1946 Bulgarian Constitutional Assembly election explained

Country:People's Republic of Bulgaria
Flag Year:1946
Previous Election:1945
Next Election:1949
Election Date:27 October 1946
Turnout:92.61%
First Election:yes
Party1:BKP
Leader1:Georgi Dimitrov
Percentage1:53.88
Seats1:278
Party2:BZNS (NP)ORSDP
Percentage2:28.35
Seats2:101
Party3:Bulgarian Agrarian National Union
Percentage3:13.43
Seats3:68
Party4:BRSDP
Percentage4:1.90
Seats4:9
Party5:Zveno
Percentage5:1.68
Seats5:8
Party6:RDP
Percentage6:0.21
Seats6:1
PM
Before Election:Kimon Georgiev
Before Party:Bulgarian Fatherland Front
After Election:Georgi Dimitrov
After Party:Bulgarian Fatherland Front

Constitutional Assembly elections were held in Bulgaria on 27 October 1946,[1] electing members of the sixth Grand National Assembly, which was tasked with adopting a new constitution. The Fatherland Front, an anti-fascist coalition dominated by the Bulgarian Communist Party, had come to power in 1944 following a coup. Now that World War II was over and the monarchy abolished, the communists wanted to adopt a new constitution. They won a large majority, with 54% of the vote and 278 of the 465 seats. Voter turnout was 93%.[2] This would be the lowest vote share that the Communists or the Fatherland Front would claim during the 43 years of the People's Republic of Bulgaria. In subsequent years, the Fatherland Front would claim to win elections with unanimous or near-unanimous support. This would be the last truly multi-party elections until 1990.

Notes and References

  1. [Dieter Nohlen]
  2. Nohlen & Stöver, p376