| Country: | German Empire |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 1887 German federal election |
| Previous Year: | 1887 |
| Next Election: | 1893 German federal election |
| Next Year: | 1893 |
| Seats For Election: | All 397 seats in the Reichstag |
| Majority Seats: | 199 |
| Registered: | 10,145,402 |
| Turnout: | 71.58% (5.91pp) |
| Image1: | Ludwig Windthorst JS (cropped).jpg |
| Leader1: | Ludwig Windthorst |
| Party1: | Centre Party (Germany) |
| Leader Since1: | 26 May 1874 |
| Last Election1: | 19.91%, 98 seats |
| Seats1: | 107 |
| Seat Change1: | 9 |
| Percentage1: | 18.55% |
| Swing1: | 1.36pp |
| Leader2: | Otto von Helldorff |
| Party2: | German Conservative Party |
| Leader Since2: | 7 June 1876 |
| Last Election2: | 15.21%, 80 seats |
| Seats2: | 71 |
| Seat Change2: | 9 |
| Percentage2: | 12.21% |
| Swing2: | 3.00pp |
| Image3: | Rudolf_Virchow_NLM4.jpg |
| Leader3: | Rudolf Virchow |
| Party3: | German Free-minded Party |
| Leader Since3: | 5 March 1884 |
| Last Election3: | 12.62%, 32 seats |
| Seats3: | 67 |
| Seat Change3: | 35 |
| Percentage3: | 15.89% |
| Swing3: | 3.27pp |
| Image4: | R._v._Bennigsen.jpg |
| Party4: | National Liberal Party (Germany) |
| Leader Since4: | 1867 |
| Last Election4: | 21.90%, 98 seats |
| Seats4: | 38 |
| Seat Change4: | 60 |
| Percentage4: | 15.64% |
| Swing4: | 6.26pp |
| Image5: | SPD |
| Leader5: | Paul Singer Alwin Gerisch |
| Party5: | Social Democratic Party of Germany |
| Leader Since5: | 18 March 1890 (both) |
| Last Election5: | 10.12%, 11 seats |
| Seats5: | 35 |
| Seat Change5: | 24 |
| Popular Vote5: | |
| Percentage5: | 19.75% |
| Swing5: | 9.63pp |
| Image6: | Victor Herzog von Ratibor (cropped).jpg |
| Leader6: | Viktor I, Duke of Ratibor |
| Party6: | Free Conservative Party |
| Last Election6: | 9.77%, 41 seats |
| Seats6: | 19 |
| Seat Change6: | 22 |
| Percentage6: | 6.38% |
| Swing6: | 3.39pp |
| Map Size: | 450px |
| President of the Reichstag | |
| Before Election: | Albert von Levetzow |
| Before Party: | German Conservative Party |
| Posttitle: | President of the Reichstag after election |
| After Election: | Albert von Levetzow |
| After Party: | German Conservative Party |
Federal elections were held in Germany on 20 February 1890.[1] [2] The Centre Party regained its position as the largest party in the Reichstag by winning 107 of the 397 seats, whilst the National Liberal Party, formerly the largest party, was reduced to 38 seats.
Contemporaries remarked on the striking increase in the vote share of the Social Democratic Party.[2] However, despite receiving the most votes, the Social Democratic Party won only 35 seats.[3] Voter turnout was 71.5%.[4]