1874 Belgian general election

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.

1874 Belgian general election

9 June 1874 (1874-06-09)

61 of the 124 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
63 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
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%

Government before election

de Theux de Meylandt III
Catholic

Government after election

de Theux de Meylandt III
Catholic

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 Henri de Pitteurs-Hiegaerts 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

PartyVotes%Seats
WonTotal+/–
Liberal Party17,53152.503556+3
Catholic Party15,86447.502668–3
Total33,395100.00611240
Total votes33,395
Registered voters/turnout52,07464.13
Source: Mackie & Rose,[3] Sternberger et al.

Senate

PartySeats
Catholic Party34
Liberal Party28
Total62
Source: Sternberger et al.

References

  1. Codebook Constituency-level Elections Archive, 2003
  2. 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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