1921 Belgian general election

1921 Belgian general election

20 November 1921

Chamber of Representatives

All 186 seats in the Chamber of Representatives

Party Leader Vote % Seats +/– Catholic Georges Theunis 37.01 78 +8 Labour Joseph Van Roosbroeck 34.81 68 −2 Liberal Albert Mechelynck 17.80 33 −1 Catholic dissidents 3.35 2 −1 Frontpartij 3.04 4 −1 Combatants 1.07 1 −1 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

Senate

93 of the 153 seats in the Senate

Party Vote % Seats +/– Labour 35.48 33 +13 Catholic 32.57 34 −9 Liberal 19.44 18 −12 United Catholics 4.99 5 New CVP 2.79 2 New Frontpartij 1.60 0 New Christian Workers 0.89 1 New This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. Government before Government after election Carton de Wiart National Unity (Catholic-Lab-Lib) Theunis I Catholic-Liberal

General elections were held in Belgium on 20 November 1921.^[1] The Catholic Party, emerged as the largest party, winning 70 of the 186 seats in the Chamber of Representatives.^[2] Voter turnout was 91%.^[3]

Elections to the nine provincial councils were held one week later, on 27 November 1921.

A Catholic–Liberal government led by Georges Theunis was formed following the elections.

Results

Chamber of Representatives

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Catholic Party	715,041	37.01	78	+8
	Belgian Labour Party	672,445	34.81	68	–2
	Liberal Party	343,929	17.80	33	–1
	Catholic dissidents	64,746	3.35	2	–1
	Frontpartij	58,790	3.04	4	–1
	Combatants	20,633	1.07	1	–1
	Christian Workers' Alliance	17,763	0.92	0	New
	Middle Class Party	9,754	0.50	0	–1
	Communist Party of Belgium	939	0.05	0	New
	Other parties	27,802	1.44	0	–
Total		1,931,842	100.00	186	0
Valid votes		1,931,842	95.20
Invalid/blank votes		97,326	4.80
Total votes		2,029,168	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		2,226,797	91.12
Source: Mackie & Rose

Senate

A constitutional change eased the requirements to be a candidate for the Senate. As a compensation, the number of senators elected by provincial councils was increased from 27 to 40 and a new type of senators was introduced: 20 co-opted senators. This gives a total of 153 senators.

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Belgian Labour Party	661,168	35.48	33	+13
	Catholic Party	606,799	32.57	34	–9
	Liberal Party	362,187	19.44	18	–12
	United Catholics Party	93,061	4.99	5	New
	Christene Volkspartij	51,928	2.79	2	New
	Frontpartij	29,726	1.60	0	New
	Christian Workers' Alliance	16,588	0.89	1	New
	Combatants	14,246	0.76	0	New
	Democrats	6,907	0.37	0	New
	Nationalist Cartel	5,196	0.28	0	New
	Middle Class Party	4,401	0.24	0	0
	Liberals	3,589	0.19	0	New
	Liberal People's Union	3,506	0.19	0	New
	National Party	2,427	0.13	0	New
	Radical Party	1,603	0.09	0	New
Total		1,863,332	100.00	93	0
Source: Belgian Elections[4]

Constituencies

The distribution of seats among the electoral districts was as follows:^[5][6]

Province	Arrondissement(s)	Chamber	Senate
Antwerp	Antwerp	15	7
	Mechelen	5	5
	Turnhout	4
	Elected by the provincial council		5
Limburg	Hasselt	3	4
	Tongeren-Maaseik	4
	Elected by the provincial council		3
East Flanders	Aalst	5	4
	Oudenaarde	3
	Gent-Eeklo	12	6
	Dendermonde	4	4
	Sint-Niklaas	4
	Elected by the provincial council		5
West Flanders	Bruges	4	2
	Roeselare-Tielt	5	3
	Kortrijk	5	4
	Ypres	3
	Veurne-Diksmuide-Ostend	5	2
	Elected by the provincial council		4
Brabant	Leuven	7	3
	Brussels	26	13
	Nivelles	4	2
	Elected by the provincial council		7
Hainaut	Tournai-Ath	6	3
	Charleroi	11	7
	Thuin	3
	Mons	7	5
	Soignies	4
	Elected by the provincial council		6
Liège	Huy-Waremme	4	2
	Liège	13	7
	Verviers	5	2
	Elected by the provincial council		4
Luxembourg	Arlon-Marche-Bastogne	3	3
	Neufchâteau-Virton	3
	Elected by the provincial council		3
Namur	Namur	5	5
	Dinant-Philippeville	4
	Elected by the provincial council		3
Total		186	93 + 40

Additionally, 20 senators were co-opted.

References

1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p289 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. Nohlen & Stöver, p308
3. Nohlen & Stöver, p290
4. Belgian Elections
5. List of members of the Chamber of Representatives (1921-1922)
6. List of members of the Senate (1921-1922)