1985 Belgian general election

Last updated

1985 Belgian general election
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
  1981 13 October 1985 1987  

212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Wilfried Martens 1982 (cropped).jpg
PS
Karel van Miert (SP, Belgie), Bestanddeelnr 933-5684.jpg
Leader Wilfried Martens Guy Spitaels Karel Van Miert
Party CVP PS sp.a
Leader sinceCandidate for PM19811978
Last election43 seats, 19.34%35 seats, 12.17%26 seats, 12.36%
Seats won493532
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 6Steady2.svgIncrease2.svg 6
Popular vote1,291,244834,488882,200
Percentage21.29%13.76%14.55%
SwingIncrease2.svg 1.95%Increase2.svg 1.59%Increase2.svg 2.19%

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
 
Louis Michel.jpg
Verhofstadt cropped.jpg
Gerard DEPREZ (16039228164).jpg
Leader Louis Michel Guy Verhofstadt Gérard Deprez
Party PRL Open Vld cdH
Leader since198219821981
Last election24 seats, 7.97%28 seats, 12.89%18 seats, 6.49%
Seats won242220
Seat changeSteady2.svgDecrease2.svg 6Increase2.svg 2
Popular vote619,390651,806482,254
Percentage10.21%10.75%7.95%
SwingIncrease2.svg 2.24%Decrease2.svg 2.14%Increase2.svg 1.50%

1985 Belgium Chamber of Representatives election.svg
1985 Belgium Senate election.svg

Government before election

Martens V
CVP-PSC-PVV-PRL

Government after election

Martens VI
CVP-PSC-PVV-PRL

Prime Minister Martens Wilfried Martens 1982 (cropped).jpg
Prime Minister Martens

General elections were held in Belgium on 13 October 1985. The Christian People's Party emerged as the largest party, with 49 of the 212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 25 of the 106 seats in the Senate. Elections to the nine provincial councils were also held.

Contents

The incumbent government was a coalition of Christian democrats (CVP/PSC) and liberals (PVV/PRL) led by Prime Minister Wilfried Martens. Following the elections, the same parties formed a new Martens Government. [1] Guy Verhofstadt, PVV leader since 1982, was elected for the first time as representative. Despite PVV being the only governing party to lose seats, he was able to weigh on the government agreement and he became Deputy Prime Minister in the Martens VI Government. The government would fall two years later due to the Voeren issue; distrust of labour unions in Verhofstadt proved to be a factor as well.

Results

Chamber of Representatives

Belgian Chamber 1985.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Christian People's Party 1,291,24421.2949+6
Socialistische Partij 882,20014.5532+6
Parti Socialiste 834,48813.76350
Party for Freedom and Progress 651,80610.7522–6
Liberal Reformist Party 619,39010.21240
Social Christian Party (PSC) 482,2547.9520+2
People's Union 477,7557.8816–4
Agalev 226,7583.744+2
Ecolo 152,4832.515+3
Vlaams Blok 85,3911.4110
Democratic Front of Francophones 72,3611.193
Communist Party of Belgium 71,6951.180–2
Democratic Union for the Respect of Labour 69,7071.151–2
Workers' Party of Belgium 46,0340.7600
Solidarity and Participation31,9830.530New
Socialist Workers' Party 13,6810.2300
Green9,7190.160New
Walloon Party9,2840.150New
Organic Front for the Cultural Renewal of Solidarist Europe8,2210.140New
Union for a New Democracy6,6090.110New
Party of German-speaking Belgians 5,2280.0900
National Front 3,7380.060New
Christian Liberal Party3,4420.060New
Parti Communautaire National-Européen 1,7630.030New
Zo Maar1,6300.030New
United Feminist Party1,2010.0200
Union of Progressive Walloons8280.010New
Flemish People's Party 6780.010New
Charlier6550.010New
GIOT6400.010New
Humanist Party5180.010New
Appeal to All4640.010New
SDU–USD4120.010New
Total6,064,260100.002120
Valid votes6,064,26092.55
Invalid/blank votes487,9747.45
Total votes6,552,234100.00
Registered voters/turnout7,001,29793.59
Source: Belgian Elections

Senate

Belgium Senate 1985.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Christian People's Party 1,260,11321.0225+3
Socialistische Partij 868,62414.4916+3
Parti Socialiste 832,79213.89180
Party for Freedom and Progress 637,77610.6411–3
Liberal Reformist Party 588,3739.8213+2
People's Union 484,9968.098–2
Social Christian Party 475,1197.9310+2
Agalev 229,2063.822+1
Ecolo 163,3612.732–1
Vlaams Blok 90,1201.5000
Democratic Union for the Respect of Labour 73,0451.220–1
Communist Party of Belgium 71,0201.180–1
Democratic Front of Francophones 70,2391.171
Workers' Party of Belgium 44,7990.7500
Solidarity and Participation33,5540.560New
Socialist Workers' Party 16,7860.2800
Green10,9880.180New
Walloon Party10,5390.180New
Organic Front for the Cultural Renewal of Solidarist Europe9,3180.160New
Union for a New Democracy7,2000.120New
Party of German-speaking Belgians 5,3640.090New
National Front 4,2010.070New
Christian Liberal Party3,2670.050New
United Feminist Party1,4300.0200
Parti Communautaire National-Européen 1,3120.020New
Flemish People's Party 4460.010New
Paix4430.0100
Total5,994,431100.001060
Valid votes5,994,43191.48
Invalid/blank votes558,2598.52
Total votes6,552,690100.00
Registered voters/turnout7,001,29793.59
Source: Belgian Elections

References

  1. Fitzmaurice, John; Van den Berghe, Guido (1986). "The Belgian general election of 1985" . Electoral Studies. 5 (1): 73–76. doi:10.1016/0261-3794(86)90030-2. ISSN   0261-3794.