March 1929 West Besmenian parliamentary election

March 1929 West Besmenian parliamentary election

24 March 1929
336 seats in the Chamber of Deputies 169 seats needed for a majority
Party Leader % Seats ± BNU Karl Ochsenbein 51,1 176 +35 SDU Eduard Keinfink 28,9 99 -5 BNVP 11,0 38 +2 BBU 6,9 23 -3 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Strongest party by province

The March 1929 West Besmenian parliamentary election took place in West Besmenia on March 24, 1929.

The election was unfree and unfair because members of the BNU carried out increasingly violent attacks on political opponents during the election campaign. Counter-demonstrations were banned, social democratic newspapers were not allowed to appear for days, election posters were covered up and practically all political opposition was increasingly suppressed.

In the election, the BNU achieved an absolute majority with 51.1% and 176 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

It was the last parliamentary election during Ochsenbein's chancellorship in which more than one party participated. The following election in October 1929 saw only a BNU unity list, because within months, the BNU banned all other parties and turned the parliament into a rubberstamp legislature comprising only BNU politicans and pro-BNU "guests".

Campaign

Although all other political parties were allowed to take part in the election, the election campaign was already taking place under the auspices of the dictatorship. The supporters of the BNU committed numerous acts of political terror with impunity, which were directed primarily against the social democrats and the BNVP.

Results

Total 336 seats

• SDU: 99
• BBU: 23
• BNVP: 38
• BNU: 176

Results BNU   51.1% SDU   28.9% BNVP   11.0% BBU   6.9% Other parties   2.1%