1999 Belgian federal election

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1999 Belgian federal election
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
  1995 13 June 1999 (1999-06-13) 2003  

All 150 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
40 of 71 seats in the Senate
respectively 76 and 36 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Verhofstadt cropped.jpg
Deheane cropped..jpg
Di Rupo cropped.jpg
Leader Guy Verhofstadt Jean-Luc Dehaene Elio Di Rupo
Party Open Vld CVP PS
Leader since1997Candidate for PM1999
Last election21 seats, 13.1%29 seats, 17.18%21 seats, 11.87%
Seats before212921
Seats won232219
Seat changeIncrease2.svg2Decrease2.svg7Decrease2.svg2
Popular vote888,861875,455631,653
Percentage14.30%14.09%10.16%
SwingIncrease2.svg1.15%Decrease2.svg3.09%Decrease2.svg1.71%

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
 
Louis Michel (cropped).jpg
Frank Vanhecke.jpg
sp.a
Leader Louis Michel Frank Vanhecke Fred Erdman
Party MR VB sp.a
Leader since199519961998
Last election18 seats, 10.26%11 seats, 7.83%14 seats, 12.56%
Seats before181120
Seats won181514
Seat changeSteady2.svgIncrease2.svg4Decrease2.svg6
Popular vote630,219613,399593,372
Percentage10.14%9.87%9.55%
SwingDecrease2.svg0.12%Increase2.svg2.04%Decrease2.svg3.01%

1999 Belgium Chamber of Representatives election.svg
1999 Belgium Senate election.svg

Government before election

Dehaene II
CVP-PSC-PS-SP

Government after election

Verhofstadt I
VLD-PRL-PS-SP-Agalev-Ecolo

Federal elections were held in Belgium on June 13, 1999 to elect members of the Chamber of Representatives and Senate. [1] The elections were held on the same day as the European elections and the regional elections. The Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) became the largest party.

Contents

The Christian Democrats (CVP/PSC) suffered historic losses due to the dioxine affair that broke loose that year. Jean-Luc Dehaene's reign of eight years came to an end. Verhofstadt formed a six-party coalition comprising the liberal (VLD and PRL), socialist (SP and PS), and green parties (Agalev and Ecolo). It was the first liberal-led government since 1938, and the first since 1958 that didn't include a Christian Democratic party.

Results

Chamber of Representatives

Belgian Chamber 1999.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Flemish Liberals and Democrats 888,86114.3023+2
Christian People's Party 875,45514.0922–7
Parti Socialist 631,65310.1619–2
Liberal Reformist PartyDemocratic Front of Francophones 630,21910.14180
Vlaams Blok 613,3999.8715+4
Socialistische Partij 593,3729.5514–6
Ecolo 457,2817.3611+5
Agalev 434,4496.999+4
Christian Social Party 365,3185.8810–2
People's Union 345,5765.568+3
Vivant 130,7012.100New
National Front 90,4011.451–1
Communist Party 23,0810.3700
Party for a New Politics in Belgium22,5910.360New
New Belgian Front 22,4910.360New
Workers' Party of Belgium (Flanders) 14,0490.2300
WALLON11,8630.1900
Workers' Party of Belgium (Wallonia) 8,7600.1400
Aging with Dignity (Flanders)8,0330.1300
FRANCE7,4930.120New
Alliance4,0010.060New
PJU–PDB 2,9450.0500
Social-Liberal Democrats2,6230.040New
Workers' Party of Belgium 2,4060.0400
Social Democrat Party1,9280.030New
LEEF1,7030.030New
Employment is Investing in the Future1,6100.0300
Alliance for Truth and Law in Belgium1,5970.030New
Belgian Indian with No Name1,4880.020New
Noor1,2440.020New
Democratic Union1,1190.020New
For a Movement in Defence of Workers and Youth1,0680.020New
NP9430.020New
National Front – Walloon Federation8590.010New
Front of the Belgian Nation–Party6710.010New
People's Nationalist Party6560.0100
Stardust6490.010New
VIC6360.010New
Democratic Right6070.010New
Referendum6010.0100
Militant Left 4380.010New
Parti Communautaire National-Européen 3990.0100
Humanist Party3690.010New
Civic List2420.000New
Paradise Action Party1050.000New
Other parties8,1210.130
Total6,214,074100.001500
Valid votes6,214,07493.44
Invalid/blank votes435,9416.56
Total votes6,650,015100.00
Registered voters/turnout7,343,46490.56
Source: Belgian Elections, Global Elections Database

Senate

Senat1999.svg
PartyVotes%Seats
WonCommunityCo-optedTotal
Flemish Liberals and Democrats 952,11615.3763211
Christian People's Party 913,50814.7563110
Liberal Reformist PartyDemocratic Front of Francophones 654,96110.575319
Parti Socialiste 597,8909.6544210
Vlaams Blok 583,2089.424116
Socialistische Partij 550,6578.894116
Ecolo 458,6587.403306
Agalev 438,9317.093115
Christian Social Party 374,0026.043115
People's Union 317,8305.132103
Vivant 123,4981.990000
National Front 92,9241.500000
Workers' Party of Belgium 35,4930.570000
Party for a New Politics in Belgium26,1240.420000
New Belgian Front 23,3820.380000
Communist Party 21,9910.360000
Social-Liberal Democrats7,4460.120000
Democratic Union7,3680.120000
PJU–PDB 6,3720.100000
VLAAMS4,9020.080000
Parti Communautaire National-Européen 3,1100.050000
Total6,194,371100.0040211071
Valid votes6,194,37193.14
Invalid/blank votes456,4256.86
Total votes6,650,796100.00
Registered voters/turnout7,343,46690.57
Source: Belgian Elections

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References

  1. Carton, Ann (2001). "Open Forum: The General Elections in Belgium in June 1999: A Real Breakthrough for Women Politicians?". European Journal of Women's Studies. 8 (1): 127–135. doi:10.1177/135050680100800107.