1868 Zollparlament election

Elections to the Zollparlament of the German Zollverein were held in February and March 1868. The Zollparlament consisted of the members of the Reichstag of the North German Confederation and members from the South German states. Those South German members were elected in these elections, the North Germans were the Reichstag members elected the previous year.

1868 German federal election

February and March 1868
All 382 seats in the Zollparlament 192 seats needed for a majority
Leader Rudolf von Bennigsen Party NLP Conservatives Centre Leader since 1867 Last election 81 seats 66 seats New Party Seats won 97 66 33 Seat change 16 33 Popular vote 765,782 487,730 315,777 Percentage 23.3% 14.8% 9.6% Swing 7.0%   Leader Benedict Waldeck Eduard Georg von Bethusy-Huc (nominal) Party DFP DRP LRP Leader since 1867 1866 Last election 29 seats 34 seats New Party Seats won 31 37 17 Seat change 2 3 17 Popular vote 287,869 219,419 112,872 Percentage 8.7% 6.7% 3.6% Swing 1.6%
President of the Reichstag before election Eduard von Simson Independent President of the Zollparlament Eduard von Simson Independent

In total, 85 South Germans were elected: 48 from Bavaria, 14 from Baden, six from Hesse-Darmstadt (additionally to the three Reichstag members in the province of Upper Hesse), and 17 from Württemberg. Most of the South German Zollparlament members were anti-Prussian regionalists. The outcome of the elections did not encourage Bismarck to take advantage of the Zollparlament as a vehicle for the politician unification of Germany.

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