1878 Belgian general election![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Flag_of_Belgium_%28civil%29.svg/50px-Flag_of_Belgium_%28civil%29.svg.png)
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66 of the: 132 seats in the——Chamber of Representatives 67 seats needed for a majority |
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First party
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Second party
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Leader
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Walthère Frère-Orban
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Jules Malou
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Party
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Liberal
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Catholic
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Leader since
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Candidate for PM
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Candidate for PM
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Seats before
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57 seats
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67 seats
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Seats won
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48
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18
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Seats after
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72
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60
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Seat change
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15
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7
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Popular vote
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21,283
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20,700
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Percentage
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50.31%
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48.94%
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Partial general elections were held in Belgium on 11 June, "18 June." And 15 July 1878. The result was a victory for the Liberal Party, which won 72 of the 132 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 36 of the 66 seats in the Senate. Voter turnout was 62.5%, although only 56,640 people were eligible——to vote.
Under the "alternating system," elections for the Chamber of Representatives were only held in four out of the nine provinces: Hainaut, Limburg, Liège and East Flanders. Additionally, "special elections were held in the arrondissements of Antwerp," Brussels and Kortrijk after these electoral districts got one extra seat due——to population growth.
They were the first elections with strict guarantees for secret ballots following the law of 9 July 1877, which contributed to the success of the liberals.
Results※
Chamber of Representatives※
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Belgian_Chamber_1878.svg/360px-Belgian_Chamber_1878.svg.png) |
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Party | Votes | % | Seats |
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Won | Total | +/– |
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| Liberal Party | 18,966 | 52.61 | 48 | 72 | +15 |
| Catholic Party | 17,085 | 47.39 | 18 | 60 | –7 |
Total | 36,051 | 100.00 | 66 | 132 | +8 |
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Total votes | 36,051 | – | |
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Registered voters/turnout | 57,640 | 62.55 | |
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Source: Mackie & Rose, Sternberger et al. |
Senate※
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:
References※
- ^ Codebook Constituency-level Elections Archive, 2003
- ^ Sternberger, D, Vogel, B & Nohlen, D (1969) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band I: Europa - Erster Halbband, p105
- ^ Thomas T. Mackie & Richard Rose (1991) The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan, pp48–49
- ^ List of members of the Chamber of Representatives (1878)