1939 Weranian federal election: Difference between revisions

Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 107: Line 107:
The '''23<sup>rd</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 14<sup>th</sup> March 1939. 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. These would be the second elections held following the [[Great War (Kylaris)|Great War]] after the expiration of the term of the House of Deputies.
The '''23<sup>rd</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 14<sup>th</sup> March 1939. 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. These would be the second elections held following the [[Great War (Kylaris)|Great War]] after the expiration of the term of the House of Deputies.


The election came as the country suffered from an inflationary spiral in the post-war period triggered by the devaluation of the mark and the removal of wartime price controls. The outgoing centrist government of the [[Centre Party (Werania)|Landbund]], [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radical]] and [[National Liberal Party (Werania)|National Liberal]] parties led by Landbund leader [[Gustav Blumentritt]] was unpopular with its slim parliamentary majority making it increasingly ineffective in passing legislation. In March a dispute over planned wage cuts in line with the government's {{wp|incomes policy}} caused the left-wing of the Radicals to trigger a {{wp|vote of no confidence}} against the Blumentritt cabinet causing it to collapse.
The election came as the country suffered from an inflationary spiral in the post-war period triggered by the devaluation of the mark and the removal of wartime price controls. The outgoing centrist government of the [[Centre Party (Werania)|Landbund]], [[Radical Party (Werania)|Radical]], [[Catholic Social Party (Werania)|Catholic Social]], [[Social Democratic Party of Werania|Social Democratic]] and [[National Liberal Party (Werania)|National Liberal]] parties led by Landbund leader [[Gustav Blumentritt]] was unpopular with its slim parliamentary majority making it increasingly ineffective in passing legislation. In March a dispute over planned wage cuts in line with the government's {{wp|incomes policy}} caused the left-wing of the Radicals and the Social Democrats to trigger a {{wp|vote of no confidence}} against the Blumentritt cabinet causing it to collapse.


Persistent economic woes, labour disputes and social polarisation had raised the prospect of left-wing government gaining power. The right however were divided with the National Liberals and Landbund advocating for a centrist government whilst the Catholics and the conservatives advocated for a union of the right. The centre-left Radical party meanwhile was vague surrounding the prospect of entering a government including or supported by the OSAI instead supporting social reform.  
Persistent economic woes, labour disputes and social polarisation had raised the prospect of left-wing government gaining power. The right however were divided with the National Liberals and Landbund advocating for a centrist government whilst the Catholics and the conservatives advocated for a union of the right. The centre-left Radical party meanwhile was vague surrounding the prospect of entering a government including or supported by the OSAI instead supporting social reform.  


The election saw the parties of the outgoing government - the Landbund, NLP and Radicals - losing seats whilst the OSAI gained, making it the best result for left-wing parties since the 1918 election. The [[Sotirian Democratic Homeland|Ruttish Sotirian Democratic Party]] entered the Bundestag for the first time and the Catholic Social Party re-emerged as the largest non-socialist party. As a result the OSAI under Lothar Gotthold formed a coalition government with the SPO and the Radicals, making it the first centre-left government in Werania since 1919.  
The election saw the parties of the outgoing government - the Landbund, NLP, SPO and Radicals - losing seats whilst the OSAI gained, making it the best result for left-wing parties since the 1918 election. The [[Sotirian Democratic Homeland|Ruttish Sotirian Democratic Party]] entered the Bundestag for the first time and the Catholic Social Party re-emerged as the largest non-socialist party. As a result the OSAI under Lothar Gotthold formed a coalition government with the SPO and the Radicals, making it the first centre-left government in Werania since 1919.  
==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}}. Seat totals were calculated via the {{wp|D'Hondt method|greatest divisors method}}.  
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}}. Seat totals were calculated via the {{wp|D'Hondt method|greatest divisors method}}.  

Revision as of 14:40, 5 February 2023

1939 Weranian federal election

← 1935 14 March 1939 1942 →

All 584 seats to the House of Deputies
292 seats are needed for a majority in the House of Deputies
Turnout16,117,435 (79.81%)
Decrease3.90%
  First party Second party Third party
  Bundesarchiv Bild 183-19204-3150, Otto Grotewohl (recorte).jpg Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1988-0113-500, Franz v. Papen (cropped).jpg Otto Glöckel (1874-1935).jpg
Leader Lothar Gotthold Dietrich zu Kolbenheyer Jochen Kammerer
Party OSAI KSP SPO
Leader's seat Cislania Roetenberg Cislania
Last election 224 seats, 37.37% 79 seats, 13.29% 56 seats, 9.48%
Seats won 238 97 55
Seat change Increase14 Increase18 Decrease1
Popular vote 6,267,582 2,568,317 1,457,935
Percentage 39.21% 16.07% 9.12%
Swing Increase1.84% Increase2.78% Decrease0.36%

