Election Name: | 1877 Serbian parliamentary election |
Country: | Kingdom of Serbia |
Flag Year: | 1877 |
Previous Election: | 1875 |
Next Election: | 1878 |
Election Date: | 20 February 1877 |
Seats For Election: | All 420 seats in the Grand National Assembly |
Majority Seats: | 211 |
Prime Minister | |
Before Election: | Stevča Mihailović |
Before Party: | Liberal |
After Election: | Stevča Mihailović |
After Party: | Liberal |
Parliamentary elections were held in Serbia on 20 February 1877 to elect members of the Grand National Assembly.[1] The elections were called by Prince Milan on 13 February in order to convene a Grand National Assembly, which would have four times as many members as a normal National Assembly.[1] The newly elected Assembly was to convene on 26 February in the National Theatre.[2]
A majority of the elected candidates were in favour of peace with the Ottoman Empire.[3] For the first time a Jewish candidate was elected, winning a seat in Belgrade by a large majority after receiving the backing of all parties.[3] [4]
The elections were marred by violence in Kragujevac, Jagodina and Užice, with pressure to elect candidates favourable to the incumbent government and interference from the Karađorđević dynasty blamed.[5] The election results in Kragujevac and Jagodina were later annulled due to the fighting.[6] Government pressure resulted in the election of several Liberals in Belgrade despite the city being a Conservative stronghold, with over 600 voters in the city being prevented from voting by delays.[4]