1887 German Federal Election
21 February 1887 · The Imperial Reichstag · 397 seats, 199 for a majority
A federal election for the seventh Reichstag of the German Empire was held on 21 February 1887. It was an early election called after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck requested the dissolution of the Reichstag elected in October 1884 because it had refused to accept his seven-year military budget.
Chancellor before
Otto von Bismarck
Independent
Chancellor (continued)
Otto von Bismarck
Independent
Largest force
NLP
98 of 397 seats
Turnout
77.5%
The result
| Share of the chamber | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NLP | Rudolf von Bennigsen | 98 | +48 | 1.651.288 | 21.9% | +4.5 | |
| Centre | Ludwig Windthorst | 98 | -1 | 1.501.774 | 19.9% | -2.6 | |
| DKP | Otto von Helldorff | 80 | +2 | 1.147.200 | 15.2% | +0.1 | |
| DRP | Viktor I, Duke of Ratibor | 41 | +13 | 736.389 | 9.8% | +2.9 | |
| DFP | Rudolf Virchow | 32 | -34 | 951.861 | 12.6% | -4.7 | |
| Polish Party | — | 13 | -3 | 227.835 | 3.0% | -0.7 |
35 further seats went to parties and independents outside the main contenders listed above.