Belgian general election, 1939

2 April 1939

All 202 seats in the Chamber of Representatives All 101 seats in the Senate

Hubert Pierlot, Catholic Prime Minister

General elections were held in Belgium on 2 April 1939.^[1] The result was a victory for the Catholic Party, which won 67 the 202 seats in the Chamber of Representatives. Voter turnout was 93.3%.^[2]

On 22 February 1939, the Pierlot Government succeeded the Spaak Government. The Government was in a political crisis caused by, among other things, the Martens Affair. As the Pierlot Government fell as well and the ministers failed to form a stable government, King Leopold III insisted on a dissolution of parliament, but the council of ministers refused due to fear for electoral losses. It was not Prime Minister Pierlot, but the Minister of the Interior who provided the required contreseing of the royal order of 6 March 1939 which dissolved the Chambers and triggered the snap elections.

After the election, Pierlot continued as Prime Minister. The elections were the last ones before the Second World War.

Results

Chamber of Representatives

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Catholic Party	594,133	30.38	67	+6
	Belgian Labour Party	575,775	29.44	64	–6
	Liberal Party	335,966	17.18	33	+10
Flemish National Union		164,253	8.40	17	+1
Communist Party of Belgium		90,856	4.65	9	0
Rexist Party		83,047	4.25	4	–17
Catholic Flemish People's Party		62,548	3.20	6	New
Technocrat Party		10,843	0.55	1	New
Anc. Combat./Oudstrijder		10,630	0.54	1	New
Heimattreue Front		8,057	0.41	0	New
Walloon Party		7,370	0.38	0	New
Afgescheurde Socialists		5,136	0.26	0	New
Afgescheurde Liberals		4,228	0.22	0	New
Action Soc. Rév. - Rev		2,119	0.11	0	New
Lahaut List		367	0.02	0	New
Liste De Keyser (Tchno)		343	0.02	0	New
Walloon Dissident Party		317	0.02	0	New
Verbist		195	0.01	0	New
Independents		91	0.00	0	0
Invalid/blank votes		151,342	–	–	–
Total		2,107,156	100	202	0
Registered voters/turnout		2,667,341	79.00	–	–
Source: Belgian Elections

Senate

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Catholic Party	703,250	30.71	35	+1
	Belgian Labour Party	701,552	30.64	35	–4
	Liberal Party	402,326	17.57	16	+5
Flemish National Union		177,666	7.76	8	+3
Communist Party of Belgium		115,308	5.04	3	–1
Rexist Party		94,543	4.13	1	–7
Catholic Flemish People's Party		62,976	2.75	3	New
Independents		32,209	1.41	0	–
Invalid/blank votes		199,033	–	–	–
Total		2,488,863	100	101	0
Registered voters/turnout		2,667,341	93.31	–	–
Source: Belgian elections

References

↑ Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p289 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
↑ Nohlen & Stöver, p290

Elections and referendums in Belgium (list)

General/federal elections	1830 1831 1833 1835 1837 1839 1841 1843 1845 1847 1848 1850 1851 1852 1854 1855 1856 1857 1859 1861 1863 1864 1866 1867 1868 1870 (Jun) 1870 (Aug) 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1919 1921 1925 1929 1932 1936 1939 1946 1949 1950 1954 1958 1961 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1978 1981 1985 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2010 2014 Next

Regional elections	1974 1977 1978 1981 1986 1989 1990 1995 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019

Provincial elections	1949 1950 1954 1958 1961 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1978 1981 1985 1987 1991 1994 2000 2006 2012 2018

Municipal elections	1976 1982 1988 1994 2000 2006 2012 2018

European elections	1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019

Referendums	1950

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