List of elections in Belgium

This is an overview of all regular elections held in the Kingdom of Belgium since its independence. This excludes local referendums and special elections (by-elections) that existed before 1919. Municipal elections prior to 1919 are not listed either.

Constituent elections (1830)

Elections to the temporary National Congress:

Unitary state (1831–1994)

Elections in 1831–1919

Representatives were elected for a 4-year term; half of the Chamber was up for election each two years. Senators were elected for an 8-year term; half of the Senate was up for election each four years. The first series (referenced as "E" here) consisted of the provinces of East Flanders, Hainaut, Liège and Limburg; the second series ("A" below) of Antwerp, Brabant, Luxembourg, Namur and West Flanders.

An equivalent system applied to elections for municipal and provincial councils.

Year Provincial elections Legislative elections
1831 N/a29 August 1831
1833 N/a23 May 1833 (full: Chamber fully renewed following its dissolution)[1]
1835 N/a9 June 1835 (partial: Chamber E and Senate E)
Municipal law and provincial law of 1836
1836 29 September 1836 (full)N/a
1837 N/a13 June 1837 (partial: Chamber A)
1838 28 May 1838 (partial)N/a
1839 N/a11 June 1839 (partial: Chamber E and Senate A)
1840 25 May 1840 (partial)N/a
1841 N/a8 June 1841 (partial: Chamber A)
1842 23 May 1842 (partial)N/a
1843 N/a13 June 1843 (partial: Chamber E and Senate E)
1844 27 May 1844 (partial)N/a
1845 N/a10 June 1845 (partial: Chamber A)
1846 25 May 1846 (partial)N/a
1847 N/a8 June 1847 (partial: Chamber E and Senate A)
Equalisation of cens (tax as part of censitary suffrage) to the constitutional minimum by law of 12 March 1848.
1848 12 juli 1848 (full)13 June 1848 (full: both chambers)[2]
1850 27 May 1850 (partial)11 June 1850 (partial: Chamber A)
1851 N/a27 September 1851 (full: Senate)[3]
1852 24 May 1852 (partial)8 June 1852 (partial: Chamber E)
1854 22 May 1854 (partial)13 June 1854 (partial: Chamber A)
1855 N/a12 June 1855 (partial: Senate E)
1856 26 May 1856 (partial)10 June 1856 (partial: Chamber E)
1857 N/a10 December 1857 (full: Chamber)[1]
1858 24 May 1858 (partial)N/a
1859 N/a14 June 1859 (partial: Chamber A and Senate A)
1860 28 May 1860 (partial)N/a
1861 N/a11 June 1861 (partial: Chamber E)
1862 26 May 1862 (partial)N/a
1863 N/a9 June 1863 (partial: Chamber A and Senate E)
1864 23 May 1864 (partial)11 August 1864 (full: Chamber)[1]
1866 28 May 1866 (partial)12 June 1866 (partial: Chamber E)
1867 N/a11 June 1867 (partial: Senate A)
1868 25 May 1868 (partial)9 June 1868 (partial: Chamber A)
1870 23 May 1870 (partial)14 June 1870 (partial: Chamber E)
2 August 1870 (full: both chambers)[2]
1872 27 May 1872 (full)11 June 1872 (partial: Chamber A)
1874 25 May 1874 (partial)9 June 1874 (partial: Chamber E and Senate E)
1876 22 May 1876 (partial)13 June 1876 (partial: Chamber A)
Increased regulation of election proceedings, including voting booths and guarantees for secret ballots, by law of 9 July 1877.
1878 27 May 1878 (partial)11 June 1878 (partial: Chamber E and Senate A)
1880 24 May 1880 (partial)8 June 1880 (partial: Chamber A)
1882 22 May 1882 (partial)13 June 1882 (partial: Chamber E and Senate E)
1884 25 May 1884 (partial)10 June 1884 (partial: Chamber A) and 8 July 1884 (full: Senate)[3]
1886 23 May 1886 (partial)8 June 1886 (partial: Chamber E)
1888 27 May 1888 (partial)12 June 1888 (partial: Chamber A and Senate A)
1890 25 May 1890 (partial)10 June 1890 (partial: Chamber E)
1892 22 May 1892 (partial)14 June 1892 (full: both chambers)[4]
Constitutional reforms of 1893 and Electoral Code of 12 April 1894:
  • Universal plural suffrage for men above 25 years of age
  • Introduction of compulsory voting
  • Elections are now always held on Sundays instead of Tuesdays
  • Provincial senators introduced
1894 28 October 1894 (full)14 October 1894 (full: both chambers)[2]
1896 26 July 1896 (partial)5 July 1896 (partial: Chamber A)
Provincial Elections Law of 22 April 1898:
  • Term of provincial councils doubled to eight years instead of four, with partial elections each four years instead of each two years
  • By-elections for provincial councillors replaced by a system of substitutes
1898 5 June 1898 (partial)22 May 1898 (partial: Chamber E and Senate E)
Legislative elections now use a proportional system with substitutes instead of a majority system with run-off and special elections
1900 3 June 1900 (partial)27 May 1900 (full: both chambers)[2]
1902 N/a25 May 1902 (partial: Chamber A)
1904 5 June 1904 (partial)29 May 1904 (partial: Chamber E and Senate A)
1906 N/a27 May 1906 (partial: Chamber A)
1908 14 June 1908 (partial)24 May 1908 (partial: Chamber E and Senate E)
1910 N/a22 May 1910 (partial: Chamber A)
1912 9 June 1912 (partial)2 June 1912 (full: both chambers)[2]
1914 N/a24 May 1914 (partial: Chamber E)

