1848 Belgian general election

Full general elections were held in Belgium on 13 June 1848. They followed an equalisation of the tax qualifications for voters, which widened the franchise from 1.0% of the population to 1.8%. Unlike the previous rules which had favoured Conservatives and Catholics (as the requirements were lower in the countryside), this benefitted the Liberal Party and damaged the Catholics, who lost more than half their seats.

1848 Belgian general election

13 June 1848 (1848-06-13)
All 108 seats in the Chamber of Representatives 55 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader Charles Rogier Party Liberal Catholic Leader since Candidate for PM Seats before 55 seats 53 seats Seats won 83 25 Seat change 28 28 Popular vote 30,806 13,122 Percentage 69.52% 29.61%
Government before election Rogier I Liberal Government after election Rogier I Liberal

Background

The existing electoral law differentiated in tax requirements between cities and countryside; cities (where Liberals were stronger) had to pay higher taxes in order to vote, compared to the countryside (where Catholics were stronger).

The Liberal Party held its founding congress two years earlier, on 13 June 1846, where it approved a proposal to lower the tax requirements in order to expand suffrage. By 1848, in the context of the Revolutions of 1848, reform was unavoidable. On the proposal of Liberal head of government Charles Rogier, the Parliament approved the law of 12 March 1848, which equalised and lowered the tax requirements to its constitutional minimum.

The new law benefited the Liberals, leading them to victory in these elections. The Liberals would retain their dominant position for the most part until 1884.

Campaign

One Chamber seat was uncontested, and won by the Liberal Party.

Results

Chamber of Representatives

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Liberal Party	30,806	69.52	83	+28
	Catholics	13,122	29.61	25	–28
	Others	383	0.86	0	0
Total		44,311	100.00	108	0
Total votes		44,311	–
Registered voters/turnout		79,076	56.04
Source: Sternberger et al., Mackie & Rose

The vote figures do not include the constituency of Oudenaarde.

Senate

Party		Seats	+/–
	Liberal Party	31	+11
	Catholics	22	–10
	Others	1	+1
Total		54	0
Source: Sternberger et al.