1879 Eastern Rumelian election
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Parliamentary elections were held for the first time in Eastern Rumelia on 7 October 1879.[1]
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7 October 1879
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36 of the 56 seats in the Regional Assembly 29 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. | |||||||||||||
Background
The autonomous region of Eastern Rumelia, established by the Treaty of Berlin and the Eastern Rumelian Constitution, was headed by a Sublime Porte-chosen Governor-general who led and, alongside the Sultan, appointed the Directorate (government) of the province. He additionally appointed 10 members of the legislature, the Regional Assembly, with a further 10 representatives of the judiciary, ethnic and religious minorities serving as ex officio members. The remaining 36 MPs were elected for 4 year terms, with half the seats up for reelection every 2 years. The Assembly also elected an additional legislative body, the Standing Committee.
Results
As the election was held on a non-partisan basis, candidates were divided predominantly on ethnic lines. 32 of the elected and 40 of the total MPs were ethnic Bulgarians.
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgarians | 32 | |
| Greeks | 2 | |
| Turks | 2 | |
| Total | 36 | |
| Source: Statelova[1] | ||
Aftermath
Although initially non-partisan, a dominant faction led by the Chairman of the Standing Committee Ivan Geshov began to form. By the 1881 election most of its opposition had consolidated into the Liberal Party.[2]