=left colspan=2 |Registered voters/turnout||19,675,832||83.71||–||–
|align=left colspan=2 |Registered voters/turnout||19,675,832||83.61||–||–
|}
|}


==Aftermath==
==Aftermath==
===Outcome===
===Outcome===
The election saw the parties of the parliamentary left (the OSAI, SPO and Radicals) gain a majority in the chamber with 52.01% of the vote, commonly seen to be an endorsement of calls for radical social reform in the post war era. This represented the strongest result for the left since the 1918 election and in particular for the OSAI who won a convincing majority of seats in Ruttland, beginning a foothold in the region that would continue for several decades. On the right the KSP largely thanks to Röttgens popularity became the largest non-socialist party seeing the biggest increase of its vote share. Comparatively the traditional parties of the right the NLP and OVP underperformed keeping in line with a trend that had begun in the pre-war period.  
The election saw only three parties - OSAI, the Radicals and the newly formed OSU - gain seats with every other contesting party seeing losses. The KSP in particular saw a catastrophic result losing almost half their deputies and emerging behind the Radicals for the first time since 1918. The success of the OSAI was attributed to the popularity of radical socialism after the end of the war and the widespread desire for social reform, particularly in Ruttland where the OSAI won a convincing majority of seats beginning a foothold in the region that would continue for several decades.  
 
The success of the Radicals was attributed both to Röttgens firm anti-socialist rhetoric and his support for social reform (albeit in line with the [[Leopoldism|Leopoldist]] programme) thereby enabling him to present his party as being representative of national unity. This would be somewhat of a last hurrah for the Radicals who would after the retirement of Röttgen in 1937 decline as many right-wing voters moved back to the more traditional bourgeois parties.


Turnout was very high at 83.71% despite fears that demobilised servicemen and women would not vote. Female suffrage had less of an effect then many predicted with women voters showing little divergence from men outside a slight preference for the two largest parties.  
Turnout was very high at 83.61% despite fears that demobilised servicemen and women would not vote. Female suffrage had less of an effect then many predicted with women voters showing little divergence from men outside a slight preference for the three largest parties.  
===Government formation===
===Government formation===
Although the left had won a majority of the vote and seats the SPO and OSAI opposed entering a coalition with the SPO continuing to govern with Röttgen. Although NLP leader Walther von Pittermann was proposed as a compromise candidate to replace Röttgen as premier to entice the radicals to enter government the monarch Leopold IV refused to appoint a cabinet that excluded Röttgen. Röttgen eventually created a cabinet with the KSP, NLP and SPO heading the majority of cabinet posts. The cabinet was sworn in on the 2 May 1935.  
Following the election talks began for the creation of a centrist government based around the Radicals. Although KSP leader Gustav Blumentritt was proposed as a compromise candidate to replace Röttgen as premier the monarch Leopold IV refused to appoint a cabinet that excluded Röttgen. The KSP agreed to continue the coalition after being promised the post of finance minister, thereby re-creating the five-party alliance that had governed Werania since 1922. Röttgen eventually created a cabinet with the Radicals, Liberals, SPO, KSP and Landbund heading the majority of cabinet posts. The cabinet was sworn in on the 2 May 1935.  
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:98%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:98%;"
|-
|-
| colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#C0C0C0"| '''Investiture'''<br/>[[Otto Röttgen]] ([[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|KSP]])
| colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="#C0C0C0"| '''Investiture'''<br/>[[Otto Röttgen]] ([[Radical Party (Werania)|Radical]])
|-
|-
! colspan="2" width="150px"| Ballot →
! colspan="2" width="150px"| Ballot →
Line 268: Line 271:
! width="1px" style="background:green;"|
! width="1px" style="background:green;"|
| align="left"| {{Collapsible list | title = <span style="font-weight:normal;">Yes</span>
| align="left"| {{Collapsible list | title = <span style="font-weight:normal;">Yes</span>
| • [[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|KSP]] (167)
| • [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radicals]] (80)
| • [[Social Democratic Party of Werania|SPO]] (63)
| • [[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|KSP]] (79)
| • [[National Liberal Party (Werania)|NLP]] (60)
| • [[Centre Party (Werania)|Landbund]] (54)
| • [[Weranian Fatherland Party|OVP]] (47)
| • [[Liberal Party (Werania)|Liberals]] (53)
| • [[Social Democratic Party of Werania|SPO]] (52)
}}
}}
| {{Composition bar|290|584|green|width=125px}}
| {{Composition bar|318|584|green|width=125px}}
|-
|-
! style="background:red;"|
! style="background:red;"|
| align="left"| {{Collapsible list | title = <span style="font-weight:normal;">No</span>
| align="left"| {{Collapsible list | title = <span style="font-weight:normal;">No</span>
| • [[Weranic Section of the Workers' International|OSAI]] (183)
| • [[Weranic Section of the Workers' International|OSAI]] (224)
| • [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radicals]] (58)
| • [[Weranic Syndicalist Union|OSU]] (38)
| • [[Weranian Fatherland Party|OVP]] (47)
}}
}}
| {{Composition bar|288|584|red|width=125px}}
| {{Composition bar|262|584|red|width=125px}}
|-
|-
! style="background:gray;"|
! style="background:gray;"|
| align="left"| {{Collapsible list | title = <span style="font-weight:normal;">Abstentions</span>
| align="left"| {{Collapsible list | title = <span style="font-weight:normal;">Abstentions</span>
| • [[Social Democratic Party of Werania|SPO]] (4)
| • [[Social Democratic Party of Werania|SPO]] (4)
| • [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radicals]] (2)
}}
}}
| {{Composition bar|6|584|gray|width=125px}}
| {{Composition bar|4|584|gray|width=125px}}
|-
|-
! style="background:black;"|
! style="background:black;"|

