1898 Belgian general election
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75 of the 152 seats in the Chamber of Representatives | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Partial legislative elections were held in Belgium on 22 May 1898, with run-off elections held on 29 May.[1] Under the alternating system, elections for the Chamber of Representatives were held in only four out of the nine provinces: Hainaut, Limburg, Liège and East Flanders. Thus, only 75 seats out of the 152 seats in the Chamber of Representatives were up for election. The Catholic Party retained their absolute majority.[2]
Notably, Adolf Daens, who was elected in 1894 for Aalst and served one term, was convinced not to run for re-election. His fight for a social Christian Democratic party was opposed by conservative Catholics, especially fellow Aalst MP Charles Woeste. None of the other "Daensists" (Christene Volkspartij) who ran were elected.
A special election in Bastogne was held on 24 July 1898. Henry Delvaux de Fenffe was elected to replace Emile Van Hoorde, who became a provincial senator.
They were the last regular legislative elections under a majority system; the next elections in 1900 saw the introduction of a proportional system.
The newly elected legislature met in regular session on 8 November 1898.
Results[]
Chamber of Representatives[]
Party | Votes | % | Seats won | Total seats | +/– |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Catholic Party | 377,275 | 38.49 | 36 | 108 | 0 |
Belgian Labour Party | 213,511 | 21.78 | 15 | 15 | –12 |
Liberal Party | 177,802 | 18.14 | 12 | 13 | +2 |
Liberal-Socialist Kartels | 91,947 | 9.38 | 8 | 12 | +8 |
Christian Democratic Party | 22,962 | 2.34 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Gauche Liberal Kartels | 17,724 | 1.81 | 1 | 1 | +1 |
Other parties | 78,926 | 8.05 | 2 | 2 | +1 |
Invalid/blank votes | 0 | – | – | – | - |
Total | 980,147 | 100 | 75 | 152 | 0 |
Source: Belgian Elections |
Senate[]
Party | Votes | % | Seats |
---|---|---|---|
Catholic Party | 147,160 | 51.5 | |
Liberal Party | 134,437 | 47.0 | |
Other parties | 4,202 | 1.5 | |
Invalid/blank votes | – | – | |
Total | 285,799 | 100 | |
Source: Nohlen & Stöver |
Constituencies[]
Province | Arrondissement | Chamber | Won by |
---|---|---|---|
Limburg | Hasselt | 3 | Catholic hold (unopposed re-election) |
Maaseik | 1 | Catholic hold | |
Tongeren | 2 | Catholic hold | |
East Flanders | Aalst | 4 | Catholic hold |
Oudenaarde | 3 | Catholic hold | |
Gent | 9 | Catholic hold | |
Eeklo | 1 | Catholic hold (unopposed re-election) | |
Dendermonde | 3 | Catholic hold | |
Sint-Niklaas | 4 | Catholic hold | |
Hainaut | Tournai | 4 | Catholic hold |
Ath | 2 | Liberal gain from Catholic | |
Charleroi | 8 | Socialist hold | |
Thuin | 3 | Socialist gain (from 1 Catholic, 1 liberal and 1 socialist) | |
Mons | 6 | Socialist hold | |
Soignies | 3 | Socialist hold | |
Liège | Huy | 2 | 1 liberal hold, 1 socialist gain from liberal |
Waremme | 2 | Catholic hold | |
Liège | 11 | Socialist (6) and liberal (5) hold | |
Verviers | 4 | Catholic gain from socialist |
Liberals gained two seats from Catholics in Ath, socialists gained a seat from Catholics and a seat from liberals in Thuin, socialists gained a seat from liberals in Huy and Catholics gained four seats from socialists in Verviers, resulting in a total of one seat changing from socialists to Catholics.
References[]
- ^ Nohlen, Dieter; Stöver, Philip (31 May 2010). Elections in Europe: A data handbook. Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft. p. 289. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7.
- ^ Nohlen & Stöver, p307
- 1898 elections in Europe
- 1890s elections in Belgium
- 1898 in Belgium
- May 1898 events