1946 Czechoslovak federal election (WFAC)

Federal elections were held in Czechoslovakia on 25 and 26 May 1946 to elect the first Federal Assembly of the Czechoslovak Federative Republic under the new federal constitution of 25 April 1946. All 300 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and all 150 seats Chamber of Nations were up for election, with MPs elected by party-list proportional representation and senators elected by first-past-the-post voting.

The Czechoslovak Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest party, winning 95 of the 300 seats with 33.20% of the vote. This was the best performance for a Czechoslovak party up to that time; previously no Czechoslovak party had ever won more than 25 percent of the vote. Voter turnout was 93.8%. The Social Democratic chairman Václav Majer formed a cabinet of national unity together with the other parties of the National Front of Czechs and Slovaks: the Republican Party (RS), the Czechoslovak People's Party (ČSL), the Slovak People's Party (SĽS), the Czechoslovak National Social Party (ČSNS), and the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ).

Background
After World War II a 300-member interim National Assembly was formed and met for the first time on 28 October 1945. A new federal constitution was adopted by the interim National Assembly on 25 April 1946 and replaced the constitution adopted on 29 February 1920.

The Assembly also created a new electoral system with the country divided into 14 multi-member constituencies. The voting age was lowered to 18, but only Czechs, Slovaks and other Slavs could register to vote.

Electoral system
The 300 members of the Chamber of Deputies were elected from 14 multi-member constituencies (each usually electing between five and 25 members) using open list proportional representation, in which they could give preferential votes for up to four candidates on their chosen list. Seats were allocated using the d'Hondt method, with an electoral threshold a 4% threshold for single parties. The members of the Chamber of Nations were elected using first-past-the-post voting in 150 single-member districts; 75 in each republic. To be included on a ballot, a senate candidate had to present 2000 signatures of support from their constituents. Should a party have 151 or more deputies in the Chamber of Deputies, it has an absolute majority and can thus govern autonomously, without the need for support from other parties. The constitution can be amended with a super majority of two-thirds, or 200 deputies.

The newly adopted Czechoslovak constitution stated that elections to the Federal Assembly must be held every four years. Polling days in Czechoslovakia are Friday and Saturday, and voters could submit their ballots on either day. The exact date of the election was to be chosen by the President, who is obliged to call it at least 60 days prior to the expiration of the electoral term and ending on the day of its expiration. If the Chamber of Deputies were dissolved, elections should be held within 60 days of its dissolution.

Parties
As stipulated in the Košice Government Program, only parties which were members of the National Front of Czechs and Slovaks were eligible to participate in the election to the Federal Assembly. Political parties that were Fascist or had collaborated with the German and Hungarian occupiers (such as the Sudeten German Party, the National Unification and National Partnership) were banned and not allowed to participate in the elections.

Chamber of Deputies
'''Summary of the 24–25 May 1946 Chamber of Deputies of Czechoslovakia election results ! colspan="9" align="center" | !style="text-align:left" colspan="4" width=395px | Parties ! Votes ! % ! ± ! Seats ! ± ! 7,031,006 ! colspan="2" align="left"| 100.0% !style="text-align:left; " colspan="2"|300
 * - style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
 * style="background-color:#F0001C"|
 * colspan="3" style="text-align:left"| Czechoslovak Social Democratic Party (ČSSD)
 * style="background-color:#008542"|
 * colspan="3" style="text-align:left"| Republican Party (RS)
 * rowspan="2" style="background-color:#36454F"|
 * rowspan="2" style="text-align:left" | ČSL/SĽS
 * style="background-color:#ffe03e"|
 * style="text-align:left"| Czechoslovak People's Party (ČSL)
 * style="background-color:#5566CC"|
 * style="text-align:left"| Slovak People's Party (SĽS)
 * style="background-color:#BF0202"|
 * colspan="3" style="text-align:left"| Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ)
 * style="background-color:#F4C2C2"|
 * colspan="3" style="text-align:left"| Czechoslovak Socialist Party (ČSS)
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="9"|
 * style="background-color:gray"|
 * style="text-align:left" colspan="3"| Blank or invalid votes
 * colspan="3"|
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="9"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="4"| Total&emsp;(Turnout: 93.00% – electorate: 7,560,608)
 * style="background-color:#5566CC"|
 * style="text-align:left"| Slovak People's Party (SĽS)
 * style="background-color:#BF0202"|
 * colspan="3" style="text-align:left"| Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ)
 * style="background-color:#F4C2C2"|
 * colspan="3" style="text-align:left"| Czechoslovak Socialist Party (ČSS)
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="9"|
 * style="background-color:gray"|
 * style="text-align:left" colspan="3"| Blank or invalid votes
 * colspan="3"|
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="9"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="4"| Total&emsp;(Turnout: 93.00% – electorate: 7,560,608)
 * colspan="3" style="text-align:left"| Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ)
 * style="background-color:#F4C2C2"|
 * colspan="3" style="text-align:left"| Czechoslovak Socialist Party (ČSS)
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="9"|
 * style="background-color:gray"|
 * style="text-align:left" colspan="3"| Blank or invalid votes
 * colspan="3"|
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="9"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="4"| Total&emsp;(Turnout: 93.00% – electorate: 7,560,608)
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="9"|
 * style="background-color:gray"|
 * style="text-align:left" colspan="3"| Blank or invalid votes
 * colspan="3"|
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="9"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="4"| Total&emsp;(Turnout: 93.00% – electorate: 7,560,608)
 * colspan="3"|
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="9"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="4"| Total&emsp;(Turnout: 93.00% – electorate: 7,560,608)
 * colspan="9"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="4"| Total&emsp;(Turnout: 93.00% – electorate: 7,560,608)
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="4"| Total&emsp;(Turnout: 93.00% – electorate: 7,560,608)
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="9"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="4"| Turnout in the Czech Federative Republic – electorate: 5,744,355
 * colspan="4"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="4"| Turnout in the Slovak Federative Republic – electorate: 1,816,253
 * colspan="4"|
 * }
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="4"| Turnout in the Slovak Federative Republic – electorate: 1,816,253
 * colspan="4"|
 * }
 * }

