GERMAN ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18702, 7 May 1924, Page 9

GERMAN ELECTIONS.

PROVISIONAL RESULTS. SOCIALISTS IN LEAD. GERMAN NATIONALS NEXT. - EFFECT ON REPARATION COMPLICATIONS LIKELY. £y Talegraph—Frees Association—Copyright (Received 7.35 p.m.) - Renter. BERLIN", May 5. A provisional statement as to the final results of the elections for the Reichstag gives the number of representatives elected for the various parties as follows:—

Those elected include Prince Bismarck, Count Westarp, General Ludendorff, Herr Derenburg, Dr. Herding, Dr. Marx, Dr. Wirth, Herr Stresemann, and Admiral Von Tirpitz. • Seventy-five per cent, of electors voted. The results made it clear that the Extreme Nationalists have in no wise done as well as they expected, and must be content to take a back seat in 'the new Reichstag. Even in an Extreme Nationalist stronghold like Munich a large number of votes went to the German Nationals. It is significant that the Extreme Nationalists have not gained a single seat in the occupied territory. On the other hand, the German Nationals, of whom the late Herr He iff rich was leader, and who, with Monarchist reactionaries, opposed the reparation experts' plans, hsve done extremely well, and will be the second strongest party in the Reichstag, with 93 seats, compared with 67 previously.

The Communists have done better than they expected, having 59 seats, compared with 15 previously. They scored heavily in parts of Berlin and the large industrial towns.

In Saxony and Thuringia, seemingly, practically every former Independent Socialist went over to Communism.

The German' People's Party, led by Bet? Stresemann, has done badly, and is like2y to lose seats to Nationalists. The Catholic Centre Party and the Democrats have 61 and 25 seats respectively, as compared with 60 and 40 in the last Reichstag. No important changes are expected in other groups.

The position in the new Reichstag is interesting, but complicated. Certainly the majority will favour the acceptance of the reparation experts' reports, but a twothirds majority is necessary for the change in the Constitution involved in the acceptance of the reports. This will be impossible without , the support of the Nationalists. If they remain irreconcilable opponents of the experts' reports, which is doubtful, there will be no chance of the •Reichstag-adopting the . reports, and evil days, will again fall upon Germany.

Socialists . . „. ..99 German Nationals »« » . 93 Centre Party . . r . , . 61 Communists . . . . ,» 59 German People's Party » » .44 Extreme Nationalists . .. 28 Democrats . k ,. . „ 25 Other Parties . „ . . » . 19 Bavarian People 's Party . „ 15 Hanovarians 5'