Elections in 1919–1994

Year Municipal elections Provincial elections Legislative elections Other
Following World War I, major reforms were passed:
  • A single vote per man instead of plural voting
  • Voting age was reduced from 25 to 21 years
  • A four-year full legislative term instead of partial renewal of the Chamber each two years
  • Introduction of co-opted senators
1919 N/aN/a16 November 1919[4]
1920 N/aN/a16 May 1920 (special Senate election)
Provincial Elections Law of 19 October 1921:
  • A four-year full term for provincial councils instead of partial renewal
  • Proportional representation instead of a majority system
1921 24 April 192127 November 192120 November 1921[2]
1925 N/a8 November 19255 April 1925[2]
1926 10 October 1926N/a
1929 N/a9 June 192926 May 1929
1932 9 October 19324 December 193227 November 1932[2]
1935 N/aN/a14 April 1935 (partial Chamber election in Brussels)
1936 N/a7 June 193624 May 1936[2]
1937 N/aN/a11 April 1937 (partial Chamber election in Brussels)
1938 16 October 1938N/a
1939 N/aN/a2 April 1939[2] (snap)
World War II
1946 24 November 194624 February 194617 February 1946[2]
Reforms:
1949 N/a26 June 1949[2]
1950 N/a4 June 1950[2] (snap)12 March 1950 (referendum)
1952 12 October 1952N/a
1954 N/a11 April 1954[4]
1958 12 October 19581 June 1958[4]
1961 N/a26 March 1961[2] (snap)
1964 11 October 1964N/a
1965 N/a23 May 1965[4]
1968 N/a31 March 1968[4] (snap)
1970 11 October 1970N/a
1971 N/a7 November 1971[2]21 November 1971 (Brussels Agglomeration Council)
1974 N/a10 March 1974[2] (snap)Including for the Council of the German cultural community
Large-scale merging of municipalities; their number was reduced from 2,663 to 589
1976 10 October 1976N/a
1977 N/a17 April 1977[2] (snap)Including for the Council of the German cultural community
1978 N/a17 December 1978[4] (snap)Including for the Council of the German cultural community
1979 N/aN/a10 June 1979 (European)
1982 10 October 1982N/a
1981 N/a8 November 1981[4] (snap)Including for the Council of the German cultural community
1984 N/aN/a17 June 1984 (European)
1985 N/a13 October 1985[2]
1986 N/aN/a26 October 1986 (German-speaking Community)
1987 N/a13 December 1987[4] (snap)
1988 9 October 1988N/a
1989 N/aN/a18 June 1989 (European); 18 June 1989 (Brussels)
1990 N/aN/a28 October 1990 (German-speaking Community)
1991 N/a24 November 1991[4]

Federal state (1994–present)

The 1993–1994 fourth state reform had far-reaching consequences for the institutional structure of the country.

Local elections (six-year terms) include provincial and municipal elections, as well as district elections in Antwerp.

Regional elections (five-year terms, concurrently with European elections) are elections to the different parliaments of communities and regions: the Flemish Parliament, the Walloon Parliament, the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region, the Parliament of the German-speaking Community and indirectly the Parliament of the French Community and the three assemblies of the community commissions in Brussels.

Year Local elections Regional elections Federal elections European elections
1994 N/aN/aN/a12 June 1994
9 October 1994N/a
1995 N/a21 May 199521 May 1995[4]N/a
1999 N/a13 June 199913 June 1999[4]13 June 1999
Districts in the city of Antwerp are established; their councils are now elected as well during local elections
2000 8 October 2000N/a
Federal constituencies changed from arrondissements to provinces; electoral threshold of 5% introduced
2003 N/aN/a18 May 2003[4]N/a
2004 N/a13 June 2004N/a13 June 2004
Fifth state reform:
  • Local elections are now organised by the three regional governments (other elections remain a matter for the federal government)
2006 8 October 2006N/a
2007 N/aN/a10 June 2007[4]N/a
2009 N/a7 June 2009N/a7 June 2009
2010 N/aN/a13 June 2010[4] (snap)N/a
2012 14 October 2012N/a
Sixth state reform:
  • Direct elections to the Senate are abolished; federal elections are now only for the Chamber
  • Federal legislative term is increased from 4 to 5 years
2014 N/a25 May 201425 May 2014[4]25 May 2014
2018 14 October 2018N/a
2019 N/a26 May 201926 May 201926 May 2019
2024 13 October 20249 June 20249 June 20249 June 2024
2029 N/a202920292029
2030 13 October 2030N/a

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 The Chamber of Representatives was dissolved by royal order.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Both Chambers were dissolved by royal order.
  3. 1 2 The Senate was dissolved by royal order.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Both Chambers were dissolved automatically by Declaration of Revision of the Constitution.

See also

This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.