1936 Belgian general election

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1936 Belgian general election
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
  1932 24 May 1936 1939  

All 202 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
All 101 seats in the Senate
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Emile Vandervelde 1919.jpg Paul van Zeeland, 1937.jpg No image.png
Leader Emile Vandervelde Paul van Zeeland Léon Dens
Party Labour Catholic Liberal
Leader since1933Candidate for PM1935
Last election73 seats, 37.03%79 seats, 38.42%24 seats, 14.08%
Seats won706123
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 3Decrease2.svg 18Decrease2.svg 1
Popular vote758,485653,717292,970
Percentage32.11%27.67%12.40%
SwingDecrease2.svg 4.92%Decrease2.svg 10.75%Decrease2.svg 1.68%

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
  Degrelle, Leon.jpg Staf De Clercq (1884-1942).jpg Joseph Jacquemotte (cropped 2).jpg
Leader Léon Degrelle Staf De Clercq Joseph Jacquemotte
Party Rexist VNV Communist
Leader since193519331934
Last electionNewNew3 seats, 2.90%
Seats won21169
Seat changeNewNewIncrease2.svg 6
Popular vote271,481164,253143,223
Percentage11.49%7.06%6.06%
SwingNewNewIncrease2.svg 3.16%

Government before election

van Zeeland I
National Unity (Catholic-Lab-Lib)

Government after election

van Zeeland II
National Unity (Catholic-Lab-Lib)

Prime Minister Paul van Zeeland Paul van Zeeland, 1937.jpg
Prime Minister Paul van Zeeland

General elections were held in Belgium on 24 May 1936. [1] The result was a victory for the Belgian Labour Party, which won 70 of the 202 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 39 of the 101 seats in the Senate. [2] Voter turnout was 94.7%. [3]

Contents

Despite the rise of far-right and far-left parties, Paul van Zeeland continued as Prime Minister leading a government of national unity, composed of the three major parties (Catholics, Socialists and Liberals).

Results

Chamber of Representatives

Belgian Chamber 1936.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Belgian Labour Party 758,48532.1170–3
Catholic Party 653,71727.6761–18
Liberal Party 292,97012.4023–1
Rexist Party 271,48111.4921New
Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond 166,7377.0616+8
Communist Party of Belgium 143,2236.069+6
Christian Democratic Party 22,2240.942New
Realists14,9890.630New
People's Candidates7,9970.340New
Socialist dissidents7,0500.3000
Agrarians4,9890.210New
Revolutionary Socialist Action2,0820.090New
Independent National Party2,0720.090New
Farmers1,9950.0800
VNV dissidents1,6180.0700
Clock1,5180.060New
Isolated1,1530.0500
Pigeon Fanciers9180.040New
Taxpayers Bloc8980.0400
Radical Party7090.0300
Cooperative Bloc6920.030New
Merchants3910.020New
Producers2250.010New
Quaedvlieg670.000New
Independents4,2360.180New
Total2,362,436100.00202+15
Valid votes2,362,43694.07
Invalid/blank votes148,8105.93
Total votes2,511,246100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,652,70794.67
Source: Belgian Elections [4]

Senate

Belgium Senate 1936.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Belgian Labour Party 769,49833.46390
Catholic Party 667,73929.0434–8
Liberal Party 297,28012.93110
Rexist Party 250,27210.888New
Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond 160,2126.975+4
Communist Party of Belgium 110,8554.824+4
Christian Democratic Party 19,4770.850New
Other parties4,5200.200
Independents19,6550.850New
Total2,299,508100.00101+8
Valid votes2,299,50891.67
Invalid/blank votes209,0558.33
Total votes2,508,563100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,652,70794.57
Source: Belgian Elections [5]

Constituencies

The distribution of seats among the electoral districts of the Chamber of Representatives was as follows. [6] Several arrondissements got one or more additional seats. Roeselare-Tielt lost one seat, which was a rare occurrence since population generally increased throughout the Belgian territory with each census.

ProvinceArrondissement(s)SeatsChange
Antwerp Antwerp 18+3
Mechelen 6+1
Turnhout 5+1
Limburg Hasselt 4+1
Tongeren-Maaseik 5+1
East Flanders Aalst 6+1
Oudenaarde 3
Gent-Eeklo 12
Dendermonde 4
Sint-Niklaas 4
West Flanders Bruges 4
Roeselare-Tielt 4–1
Kortrijk 6+1
Ypres 3
Veurne-Diksmuide-Ostend 5
Brabant Leuven 7
Brussels 30+4
Nivelles 5+1
Hainaut Tournai-Ath 6
Charleroi 11
Thuin 4+1
Mons 7
Soignies 3
Liège Huy-Waremme 4
Liège 14+1
Verviers 5
Luxembourg Arlon-Marche-Bastogne 3
Neufchâteau-Virton 3
Namur Namur 5
Dinant-Philippeville 4
Total202+15

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, pp308-310
  3. Nohlen & Stöver, p290
  4. Belgian Elections
  5. Belgian Elections
  6. List of members of the Chamber of Representatives (1936)