Belgian general election, 1892

Belgian general election, 1892

14 June 1892

All 152 seats in the Chamber of Representatives 77 seats needed for a majority   First party Second party   Party Catholic Liberal Last election 94 seats 44 seats Seats won 92 60 Seat change 2 16

Government before election Beernaert Government Catholic Elected Government Beernaert Government Catholic

General elections were held in Belgium on Tuesday 14 June 1892,^[1][2] the first full general elections since 1870 and the last before the introduction of universal male suffrage prior to the 1894 elections. The result was a victory for the Catholic Party, which won 92 of the 152 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 46 of the 76 seats in the Senate.^[2] Only 2.2% of the country's population were eligible to vote.^[2]

Run-off elections were held on Tuesday 21 June 1892 in the arrondissements of Mons, Tournai, Verviers, Nivelles and Charleroi as no candidate received a majority there.^[3]

Results

Chamber of Representatives

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Catholic Party	56,199	53.7	92	–2
Liberal Party	47,518	45.4	60	+16
Belgian Labour Party	167	0.2	0	0
Others	844	0.8	0	0
Invalid/blank votes		–	–	–
Total	104,728	100	152	+14
Registered voters/turnout	136,707		–	–
Source: Mackie & Rose,[4] Sternberger et al

Senate

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Catholic Party			46	–1
Liberal Party			30	+12
Total			76	+7
Sternberger et al.

Constituencies

The distribution of seats among the electoral districts was as follows for the Chamber of Representatives, with the difference compared to the previous election due to population growth:^[5]

Province	Arrondissement	Seats	Change
Antwerp	Antwerp	11	+3
	Mechelen	4	+1
	Turnhout	3	–
Limburg	Hasselt	3	+1
	Maaseik	1	–
	Tongeren	2	–
East Flanders	Aalst	4	–
	Oudenaarde	3	–
	Gent	9	+1
	Eeklo	1	–
	Dendermonde	3	–
	Sint-Niklaas	4	+1
West Flanders	Bruges	3	–
	Roeselare	2	–
	Tielt	2	–
	Kortrijk	4	–
	Ypres	3	–
	Veurne	1	–
	Diksmuide	1	–
	Ostend	2	+1
Brabant	Leuven	6	+1
	Brussels	18	+2
	Nivelles	4	–
Hainaut	Tournai	4	–
	Ath	2	–
	Charleroi	8	+1
	Thuin	3	–
	Mons	6	–
	Soignies	3	–
Liège	Huy	2	–
	Waremme	2	–
	Liège	11	+2
	Verviers	4	–
Luxembourg	Arlon	1	–
	Marche	1	–
	Bastogne	1	–
	Neufchâteau	1	–
	Virton	1	–
Namur	Namur	4	–
	Dinant	2	–
	Philippeville	2	–
		152	+14

References

1. Codebook Constituency-level Elections Archive, 2003
2. Sternberger, D, Vogel, B & Nohlen, D (1969) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band I: Europa - Erster Halbband, p105
3. Opening session of 12 July 1892
4. Thomas T Mackie & Richard Rose (1991) The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan, pp50–51
5. List of members of the Chamber of Representatives (1892-1893)