1868 Zollparlament election explained

Election Name:1868 German federal election
Country:German Empire
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:August 1867 North German federal election
Election Date:February & March 1868
Next Election:1871 German federal election
Next Year:1871
Seats For Election:85 of the 382 seats in the Zollparlament
Majority Seats:192
Image1:Rudolf_von_Bennigsen.jpg
Leader1:Rudolf von Bennigsen
Party1:National Liberal Party (Germany)
Leader Since1:1867
Last Election1:18.02%, 80 seats
Seats1:26
Seats After1:104
Party2:Conservative Party (Prussia)
Last Election2:20.92%, 66 seats
Seats2:15
Seats After2:65
Image3: DRP
Leader3:Eduard Georg von Bethusy-Huc
(nominal)
Party3:Free Conservative Party
Leader Since3:1866
Last Election3:8.95%, 36 seats
Seats3:0
Seats After3:37
Image4: Kl
Colour4:000000
Party4:Clericals
Last Election4:2.09%, 8 seats
Seats4:28
Seats After4:36
Image5:Benedikt Waldeck (IZ 54-1870 S 445).jpg
Leader5:Benedict Waldeck
Party5:German Progress Party
Leader Since5:1867
Last Election5:12.64%, 32 seats
Seats5:0
Seats After5:31
Image6: AltL
Colour6:008000
Party6:Old Liberals
Last Election6:4.69%, 15 seats
Seats6:0
Seats After6:18
Map Size:450px
President of the Reichstag
Before Election:Eduard von Simson
Before Party:Independent politician
Posttitle:President of the Zollparlament after election
After Election:Eduard von Simson
After Party:Independent politician

Elections to the Zollparlament of the German Zollverein were held in February and March 1868. The Zollparlament consisted of the members of the Reichstag of the North German Confederation and members from the South German states. Those South German members were elected in these elections, the North Germans were the Reichstag members elected the previous year.

In total, 85 South Germans were elected: 48 from Bavaria, 14 from Baden, six from Hesse-Darmstadt (additionally to the three Reichstag members in the province of Upper Hesse), and 17 from Württemberg. Most of the South German Zollparlament members were anti-Prussian regionalists. The outcome of the elections did not encourage Bismarck to take advantage of the Zollparlament as a vehicle for the politician unification of Germany.