1936 French Legislative Election

Legislative elections were held in France on 26 April and 3 May 1936, the last elections before World War II. The number of candidates set a record, with 4,807 running for election to the Chamber of Deputies. In the Seine Department alone, there were 1,402 candidates. The legislative election was the last before women were granted the right to vote in April 1944.

The Popular Front, a broad centre-left electoral alliance composed of the social-democratic French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO), the social-liberal Radical-Socialists, the French Section of the Communist International (SFIC), and associated smaller left-wing groups, won power from the conservative coalition that had governed since the 6 February 1934 crisis. Léon Blum became president of the council.

Results

The SFIC, predecessor of the Communist Party, more than tripled its seats total from 11 SFIC and 9 Union Ouvrière deputies in 1932 to 72 in 1936. The party made gains in industrialized suburbs and working-class areas of major cities. They also progressed in rural central and southwestern France (e.g., Dordogne, Lot-et-Garonne)
The Radicals lost votes to the SFIO and SFIC, but also to the right.
The SFIO declined slightly. In working-class suburbs, the party declined, but it gained votes in Brittany, to the dismay of the right.
Only 174 seats were elected in the first round, 424 were decided in a run-off. The right fared better in the second round.

References

External links

Map of Deputies elected in 1936 according to their group in the House, including overseas (in french)

{{French elections

Legislative elections in France
Legislative
April 1936 in Europe
May 1936 in Europe