Czechoslovak parliamentary election, 1946

Czechoslovak parliamentary election, 1946

May 26, 1946 (1946-05-26)
300
Turnout	93.9%
First party Second party   Party KSČ CSNS Seats after 93 55 Seat change +63 +27 Popular vote 2,205,697 1,298,980 Percentage 31.2 18.4

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 (31 percent for the main party and 6.9 percent for the Slovak branch). This was the best performance for a Czechoslovak party up to that time; previously no Czechoslovak party had ever won more than 25 percent of the vote. Voter turnout was 93.9%.

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.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia	2,205,697	31.2	93	+63
Czech National Social Party	1,298,980	18.4	55	+27
Czechoslovak People's Party	1,111,009	15.7	46	+24
Democratic Party	999,622	14.1	43	New
Czechoslovak Social Democracy	855,538	12.1	37	New
Communist Party of Slovakia	489,596	6.9	21	New
Freedom Party	60,195	0.9	3	New
Labour Party	50,079	0.7	2	New
Invalid/blank votes	59,427	–	–	–
Total	7,130,143	100	300	0
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Aftermath

Following the elections the Communist Party formed a coalition government. However, they gradually took control of the entire government. After the non-Communist members resigned from the Cabinet on 25 February 1948, the Communists were able to take full control of the country.