On 5 March 1933, the Nazi Party won 44 per cent of the vote, which gave them 288 seats in the Reichstag. Hitler formed a coalition with the National Party (8 per cent). The Communist party won 81 seats.

The Enabling Act

23 March 1933

With the communist deputies banned and the SA intimidating all the remaining non-Nazi deputies, the Reichstag voted by the required two-thirds majority to give Hitler the right to make laws without the Reichstag's approval for four years.

Arguably this was the critical event during this period. It gave Hitler absolute power to make laws, which enabled him to destroy all opposition to his rule. This removed the Reichstag as a source of opposition.

Trade unions

On 2 May 1933, trade unions were abolished and their leaders arrested. Abolishing the trade unions allowed Hitler to destroy a group that might have opposed him. It also gave Hitler the opportunity to set up the German Labour Front (Deutsche Arbeitsfront – DAF), which gave him control over German workers.

Political parties

By 14 July 1933, Hitler had banned all political parties meaning the only party allowed to exist was the Nazi party. This made Germany a one-party state and destroyed democracy in the country. After this action, Germans could no longer get rid of Hitler in an election.