1884 Belgian general election

none 1884 Belgian general election Belgium parliamentary 1882 Belgian general election 1882 1886 Belgian general election 1886 69 of the 138 seats in the Chamber of Representatives 70 10 June 1884 (Chamber first round)17 June 1884 (Chamber run-off)8 July 1884 (Senate first round)15 July 1884 (Senate run-off) 150x150px Jules Malou Candidate for PM Catholic Party (Belgium) 59 seats 67 86 27 33,428 57.48% 150x150px Walthère Frère-Orban Candidate for PM Liberal Party (Belgium) 79 seats 2 52 27 21,294 36.62% Government Government after election Frère-Orban II Liberal Party (Belgium) Malou II Catholic Party (Belgium) Legislative elections were held in Belgium in June and July 1884, for partial Chamber and full Senate elections respectively.Codebook Constituency-level Elections Archive, 2003Sternberger, D, Vogel, B & Nohlen, D (1969) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band I: Europa - Erster Halbband, p105 Voter turnout was 79.1% in the Chamber of Representatives elections, although only 69,276 people were eligible to vote. Background thumb|Jules Malou, Catholic leader The election occurred during the First School War. The incumbent Liberal government under Walthère Frère-Orban aimed to secularize education, which sparked heavy protests from Catholics. Regular partial elections for the Chamber of Representatives were held on Tuesday 10 June 1884, with a run-off on Tuesday 17 June. Under the alternating system, elections for the Chamber of Representatives were only held in five out of the nine provinces: Antwerp, Brabant, Luxembourg, Namur and West Flanders. Special elections were held in the arrondissements of Aalst and Sint-Niklaas, for one representative in each. The result was a large victory for the Catholic Party. The Frère-Orban government resigned and was succeeded by a Catholic government led by Jules Malou, which immediately abolished the Ministry of Public Education. The Liberals however retained a majority in the Senate, which was not up for election. It was subsequently dissolved, triggering its complete re-election. Senate elections were held on Tuesday 8 July 1884, with a run-off on Tuesday 15 July. The Catholic Party won 43 of the 69 seats in the Senate. The election ended the First School War and marked the end of the last homogeneously liberal government. The Catholic Party under Jules Malou gained an absolute majority, which they would retain until the First World War. Campaign Among the 69 Chamber seats up for election:https://books.google.com/books?id=zfK1FXT9rHIC 1884: un tournant politique en Belgique 18 1986 9782802800477 Lamberts Emiel Lory Jacques 17 seats had uncontested Catholic candidates: Mechelen (3), Turnhout (3), Kortrijk (4), Roeselare (2), Tielt (2), Veurne (1), Diksmuide (1) and Bastogne (1). 11 seats were likely Catholic wins: Leuven (5), Ypres (3), Dinant (2) and Marche (1). 1 seat was likely Liberal: Arlon (1). 40 seats were competitive: Antwerp (8), Nivelles (4) and Bruges (3) were historically competitive. Namur (4), Philippeville (2), Neufchâteau (1), Virton (1) were competitive since the 1870s. Brussels (16) was only since two years competitive. Ostend (1), until now solidly liberal, was now competitive. The Catholics gained 27 Chamber seats from the Liberals: 16 in Brussels, four in Nivelles, two in Namur, one in Philippeville, one in Antwerp, one in Ostend, one in Neufchâteau and one in Bruges. The Liberals only retained the single seats in Arlon and Virton, both in Luxembourg. Results Chamber of Representatives File:Belgian Chamber 1884.svg Won Total +/– Catholic Party 33428 67 86 +27 Liberal Party 21294 2 52 –27 Others 68 0 0 0 0 54790 69276 Mackie & Rose,Thomas T. Mackie & Richard Rose (1991) The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan, pp48–49 Sternberger et al. Senate 250px Catholic Party 43 +11 Liberal Party 26 –11 0 Sternberger et al. References Category:1880s elections in Belgium General Belgium Belgium Belgium