The last election before the descent into dictatorship

The NSDAP receives just under 44% of the vote

Immediately after taking office as Chancellor on 30 January 1933, Adolf Hitler went to the country to obtain a popular mandate. Propaganda, violence and intimidation meant that the ensuing election was anything but free or fair.

Despite the illegality and violence of its campaign, the NSDAP still only managed to gather 44% of the vote. This was an improvement on the previous election, but still fell short of an absolute majority. Forming a coalition government with other right-wing and nationalist parties, the new NSDAP ministers first banned opposition parties, before turning on its own conservative allies, who were forced to dissolve. Germany was now a one-party state and would not see another election until after the Second World War.