Chamber of Nations
'''Summary of the 24–25 May 1946 Chamber of Nations election results ! colspan="7" align="center" | !style="text-align:left" colspan="2" | Parties !style="text-align:left" | Votes !style="text-align:left" | % of votes !style="text-align:left" | Seats !colspan="7" align="center"| Czechia ! 4,789,069 ! 100.00% ! 75 !colspan="7" align="center"| 🇸🇰 Slovakia ! 1,456,635 ! 100.00% ! 75 ! width="150px"|6,245,704 ! width="40px"| 100.00% ! width="30px"| 150
 * - style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * style="background-color:#F0001C" width="1px"|
 * style="text-align:left" | Czechoslovak Social Democratic Party (ČSSD)
 * 1,673,231
 * 32.10%
 * 24
 * style="background-color:#008542" width="1px"|
 * style="text-align:left" | Republican Party (RS)
 * 1,336,201
 * 28.03%
 * 23
 * style="background-color:#BF0202"|
 * style="text-align:left" | Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ)
 * 745,565
 * 15.64%
 * 12
 * style="background-color:#ffe03e"|
 * style="text-align:left" | Czechoslovak People's Party (ČSL)
 * 595,880
 * 12.50%
 * 11
 * style="background-color:#F4C2C2"|
 * style="text-align:left" | Czechoslovak Socialist Party (ČSNS)
 * 559,174
 * 11.73%
 * 5
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="7"|
 * style="text-align:left" colspan="2"|Invalid or blank votes
 * 22,030
 * 0.46%
 * N/A
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="7"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="2"| Total in the Czech Federative Republic (Turnout: 83.37% – electorate: 5,744,355)
 * 22,030
 * 0.46%
 * N/A
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="7"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="2"| Total in the Czech Federative Republic (Turnout: 83.37% – electorate: 5,744,355)
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="2"| Total in the Czech Federative Republic (Turnout: 83.37% – electorate: 5,744,355)
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * style="background-color:#008542"|
 * style="text-align:left" | Republican Party (RS)
 * 474,194
 * 32.81%
 * 25
 * style="background-color:#F0001C"|
 * style="text-align:left" | Czechoslovak Social Democratic Party (ČSSD)
 * 426,500
 * 29.51%
 * 23
 * style="background-color:#5566CC"|
 * style="text-align:left" | Slovak People's Party (SĽS)
 * 289,055
 * 20.00%
 * 15
 * style="background-color:#BF0202"|
 * style="text-align:left" | Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ)
 * 191,643
 * 13,26%
 * 10
 * style="background-color:#F4C2C2"|
 * style="text-align:left" | Czechoslovak National Social Party (ČSNS)
 * 49,428
 * 3.42%
 * 2
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="7"|
 * style="text-align:left" colspan="2"|Invalid or blank votes
 * 11,507
 * 0.79%
 * N/A
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="7"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="2"| Total in the Slovak Federative Republic (Turnout: 80,2% – electorate: 1,816,253)
 * 11,507
 * 0.79%
 * N/A
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="7"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="2"| Total in the Slovak Federative Republic (Turnout: 80,2% – electorate: 1,816,253)
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="2"| Total in the Slovak Federative Republic (Turnout: 80,2% – electorate: 1,816,253)
 * - style="background-color:#AAAAAA"
 * colspan="7"|
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="2"| Total&emsp;(Turnout: 82,61% – electorate: 7,560,608)
 * style="text-align:left; " colspan="2"| Total&emsp;(Turnout: 82,61% – electorate: 7,560,608)
 * }

Aftermath and government formation
The Czechoslovak Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest party led by prime minister Václav Majer, winning 95 of the 300 seats with 33.20% of the vote. Majer formed on 18 June 1946 his second cabinet, continuing with the six-party grand coalition of national unity together with the other parties of the National Front of Czechs and Slovaks: the Republican Party (RS), the Czechoslovak People's Party (ČSL), the Slovak People's Party (SĽS), the Czechoslovak National Social Party (ČSNS), and the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ).

On 19 June 1946 the Federal Assembly of Czechoslovakia unanimously elected as President of Czechoslovakia incumbent President Edvard Beneš of the Socialist Party, who had sworn in Majer as new prime minister the previous day.