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
  Bundesarchiv Bild 146III-105, Joseph Wirth.jpg Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1968-100-04A, Otto Karl Geßler (cropped).jpg ErnstRüdigerFürstStarhembergBA1556417.jpg
Leader Gustav Blumentritt Adalbert Nischwitz Karl Theophil von Pölten
Party Landbund Radicals OVP
Leader's seat Prizen Bonnlitz-Ostbrücken Prizen
Last election 54 seats, 8.99% 80 seats, 13.41% 38 seats, 6.43%
Seats won 48 45 44
Seat change Decrease6 Decrease35 Increase6
Popular vote 1,268,317 1,206,849 1,158,573
Percentage 7.93% 7.55% 7.25%
Swing Decrease1.06% Decrease5.86% Increase0.82

File:1939 election map.png

Premier before election

Gustav Blumentritt
Landbund

Elected Premier

Lothar Gotthold
OSAI

The 23rd federal election was held in the Weranian Confederation for the House of Deputies (the lower house of the Bundestag) on the 14th March 1939. All 584 members of the House of Deputies were elected under a system of proportional representation with each regierungsbezirke treated as an electoral districts. These would be the second elections held following the Great War after the expiration of the term of the House of Deputies.

The election came as the country suffered from an inflationary spiral in the post-war period triggered by the devaluation of the mark and the removal of wartime price controls. The outgoing centrist government of the Landbund, Radical, Catholic Social, Social Democratic and National Liberal parties led by Landbund leader Gustav Blumentritt was unpopular with its slim parliamentary majority making it increasingly ineffective in passing legislation. In March a dispute over planned wage cuts in line with the government's incomes policy caused the left-wing of the Radicals and the Social Democrats to trigger a vote of no confidence against the Blumentritt cabinet causing it to collapse.

Persistent economic woes, labour disputes and social polarisation had raised the prospect of left-wing government gaining power. The right however were divided with the National Liberals and Landbund advocating for a centrist government whilst the Catholics and the conservatives advocated for a union of the right. The centre-left Radical party meanwhile was vague surrounding the prospect of entering a government including or supported by the OSAI instead supporting social reform.

The election saw the parties of the outgoing government - the Landbund, NLP, SPO and Radicals - losing seats whilst the OSAI gained, making it the best result for left-wing parties since the 1918 election. The Ruttish Sotirian Democratic Party entered the Bundestag for the first time and the Catholic Social Party re-emerged as the largest non-socialist party. As a result the OSAI under Lothar Gotthold formed a coalition government with the SPO and the Radicals, making it the first centre-left government in Werania since 1919.

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. Seat totals were calculated via the greatest divisors method.

Background

The previous election had been held in 1935 shortly after the conclusion of the Great War. The parties of the left - the Weranic Section of the Workers' International, the Social Democratic Party of Werania and the Radical Party - gained a majority but due to pressure from the monarch Leopold IV and mutual antipathy between the parties a centrist coalition of the Agrarians, Radicals and the National Liberals was formed under the wartime premier Otto Röttgen supported by the Catholics. Röttgen and Leopold IV had an ambitious programme of reform that sought to reshape Weranian politics but the assassination of Leopold IV in September 1936 and Röttgen's resignation five months later led to the reform programme to halt under premier Gustav Blumentritt who focused on the immediate economic troubles in Werania.

Parties

Affiliation Party Ideology Spitzenkandidat 1925 result In government
Left OSAI-O.png Weranic Section of the Workers' International Socialism, Revolutionary socialism Lothar Gotthold
224 / 584
Red XN
Centre-left SPO logo.png Social Democratic Party of Werania Social democracy, Reformism Jochen Kammerer
56 / 584
Red XN
Radical Party logo.png Radical Party Radicalism, Anti-clericalism Adalbert Nischwitz
80 / 584
Green tickY
Centre-right Landbund logo.svg Landbund Agrarianism, Liberalism Gustav Blumentritt
54 / 584
Green tickY
National Liberal Party Werania logo.png National Liberal Party National Liberalism, Classical liberalism Elmar Künneth
53 / 584
Green tickY
RSDP logo.png Ruttish Sotirian Democratic Party Ruttish regionalism, Sotirian Democracy N/A[a 1]
0 / 584
Red XN
KSP logo.png Catholic Social Party Political Catholicism, Sotirian Democracy Franz Rössler
79 / 584
Red XN
Right Conservative Party Werania logo.png Weranian Fatherland Party National conservatism, Monarchism Karl Theophil von Pölten
38 / 584
Red XN

Campaign

Results

Weranian Parliament, 1939.svg
Party Votes % Seats +/−
Weranic Section of the Workers' International 6,267,582 39.21 238 +14
Catholic Social Party 2,568,317 16.07 97 +18
Social Democratic Party of Werania 1,457,935 9.12 55 -1
Rural Federation 1,268,317 7.93 48 -6
Radical Party 1,206,849 7.55 45 -35
Weranian Fatherland Party 1,158,573 7.25 44 +6
National Liberal Party 1,049,584 6.57 39 −14
Ruttish Sotirian Democratic Party 475,804 2.98 18 +18
Others 284,739 1.77 0 -
Invalid/blank votes 248,052
Total 15,985,752 100 584 ±0
Registered voters/turnout 20,195,832 79.15

Aftermath

Outcome

Government formation

  1. The SDT did not nominate a spitzenkandidat.