All East Germany elections

1949 East German Volkskammer Election

15–16 May 1949 · The founding vote · 1525 seats

Socialist Unity Party finished first with 450 of 1525 seats on 66.1% of the vote. Turnout 95.2%. Otto Grotewohl took office.

Voters could only approve or reject a single Unity List dominated by the Socialist Unity Party; it passed with 66.07% in favour, the lowest margin the sources say any SED-dominated bloc would ever record, under conditions they describe as significantly constraining genuine political competition.

Chairman of the Council of Ministers before

Chairman of the Council of Ministers (continued)

Otto Grotewohl

SED

Largest force

Socialist Unity Party

450 of 1525 seats

Turnout

95.2%

The result

Share of the Volkskammer
Socialist Unity Party450
7,943,94966.1%
Christian Democratic Union225
Liberal Democratic Party225
Cooperatives100
Democratic Farmers' Party75
National Democratic Party75
Democratic Women's League50
Free German Trade Union Federation50
Free German Youth50
Cultural Association50
Peasants Mutual Aid Association50
Union of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime50
Social Democratic Party (East Berlin)25
Independents50