1950 North Rhine-Westphalia state election

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1950 North Rhine-Westphalia state election

← 1947 18 June 1950 1954 →
All 215 seats in the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia, including 15 overhang seats 108 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	6,433,003 (72.3% 5.0pp)
First party Second party Third party   Candidate Karl Arnold Fritz Henßler Friedrich Middelhauve Party CDU SPD FDP Last election 92 seats, 37.6% 64 seats, 32.0% 12 seats, 6.0% Seats won 93 68 26 Seat change 1 4 14 Popular vote 2,286,644 2,005,312 748,926 Percentage 36.9% 32.3% 12.1% Swing 0.7pp 0.4pp 6.1pp   Fourth party Fifth party   Candidate Johannes Brockmann Max Reimann Party Centre KPD Last election 20 seats, 9.8% 28 seats, 14.0% Seats won 16 12 Seat change 4 16 Popular vote 466,497 338,862 Percentage 7.5% 5.5% Swing 2.3pp 8.5pp
Results for the single-member constituencies.
Government before election First Arnold cabinet CDU–SPD–Centre Government after election Second Arnold cabinet CDU[a]

The 1950 North Rhine-Westphalia state election was held on 18 June 1950 to elect the 2nd Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia. The outgoing government was a coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), and Centre Party led by Minister-President Karl Arnold.

The CDU remained the largest party with 37% and 93 seats, followed by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) with 32% and 68 seats. The Free Democratic Party (FDP) doubled its vote share to 12%, while the Centre Party declined to 7.5%. The Communist Party (KPD) lost most of its vote share and fell to fifth place on 5.5%. Overall, the CDU won 15 overhang seats.

Alongside the election, the state constitution was submitted for public approval. It was supported by the CDU and Centre, who had been primarily responsible for drafting it, while the SPD, KPD, and FDP campaigned against it. The constitution was approved with 3.63 million votes in favour (57.0%) and 2.24 million against (35.2%). The British occupying authorities approved the constitution on 8 July, and it entered into force on 11 July.

The CDU declined to renew the outgoing grand coalition, and the CDU briefly formed minority government alone with Karl Arnold continuing as Minister-President.^[1] Six weeks later they agreed to a coalition with the Centre, whose ministers were appointed on 15 September and brought the government into majority for the rest of the term.

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