1874 Belgian general election

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1874 Belgian general election

← 1872 9 June 1874 (1874-06-09) 1876 →

61 of the 124 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
63 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
  Barthélemy de Theux (03).jpg FrèreOrban.jpg
Leader Barthélémy de Theux de Meylandt Walthère Frère-Orban
Party Catholic Liberal
Leader since Candidate for PM Candidate for PM
Seats before 71 seats 53 seats
Seats won 26 35
Seats after 68 56
Seat change Decrease 3 Increase 3
Popular vote 15,864 17,531
Percentage 47.50% 52.50%

Belgian Chamber 1874.svg

Belgium Senate 1874.svg

Government before election

de Theux de Meylandt III
Catholic

Government after election

de Theux de Meylandt III
Catholic

Partial general elections were held in Belgium on 9 June 1874.[1][2] The result was a victory for the Catholic Party, which won 68 of the 124 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 34 of the 62 seats in the Senate.[2] Voter turnout was 64.1%, although only 52,074 people were eligible to vote.

Under the alternating system, elections for the Chamber of Representatives were only held in four out of the nine provinces: Hainaut, Limburg, Liège and East Flanders.

Incumbent Head of Government Barthélémy de Theux de Meylandt was re-elected in the arrondissement of Hasselt but died on 21 August 1874. A special election was held on 27 September 1874 to replace him, which won.

Additionally, a special election was held in the arrondissement of Tielt to replace Gustave de Mûelenaere, who died on 8 July 1874; this is of note as future Prime Minister Auguste Beernaert was elected to succeed him.

Results[]

Chamber of Representatives[]

Party Votes % Seats
Won Total +/–
Liberal Party 17,531 52.5 35 56 +3
Catholic Party 15,864 47.5 26 68 –3
Invalid/blank votes 2,687
Total 36,082 100 61 124 0
Registered voters/turnout 52,074 64.1
Source: Mackie & Rose,[3] Sternberger et al

Senate[]

Party Votes % Seats
Catholic Party 34
Liberal Party 28
Total 62
Sternberger et al.

References[]

  1. ^ Codebook Constituency-level Elections Archive, 2003
  2. ^ a b Sternberger, D, Vogel, B & Nohlen, D (1969) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band I: Europa - Erster Halbband, p105
  3. ^ Thomas T Mackie & Richard Rose (1991) The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan, pp48–49
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