1898 Belgian general election

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]

1898 Belgian general election
22 May 1898
75 of the 152 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
  First party Second party
 
Leader Paul de Smet de Naeyer Grégoire Serwy
Party Catholic Labour
Leader since Candidate for PM 1893
Seats before 108 seats 27 seats
Seats won 36 15
Seats after 108 15
Seat change 12
Popular vote 377,275 213,511
Percentage 38.49% 21.78%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader N/A
Party Liberal LSK
Leader since N/A
Seats before 11 seats 4 seats
Seats won 12 8
Seats after 13 12
Seat change 2 8
Popular vote 177,802 91,947
Percentage 18.14% 9.38%
Government before election

de Smet de Naeyer I
Catholic

 Elected Government

de Smet de Naeyer I
Catholic

Paul de Smet de Naeyer, re-elected representative for Ghent and incumbent head of government

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 (d) was elected to replace Emile Van Hoorde (d), who became 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 Party377,27538.49361080
Belgian Labour Party213,51121.781515–12
Liberal Party177,80218.141213+2
Liberal-Socialist Kartels91,9479.38812+8
Christian Democratic Party22,9622.34110
Gauche Liberal Kartels17,7241.8111+1
Other parties78,9268.0522+1
Invalid/blank votes0–––-
Total980,147100751520
Source: Belgian Elections

Senate
Party Votes % Seats
Catholic Party147,16051.5
Liberal Party134,43747.0
Other parties4,2021.5
Invalid/blank votes––
Total285,799100
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Constituencies
ProvinceArrondissementChamberWon by
LimburgHasselt3Catholic hold (unopposed re-election)
Maaseik1Catholic hold
Tongeren2Catholic hold
East FlandersAalst4Catholic hold
Oudenaarde3Catholic hold
Gent9Catholic hold
Eeklo1Catholic hold (unopposed re-election)
Dendermonde3Catholic hold
Sint-Niklaas4Catholic hold
HainautTournai4Catholic hold
Ath2Liberal gain from Catholic
Charleroi8Socialist hold
Thuin3Socialist gain (from 1 Catholic, 1 liberal and 1 socialist)
Mons6Socialist hold
Soignies3Socialist hold
LiègeHuy21 liberal hold, 1 socialist gain from liberal
Waremme2Catholic hold
Liège11Socialist (6) and liberal (5) hold
Verviers4Catholic 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
  1. Nohlen, Dieter; Stöver, Philip (31 May 2010). Elections in Europe: A data handbook. Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft. p. 289. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7.
  2. Nohlen & Stöver, p307
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