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General elections were held in Belgium on 10 December 1857,[1][2] the first full general elections since 1848.[3] The elections were called by royal order of 12 November 1857, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives that had convened in a new session only two days earlier.

Going into the elections, Liberals held a majority in the Senate and the Catholics in the Chamber of Representatives. The unionist (Catholic–liberal) De Decker government resigned and a liberal government led by Charles Rogier took over shortly before the elections were called.

In the elections for the Chamber of Representatives the result was a victory for the Liberal Party, which won 70 of the 108 seats.[2] The Liberal Party now had a majority in both chambers of parliament.

Voter turnout was 79%,[3] although only 90,543 men (2% of the country's population) were eligible to vote.[2]

Campaign

Twelve of the 108 seats were uncontested, of which the Liberals won three and the Catholics nine.[3]

Results

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Liberal Party39,28054.7270+25
Catholics32,50345.2838–25
Total71,783100.001080
Total votes71,783
Registered voters/turnout90,54379.28
Source: Mackie & Rose,[3] Sternberger et al.

References

  1. ^ Codebook Constituency-level Elections Archive, 2003
  2. ^ a b c Sternberger, D, Vogel, B & Nohlen, D (1969) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band I: Europa - Erster Halbband, p105
  3. ^ a b c d Thomas T Mackie & Richard Rose (1991) The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan, p46
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