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1946 Czechoslovak parliamentary election

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FieldValue
countryCzechoslovakia
flag_year1946
election_date26 May 1946
previous_election[1935](1935-czechoslovak-parliamentary-election)
next_election[1948](1948-czechoslovak-parliamentary-election)
seats_for_electionAll 300 seats in the Constituent National Assembly
majority_seats151
turnout93.86%
party1Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
leader1Klement Gottwald
seats193
percentage131.19
last_election130
party2ČSNS
leader2Petr Zenkl
seats255
percentage218.37
last_election228
party3ČSL
leader3Jan Šrámek
seats346
percentage315.71
last_election322
party4Democratic Party (Slovakia, 1944)
leader4Jozef Lettrich
seats443
percentage414.14
last_election4new
party5ČSSD
leader5Zdeněk Fierlinger
seats537
percentage512.10
last_election538
party6Communist Party of Slovakia (1939)
leader6Štefan Bašťovanský
seats621
percentage66.92
last_election6new
party7Freedom Party (Slovakia)
leader7Vavro Šrobár
seats73
percentage70.85
last_election7new
party8Labour Party (Slovakia)
leader8Ivan Frlička
seats82
percentage80.71
last_election8new
titlePrime Minister
before_electionZdeněk Fierlinger
before_partyCzechoslovak Social Democracy
after_electionKlement Gottwald
after_partyCommunist Party of Czechoslovakia

Parliamentary elections were held in Czechoslovakia on 26 May 1946. The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia emerged as the largest party, winning 114 of the 300 seats (93 for the main party and 21 for its Slovak branch) with 38% of the vote. The Communist vote share was higher than any party had ever achieved in a Czechoslovak parliamentary election; previously, no party had ever won more than 25%. Voter turnout was 94%. The national results also determined the composition of the Slovak National Council and local committees.

This was one of only two free nationwide elections held in the Eastern Bloc, the other having been held in Hungary a year earlier. Two years later, the Communists staged a coup d'etat and forced President Edvard Beneš to appoint a Communist-dominated government. As a result, the 1946 election was the last free and fair election held in Czechoslovakia until 1990.

Background

After World War II a 300-member Interim National Assembly was formed and met for the first time on 28 October 1945. The Assembly created a new electoral system with the country divided into 28 multi-member constituencies. 150 members were elected from Bohemia, 81 from Moravia and Silesia and 69 from Slovakia. The voting age was lowered to 18, but only Czechs, Slovaks and other Slavs could register to vote.

Opinion polls

DatePolling firmKSČČSNSČSLČSSDBlank
votesNotesCzech National Social Party}}; width:40px;"Czechoslovak People's Party}}; width:40px;"Czechoslovak Social Democracy}}; width:40px;"
April 1946last1=míněnífirst1=Ústav pro výzkum veřejnéhotitle=Výzkum Volby I. - 3/1946 duben ÚVVM/CVVMurl=http://invenio.nusl.cz/record/42017?ln=cswebsite=Invenio Nuslaccessdate=26 January 2018language=csdate=1946}}**39.6**22.519.216.02.7Only Bohemia and Moravia

Results

Bohemia

Moravia and Silesia

Slovakia

Aftermath

Following the elections, Communist leader Klement Gottwald formed a coalition government. However, the Communists gradually tightened their grip on the country. After the non-Communist members resigned from the Cabinet on 25 February 1948, the Communists seized full control of the country.

References

References

  1. (2010). "Elections in Europe: A data handbook".
  2. Nohlen & Stöver, p. 472
  3. Andorka, Rudolf et al. ''A Society Transformed'', p.8. Central European University Press (1999), {{ISBN. 963-9116-49-1
  4. (23 February 1998). "Czech Republic: Fiftieth Anniversary Of Communist Coup Observed". [[Radio Free Europe]].
  5. Kamm, Henry. [https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/11/world/now-czech-reality-political-amateurs-after-free-elections-turn-problems-left.html Now, the Czech Reality; Political 'Amateurs,' After Free Elections, Turn to Problems Left by the Communists]. [[The New York Times]], 1990-06-11.
  6. Nohlen & Stöver, p. 464
  7. (18 April 1946). "Zákon č. 67/1946 sb. o volbě ústavodárného Národního shromáždění". Zakonyprolidi.cz.
  8. (1946). "Výzkum Volby I. - 3/1946 duben ÚVVM/CVVM".
  9. Nohlen & Stöver, p. 457
  10. Stupka, Jiří. (2012). "Parlamentní volby v roce 1946 – odraz na stránkách ústředních tiskových orgánů politických stran". Masaryk University.
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