Latest revision as of 15:01, 23 December 2023

1935 Weranian federal election
← 1924 17 April 1935 1939 →
All 584 seats to the House of Deputies
292 seats are needed for a majority in the Volkstag
Turnout16,470,368 (83.71%)
Increase0.68%
  First party Second party Third party
  Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas.jpg Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk 1925.PNG Bundesarchiv Bild 146III-105, Joseph Wirth.jpg
Leader Aurimas Kreickamas Otto Röttgen Gustav Blumentritt
Party OSAI Radicals KSP
Leader's seat Ruttland Bonnlitz-Ostbrücken Cislania
Last election 164 seats, 25.13% 54 seats, 8.38% 142 seats, 21.76%
Seats won 224 80 79
Seat change Increase60 Increase26 Decrease63
Popular vote 6,148,372 2,206,843 2,187,028
Percentage 37.37% 13.41% 13.29%
Swing Increase12.24% Increase5.03% Decrease8.47%
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
  Bundesarchiv Bild 102-14240, Gustav Noske (cropped).jpg Thomas Bechtold.jpg Bundesarchiv Bild 102-12733, Hjalmar Schacht.jpg
Leader August Olbrich Thomas Bechtold Elmar Künneth
Party SPO Landbund Liberal
Leader's seat Cislania Prizen Westbrücken
Last election 58 seats, 8.91% 72 seats, 10.99% 66 seats, 10.10%
Seats won 56 54 53
Seat change Decrease2 Decrease18 Decrease13
Popular vote 1,559,570 1,478,944 1,475,936
Percentage 9.48% 8.99% 8.97%
Swing Increase0.57% Decrease2% Decrease1.13%
1935 election map.png
Premier before election

Otto Röttgen
KSP

Elected Premier

Otto Röttgen
KSP

The 22nd federal election was held in the Weranian Confederation for the House of Deputies (the lower house of the Bundestag) on the 17th April 1935. All 584 members of the House of Deputies were elected under a system of proportional representation with each regierungsbezirke treated as an electoral districts. The elections were the first held in almost a decade as elections had been suspended during the Great War.

The first election held under universal suffrage (with women being granted the vote five months prior to the election) the 1935 election saw the wartime coalition of the Catholic, Liberals, Social Democrats, Radicals and the Agrarians (the Constitutionalist Bloc) under premier Otto Röttgen splinter on the issue of post-war reconstruction. In particular there was within the coalition opposition to the Leopoldist programme of premier Röttgen with some accusing Röttgen and Leopold IV of attempting to create a dictatorship. Nevertheless Röttgen was popular due to his wartime leadership and aimed to secure a firm mandate to implement post-war reforms.

The wartime abolition of Ruttish parties meant that this was the first Weranian election in decades contested purely by federal parties. The abolition of Ruttish parties and the increased influence of the leftists in Euclea benefitted the Weranic Section of the Workers' International. The OSAI supported the notion of entering the government for the first time since its split in 1920 but refused to cooperate with Röttgen.

The election saw a swing to the left with the OSAI retaining its status as the largest party in the House of Deputies increasing its seat and vote share signalling clear desire from the electorate for social reform to be adopted. The right-wing parties suffered major losses with the KSP losing half of its parliamentary delegation and the Radicals becoming the largest non-socialist party. As such Röttgen reformed the five-party alliance made of Radical, NLP, KSP, SPO and Landbund parliamentarians. The five-party coalition would continue to hold office during the legislative term under Röttgen's successor Gustav Blumentritt.

