1881 German federal election

1881 German federal election

← 1878 27 October 1881 (1881-10-27) 1884 →
All 397 seats in the Reichstag 199 seats needed for a majority
Registered	9,090,386
Turnout	56.30% ( 6.03pp)
First party Second party Third party   Leader Ludwig Windthorst Eugen Richter Otto von Helldorff Party Centre DFP DkP Leader since 26 May 1874 7 June 1876 Last election 22.84%, 94 seats 6.86%, 26 seats 12.79%, 59 seats Seats won 100 58 50 Seat change 6 32 9 Popular vote 1,177,033 645,851 776,436 Percentage 23.09% 12.67% 15.23% Swing 0.25pp 5.81pp 2.44pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Eduard Lasker Rudolf von Bennigsen Viktor I, Duke of Ratibor Party LV NlP DRP Leader since 1877 1867 Last election Did not exist 22.41%, 97 seats 13.64%, 57 seats Seats won 48 45 27 Seat change New party 52 30 Popular vote 450,166 617,752 382,149 Percentage 8.83% 12.12% 7.50% Swing New party 10.29pp 6.14pp
Map of results (by constituencies)
President of the Reichstag before election Gustav von Goßler DkP President of the Reichstag after election Albert von Levetzow DkP

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Federal elections were held in Germany on 27 October 1881.^[1] The Centre Party became the largest party in the Reichstag, with 100 of the 397 seats, whilst the National Liberal Party, which had previously been the largest party, was reduced to 45 seats.^[2] Voter turnout was 56.3%.^[3]