List of elections in Belgium

Kingdom of Belgium
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Belgium
Constitution
Foreign relations

This is an overview of all regular elections held in the Kingdom of Belgium since its independence. This excludes local referenda and local special elections. Municipal and provincial elections prior to 1919 are not listed either.

Constituent elections (1830)

Elections to the temporary National Congress:

Unitary state (1831–1994)

Parliamentary elections in 1831–1919

Representatives were elected for a 4-year term; half of the Chamber was up for election each two years. Senators were elected for an 8-year term; half of the Senate was up for election each four years. The first series (which is first up for election following full renewal) consisted of the provinces of East Flanders, Hainaut, Liège and Limburg; the second series of Antwerp, Brabant, Luxembourg, Namur and West Flanders.

Equalisation of cens (tax as part of censitary suffrage) to the constitutional minimum by law of 12 March 1848.

Universal plural suffrage for men above 25 years of age; introduction of compulsory voting; elections are now always held on Sundays instead of Tuesdays; provincial senators introduced

Elections now use a proportional system with substitutes instead of a majority system with run-off and special elections

Elections in 1919–1994

Year Municipal elections Provincial elections Parliamentary elections Other
Following World War I, major reforms were passed:
  • A single vote per man instead of plural voting
  • Voting age was reduced from 25 to 21 years
  • A four-year full legislative term instead of partial renewal of the Chamber each two years
  • Introduction of co-opted senators
1919 N/A ? 16 November 1919
1920 N/A N/A 16 May 1920 (special Senate election)
1921 24 April 1921 27 November 1921 20 November 1921
1925 N/A 8 November 1925 5 April 1925
1926 10 October 1926 N/A
1929 N/A 9 June 1929 26 May 1929
1932 9 October 1932 4 December 1932 27 November 1932
1935 N/A N/A 14 April 1935 (partial Chamber election in Brussels)
1936 N/A 7 June 1936 24 May 1936
1937 N/A N/A 11 April 1937 (partial Chamber election in Brussels)
1938 9 October 1938 N/A
1939 N/A ? 2 April 1939 (snap)
World War II
1946 24 November 1946 24 February 1946 17 February 1946
Reforms:
1949 N/A 26 June 1949
1950 N/A 4 June 1950 (snap) 12 March 1950 (referendum)
1952 12 October 1952 N/A
1954 N/A 11 April 1954
1958 12 October 1958 1 June 1958
1961 N/A 26 March 1961
1964 11 October 1964 N/A
1965 N/A 23 May 1965
1968 N/A 31 March 1968 (snap)
1970 11 October 1970 N/A
1971 N/A 7 November 1971 21 November 1971 (Brussels Agglomeration Council)
1974 N/A 10 March 1974 Including for the Council of the German cultural community
Large-scale merging of municipalities; their number was reduced from 2,663 to 589
1976 10 October 1976 N/A
1977 N/A 17 April 1977 Including for the Council of the German cultural community
1978 N/A 17 December 1978 (snap) Including for the Council of the German cultural community
1979 N/A N/A 10 June 1979 (European)
1982 10 October 1982 N/A
1981 N/A 8 November 1981 Including for the Council of the German cultural community
1984 N/A N/A 17 June 1984 (European)
1985 N/A 13 October 1985
1986 N/A N/A 26 October 1986 (German-speaking Community)
1987 N/A 13 December 1987 (snap)
1988 9 October 1988 N/A
1989 N/A N/A 18 June 1989 (European); 18 June 1989 (Brussels)
1990 N/A N/A 28 October 1990 (German-speaking Community)
1991 N/A 24 November 1991

Federal state (1994–present)

The 1993–1994 fourth state reform had far-reaching consequences for the institutional structure of the country.

Regional elections are elections to the different parliaments of communities and regions: the Flemish Parliament, the Walloon Parliament, the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region, the Parliament of the German-speaking Community and indirectly the Parliament of the French Community and the three assemblies of the community commissions in Brussels.

Local elections include provincial and municipal elections, as well as district elections in Antwerp.

Year Local elections Regional elections Federal elections European elections
1994 N/A N/A N/A 12 June 1994
9 October 1994 N/A
1995 N/A 21 May 1995 21 May 1995 N/A
1999 N/A 13 June 1999 13 June 1999 13 June 1999
Districts in the city of Antwerp are established; their councils are now elected as well during local elections
2000 8 October 2000 N/A
Federal constituencies changed from arrondissements to provinces; electoral threshold of 5% introduced
2003 N/A N/A 18 May 2003 N/A
2004 N/A 13 June 2004 N/A 13 June 2004
Fifth state reform:
  • Local elections are now organised by the three regional governments (other elections remain a matter for the federal government)
2006 8 October 2006 N/A
2007 N/A N/A 10 June 2007 N/A
2009 N/A 7 June 2009 N/A 7 June 2009
2010 N/A N/A 13 June 2010 (snap) N/A
2012 14 October 2012 N/A
Sixth Belgian state reform:
  • Direct elections to the Senate are abolished; federal elections are now only for the Chamber
  • Federal legislative term is increased from 4 to 5 years
2014 N/A 25 May 2014 25 May 2014 25 May 2014
2018 14 October 2018 N/A
2019 N/A May/June 2019 May/June 2019 or earlier May/June 2019

See also

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