Electoral process

The election was held using a system of proportional repsentation that had been introduced in 1905. The country had 76 electoral districts based on the regierungsbezirke with no electoral threshold. There were calls to amend the electoral system prior to the election as it had consistently delivered heavily divided legislatures in the period leading up to the Great War that struggled to produce majority governments - however a proposal to introduce a two-round system was rejected by the cabinet.

The government introduced several changes prior to the election however. The seats in the chamber were reduced from 621 to 584, making a majority in the chamber 293 deputies. The government also passed women's suffrage granting women the right to vote for the first time in Weranian history. The measure was the result of rare cooperation between the Catholics and socialists who were seen as the most likely beneficiaries. In addition the voting age was lowered from 25 to 20.

Background

The election occurred in the aftermath of the Great War which changed the political landscape of Werania. Prior to the war Werania had undergone a period of political instability with anti-parliamentarian parties such as the national syndicalist Weranic Syndicalist Union undermining Weranian democracy. The presence of these parties alongside the cordon sanitaire around the Weranic Section of the Workers' International meant that governments often became unwieldy coalitions of the so-called "constitutionalist parties" (the Catholics, Liberals, Social Democrats, Radicals and the Agrarians). At the outbreak of war however the government banned the anti-parliamentarian parties whilst forming a national unity government in support of the war effort. The OSAI was split on the war question although its most prominent personality, Aurimas Kreickamas, supported the war on anti-functionalist grounds.  

As the war neared its end the matter of the post-war settlement begun to enter the Weranian political discourse. The socialists had been gaining in popularity both due to increased Valduvian influence and a shift by the socialists towards assimilating patriotism and reverence for the army into their political discourse, notions they had previously belittled. To counter this the monarch Leopold IV and the premier Otto Röttgen formulated a political programme, Leopoldism, that sought to introduce moderate social reform whilst centralising governmental control and limiting parliamentary democracy.

The 1924-1928 legislative term had technically elapsed in 1928 but was extended for another four years twice, in 1928 and 1932. Röttgen and Leopold IV both supported holding an election when the legislative extension expired in 1936 due to the belief that an earlier election would benefit the socialists due to the poor social conditions. The governments post-war reconstruction scheme, the Bader-Fritz Plan, had only begun to take effect and wartime devastation still afflicted the country. Röttgen privately aimed to dissolve the Bundestag following the conclusion of peace treaties with Gaullica and Shangea in order to take advantage of post-war triumphalism.

However the continual postponement of elections sat uneasily with Röttgen's coalition partners, particularly the largest of the bourgeois parties the Catholics. The Catholics distrusted Röttgen seeing him as a potentially authoritarian figure to close to both the monarchy and pushed for an early election in order to reassert the power of the legislature. After Shangea officially surrendered to the Grand Alliance forces in December 1934 the KSP parliamentary delegation requested to Röttgen to call an early election but the premier demurred. By February 1935 relations between the KSP and Radicals had collapsed leading to the KSP to threaten to withdraw from the government and call for early elections.

The threatened withdrawal of the KSP from the coalition caused a crisis for Röttgen. Röttgen had hoped to continue the wartime unity government in order to have societal consensus for post-war reforms and to isolate the socialists from executive power. In response to the KSP's decision the OSAI stated it would be willing to support a centre-left government provided Röttgen had no role in it, threatening the premiers position among the left-wing of the Radicals. Röttgen additionally was not the leader of his party, the Radicals, and so with his coalition diminished faced greater uncertainty on his ability to run the country.

As a result shortly after receiving the KSP's ultimatum withdrawal Röttgen announced that he had obtained consent from the monarch to dissolve the Bundestag in the hope that voters would re-elect the wartime coalition. Röttgen had not consulted the cabinet regarding an election and so his announcement was greeted with surprise. Notably the socialists were caught off guard by the holding of an electing predicting that Röttgen would attempt to cling onto office and so entered the campaign unprepared.

