1898 Belgian General Election

22 May 1898 · Plural voting · 75 seats

Partial legislative elections were held in Belgium on 22 May 1898, with run-off elections held on 29 May. Under the alternating system, elections for the Chamber of Representatives were held in only four of the nine provinces: Hainaut, Limburg, Liège and East Flanders, with only 75 seats out of the 152 seats in the Chamber of Representatives up for election.

Held in wartime. This election took place while the country was engaged in Mahdist War (1881–1899). Conflicts →

Universal male suffrage weighted by plural voting: wealthier and propertied men cast two or three votes each, which manufactured the Catholic majorities of this era.

Prime Minister before

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Prime Minister (continued)

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Largest force

Catholic Party

36 of 75 seats

Turnout

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The result

Sort by

Catholic Party

Paul de Smet de Naeyer · 38.5% of votes

seats

Belgian Labour Party

Grégoire Serwy · 21.8% of votes

seats

Liberal Party

18.1% of votes

seats

Liberal–Socialist kartels

9.4% of votes

seats

Other parties

6.4% of votes

seats

Christene Volkspartij

2.3% of votes

seats

Left kartels

1.8% of votes

seats


Catholic Party	Paul de Smet de Naeyer	36	—	377,275	38.5%	—
Belgian Labour Party	Grégoire Serwy	15	—	213,511	21.8%	—
Liberal Party	—	12	—	177,802	18.1%	—
Liberal–Socialist kartels	—	8	—	91,947	9.4%	—
Other parties	—	2	—	63,122	6.4%	—
Christene Volkspartij	—	1	—	22,962	2.3%	—
Left kartels	—	1	—	17,724	1.8%	—