1949 Belgian general election

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1949 Belgian general election
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
  1946 26 June 1949 (1949-06-26) 1950  

All 212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
106 seats in the Senate
107 (Chamber) seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  Gaston Eyskens (1969).jpg Bundesarchiv Bild 183-39998-0427, Paul-Henri Spaak.jpg
Leader Gaston Eyskens Paul-Henri Spaak
Party Christian Social Socialist
Leader sinceCandidate for PMCandidate for PM
Last election92 seats, 42.54%69 seats, 31.57%
Seats won10566
Seat changeIncrease2.svg13Decrease2.svg3
Popular vote2,190,8951,496,539
Percentage43.55%29.76%
SwingIncrease2.svg1.01%Decrease2.svg1.81%

 Third partyFourth party
  No image.png 20161101 seraing040.jpg
Leader Roger Motz Julien Lahaut
Party Liberal Communist
Leader since19451945
Last election17 seats, 8.93%23 seats, 12.69%
Seats won2912
Seat changeIncrease2.svg12Decrease2.svg11
Popular vote767,180376,765
Percentage15.25%7.49%
SwingIncrease2.svg6.32%Decrease2.svg5.20%

1949 Belgian legislative election results map.svg
Chamber seat distribution by constituency

Government before election

Spaak IV
BSP/PSB-CVP/PSC

Government after election

G. Eyskens I
CVP/PSC-Lib

General elections were held in Belgium on 26 June 1949. [1] Several reforms took effect prior to the elections; they were the first after the introduction of universal women's suffrage; the number of seats in the Chamber of Representatives was increased from 202 to 212, and from now on, elections for the nine provincial councils were held simultaneously with parliamentary elections. The number of Chamber seats and the simultaneous provincial and parliamentary elections would remain unchanged until state reforms in 1993.

Contents

The result was a victory for the Christian Social Party, which won 105 of the 212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 54 of the 106 seats in the Senate. [2] Voter turnout was 94.4%. [3]

Results

Chamber of Deputies

Belgian Chamber 1949.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Christian Social Party 2,190,89543.55105+13
Belgian Socialist Party 1,496,53929.7566-3
Liberal Party 767,18015.2529+12
Communist Party of Belgium 376,7657.4912–11
Flemish Concentration103,8962.070New
Middle Class45,7210.9100
Independent Party20,4500.410New
Traders Union6,7090.130New
Belgian National Rally6,0770.120New
Walloon Unity5,8520.120New
Luxembourg Defence2,0240.040New
Cosmocraten6850.010New
Light6800.010New
Independent General Syndicate6100.010New
Belgian Patriotic Party550.000New
Independents6,7450.1300
Total5,030,883100.00212+10
Valid votes5,030,88394.56
Invalid/blank votes289,3335.44
Total votes5,320,216100.00
Registered voters/turnout5,635,45294.41
Source: Belgian Elections [4]

Senate

Belgium Senate 1949.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Christian Social Party 2,208,55344.9654+3
Belgian Socialist Party 1,410,13528.7133–1
Liberal Party 762,53015.5214+10
Communist Party of Belgium 377,2097.685–6
Flemish Concentration66,0551.340New
Middle Class37,3020.760New
Independent Party20,3570.410New
A13,3790.270New
Traders Union5,5070.110New
Walloon Unity5,0100.100New
B5540.010New
Independents5,2410.1100
Total4,911,832100.00106+5
Valid votes4,911,83293.87
Invalid/blank votes321,0176.13
Total votes5,232,849100.00
Registered voters/turnout5,635,45292.86
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.

ProvinceArrondissement(s)SeatsChange
Antwerp Antwerp 20+2
Mechelen 6
Turnhout 6+1
Limburg Hasselt 5+1
Tongeren-Maaseik 6+1
East Flanders Aalst 6
Oudenaarde 3
Gent-Eeklo 13+1
Dendermonde 4
Sint-Niklaas 4
West Flanders Bruges 5+1
Roeselare-Tielt 5+1
Kortrijk 6
Ypres 3
Veurne-Diksmuide-Ostend 5
Brabant Leuven 7
Brussels 32+2
Nivelles 5
Hainaut Tournai-Ath 6
Charleroi 11
Thuin 4
Mons 7
Soignies 3
Liège Huy-Waremme 4
Liège 14
Verviers 5
Luxembourg Arlon-Marche-Bastogne 3
Neufchâteau-Virton 3
Namur Namur 5
Dinant-Philippeville 4
Total212+10

References

  1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p289 ISBN   978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. Nohlen & Stöver, pp309-311
  3. Nohlen & Stöver, p290
  4. "Wahlergebnisse Abgeordnetenkammer 26 Juni 1949". wahlergebnisse.belgium.be.
  5. "Wahlergebnisse Senat 26 Juni 1949". wahlergebnisse.belgium.be.
  6. List of members of the Chamber of Representatives (1949-1950)