Parties

Affiliation Party Ideology Spitzenkandidat 1924 result In government
Left Natsyn logo.png Weranic Syndicalist Union National syndicalism, Revolutionary nationalism Siegfried Höcker
0 / 621
 Red XN
OSAI-O.png Weranic Section of the Workers' International Socialism, Revolutionary socialism Aurimas Kreickamas
164 / 621
 Red XN
Centre-left SPO logo.png Social Democratic Party of Werania Social democracy, Reformism August Olbrich
58 / 621
 Green tickY
Radical Party logo.png Radical Party Radicalism, Anti-clericalism Otto Röttgen
54 / 621
 Green tickY
Centre-right Landbund logo.svg Landbund Agrarianism, Populism Thomas Bechtold
72 / 621
 Green tickY
KSP logo.png Catholic Social Party Political Catholicism, Sotirian Democracy Gustav Blumentritt
142 / 621
 Green tickY
Right National Liberal Party Werania logo.png Liberal Party National Liberalism, Classical liberalism Elmar Künneth
66 / 621
 Green tickY

Campaign

The Radical's women branch campaigning in Ruttland.

The campaign saw the pro-government parties - the Radicals, KSP, Landbund, SPO and Liberals - rally around premier Röttgen with the far-right being marginalised as a political force as they were discredited due to their association with wartime collaboration. Röttgen and his allies campaigned on a vague platform of social reform and virulent anti-socialism, warning voters of the danger of electing a left-leaning government. Röttgen denounced the OSAI as a sect that represented "narrow class interests" and appealed to the spirit of wartime unity. The right-wing parties largely were unable to tap into the spirit of post-war reformism leading to the Radicals to soon become the choice for many centrist voters as Röttgen moved to the right.

The OSAI were split on the prospect of either leading or merely supporting a left-wing government, although its senior leadership supported a coalition with the SPO and the left-wing the radicals. The SPO did not support a coalition with the OSAI but were uncomfortable with working with Röttgen who they increasingly perceived to be moving in a right-wing direction. SPO chairman August Olbrich called for a renewal of the wartime unity government in order to herald in social reforms but without the figure of Röttgen, instead proposing that the KSP leader Gustav Blumentritt lead an all-party government.

The OSU, a splinter from the OSAI, participated in its first election. It had a large base of support from ex-service and was seen as violent, with its leader Siegfried Höcker calling for a revolution to sweep away capitalism and communism.

The campaign was noted for its hyper-partisan nature which made many disillusioned with politics. In particular the banning of many Ruttish parties caused resentment in the province allowing the OSAI to tap into autonomist sentiment to gain traction.

Results

Weranian Parliament, 1935.svg
Party Votes % Seats +/−
Weranic Section of the Workers' International 6,148,372 37.37 224 +60
Radical Party 2,206,843 13.41 80 +26
Catholic Social Party 2,206,843 13.29 79 -63
Social Democratic Party of Werania 1,559,570 9.48 56 -2
Rural Federation 1,478,944 8.99 54 -18
Liberal Party 1,475,936 8.97 53 −13
Weranic Syndicalist Union 1,058,302 6.43 38 +38
Others 115,832 0.70 0 -
Invalid/blank votes 220,485 – – –
Total 16,451,312 100 584 ±0
Registered voters/turnout 19,675,832 83.61 – –

Aftermath

Outcome

The election saw only three parties - OSAI, the Radicals and the newly formed OSU - gain seats with every other contesting party seeing losses. The KSP in particular saw a catastrophic result losing almost half their deputies and emerging behind the Radicals for the first time since 1918. The success of the OSAI was attributed to the popularity of radical socialism after the end of the war and the widespread desire for social reform, particularly in Ruttland where the OSAI won a convincing majority of seats beginning a foothold in the region that would continue for several decades.

The success of the Radicals was attributed both to Röttgens firm anti-socialist rhetoric and his support for social reform (albeit in line with the Leopoldist programme) thereby enabling him to present his party as being representative of national unity. This would be somewhat of a last hurrah for the Radicals who would after the retirement of Röttgen in 1937 decline as many right-wing voters moved back to the more traditional bourgeois parties.

Turnout was very high at 83.61% despite fears that demobilised servicemen and women would not vote. Female suffrage had less of an effect then many predicted with women voters showing little divergence from men outside a slight preference for the three largest parties.

Government formation

Following the election talks began for the creation of a centrist government based around the Radicals. Although KSP leader Gustav Blumentritt was proposed as a compromise candidate to replace Röttgen as premier the monarch Leopold IV refused to appoint a cabinet that excluded Röttgen. The KSP agreed to continue the coalition after being promised the post of finance minister, thereby re-creating the five-party alliance that had governed Werania since 1922. Röttgen eventually created a cabinet with the Radicals, Liberals, SPO, KSP and Landbund heading the majority of cabinet posts. The cabinet was sworn in on the 2 May 1935.

Investiture
Otto Röttgen (Radical)
Ballot → 2 May 1935
Required majority → 292 out of 584 ☑Y
Yes
318 / 584
No
262 / 584
Abstentions
4 / 584
Absentees
0 / 584
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