1949 West German presidential election

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1949 West German presidential election
Flag of Germany.svg
  1932 (Weimar Republic) 12 September 1949 1954  
  Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1983-098-20a, Heuss.jpg K.Schumacher.jpg Rudolf Amelunxen - Ausschnitt aus Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F001946-0009, Berlin, Bundesversammlung wahlt Bundesprasident.jpg
Nominee Theodor Heuss Kurt Schumacher Rudolf Amelunxen
Party FDP SPD Centre
Electoral vote41631230
Percentage51.7%38.83.7

President before election

Karl Dönitz (as President of the German Reich at the end of World War II)
NSDAP

Elected President

Theodor Heuss
FDP

An indirect presidential election (officially the 1st Federal Convention) was held on 12 September 1949, following the first Bundestag election of 14 August 1949 and coalition talks/ negotiations between CDU/CSU, FDP and German Party (DP).

The FDP leader Theodor Heuss, who was nominated by CDU/CSU and FDP by agreement of the partners of the ruling coalition, was elected by the Federal Convention (composed of all members of the Bundestag and an equal number of delegates selected by the state legislatures).

Under the 1949 Basic Law, the new office of the Federal President was given fewer powers than the preceding office of Reich President, due to the bad experiences of the past, especially the abuse of emergency powers. Heuss therefore assumed a largely ceremonial role. However, his duties included the nomination of the first Federal Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer. Federal President Heuss took the oath of office in front of Bundestag and Bundesrat the same day of his election, on 12 September 1949.

This was the first German presidential election in post-war Germany and the second indirect election since 1919 that elected Social Democrat Friedrich Ebert as Germany's first President.

12 September 1949
BallotCandidateVoters %PartySupporting party
1st Theodor Heuss 37746.9% FDP FDP, CDU, DP
Kurt Schumacher 31138.7% SPD
Rudolf Amelunxen 283.5% Zentrum
Hans Schlange-Schöningen 60.7%CDU
Karl Arnold 10.1%CDU
Josef Müller 10.1% CSU
Alfred Loritz 10.1% WAV
Abstention769.5%
Invalid20.2%
2ndTheodor Heuss41651.7%FDPFDP, CDU, DP
Kurt Schumacher 31238.8%SPD
Rudolf Amelunxen303.7%Zentrum
Hans Schlange-Schöningen20.2%CDU
Abstention374.6%
Invalid30.4%

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