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75 of the 152 seats in the Chamber of Representatives | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Partial legislative elections were held in Belgium on 22 May 1898, with run-off elections held on 29 May.[1] Under the alternating system, elections for the Chamber of Representatives were held in only four out of the nine provinces: Hainaut, Limburg, Liège and East Flanders. Thus, only 75 seats out of the 152 seats in the Chamber of Representatives were up for election. The Catholic Party retained their absolute majority.[2]
Notably, Adolf Daens, who was elected in 1894 for Aalst and served one term, was convinced not to run for re-election. His fight for a social Christian Democratic party was opposed by conservative Catholics, especially fellow Aalst MP Charles Woeste. None of the other "Daensists" (Christene Volkspartij) who ran were elected.
A special election in Bastogne was held on 24 July 1898. Henry Delvaux de Fenffe was elected to replace Emile Van Hoorde, who became a provincial senator.
They were the last regular legislative elections under a majority system; the next elections in 1900 saw the introduction of a proportional system.
The newly elected legislature met in regular session on 8 November 1898.
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | ||||||||
| Catholic Party | 377,275 | 38.49 | 36 | |||||
| Belgian Labour Party | 213,511 | 21.78 | 15 | |||||
| Liberal Party | 177,802 | 18.14 | 12 | |||||
| Liberal–Socialist kartels | 91,947 | 9.38 | 8 | |||||
| Christene Volkspartij | 22,962 | 2.34 | 1 | |||||
| Left kartels | 17,724 | 1.81 | 1 | |||||
| Dissident Catholics | 15,804 | 1.61 | 0 | |||||
| Other parties | 63,122 | 6.44 | 2 | |||||
| Total | 980,147 | 100.00 | 75 | |||||
| Source: Belgian Elections | ||||||||
| Party | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic Party | 147,160 | 51.49 | |
| Liberal Party | 134,437 | 47.04 | |
| Other parties | 4,202 | 1.47 | |
| Total | 285,799 | 100.00 | |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | |||
| Province | Arrondissement | Chamber | Won by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limburg | Hasselt | 3 | Catholic hold (unopposed re-election) |
| Maaseik | 1 | Catholic hold | |
| Tongeren | 2 | Catholic hold | |
| East Flanders | Aalst | 4 | Catholic hold |
| Oudenaarde | 3 | Catholic hold | |
| Gent | 9 | Catholic hold | |
| Eeklo | 1 | Catholic hold (unopposed re-election) | |
| Dendermonde | 3 | Catholic hold | |
| Sint-Niklaas | 4 | Catholic hold | |
| Hainaut | Tournai | 4 | Catholic hold |
| Ath | 2 | Liberal gain from Catholic | |
| Charleroi | 8 | Socialist hold | |
| Thuin | 3 | Socialist gain (from 1 Catholic, 1 liberal and 1 socialist) | |
| Mons | 6 | Socialist hold | |
| Soignies | 3 | Socialist hold | |
| Liège | Huy | 2 | 1 liberal hold, 1 socialist gain from liberal |
| Waremme | 2 | Catholic hold | |
| Liège | 11 | Socialist (6) and liberal (5) hold | |
| Verviers | 4 | Catholic gain from socialist |
Liberals gained two seats from Catholics in Ath, socialists gained a seat from Catholics and a seat from liberals in Thuin, socialists gained a seat from liberals in Huy and Catholics gained four seats from socialists in Verviers, resulting in a total of one seat changing from socialists to Catholics.
