THE ELECTIONS OF 1923 IN THE KINGDOM OF THE SERBS, CROATS, AND SLOVENES

THE ELECTIONS OF 1923 IN THE KINGDOM OF THE SERBS, CROATS, AND SLOVENES

Matthew M. Meštrović, Journal of Croatian Studies, I, 1960, pages 44-52  

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The Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was established on December 1, 1918 at the end of World War I. In March 1919 the Provisional National Assembly met in Belgrade. The first legislature of the new state was an appointed body constituted from representatives apportioned among the various provinces by the political parties supporting Yugoslav Union. The country's first general election for a Constituent Assembly was held on November 28, 1924 by an affirmative vote of 223 of its 419 members the Assembly enacted the Vidovdan Constitution, on St. Vitus Day, June 28, 1921.

The second general election after the establishment of the state took, place on March 18, 1923. 1n these elections 2,167,000 voters cast their ballots, 570,000 more than in the elections of November 28, 1920. The sharp increase in the vote wag general throughout the country, and it was due not only to the rise in the number of eligible voters but also to a greater political awareness of the people. As in the 1920 elections, the vote was heaviest in the western regions of the country. In Slovenia in 1923 over 79 percent of the eligible voters cast their ballots compared to 68 percent in 1920. In Croatia-Slavonia 78 percent voted as compared to 68 percent in the elections for the Constituent Assembly. In Montenegro the respective percentages for the two elections were 66 and 65.

In accordance with the new electoral law, the National Assembly of 1923 comprised 314 deputies, or 105 less than the Constituent Assembly. Since the population statistics and estimates of 1910 were used as the basis for the apportionment of parliamentary seats, Serbia within her 1914 limits was again heavily favored. The seats were assigned to the several provinces in the following ratio: Serbia and Macedonia 116, Croatia-Slavonic 68, Slovenia 26, Bosnia-Hercegovina 48, Vojvodina 34, Dalmatia 15, Montenegro 1. The Assembly elected in 1923, included 168 Serbs (53 percent of the total membership), 78 Catholic Croats (25 percent), 19 Bosnian Moslems (6 percent), 25 Slovenes (8 percent), 8 Germans, 12 Albanians, 3 Turks, and 1 Rumanian.

See the entire article at: http://www.studiacroatica.org/jcs/01/0106.htm

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Journal of Croatian Studies, I, 1960, pages 44-52  – Annual Review of the Croatian Academy of America, Inc. New York, N.Y., Electronic edition by Studia Croatica, by permission. All reserved by the Croatian Academy of America.

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