1939 Belgian general election

Belgian general election, 1939

2 April 1939
All 202 seats in the Chamber of Representatives All 101 seats in the Senate
First party Second party Third party   Leader Hubert Pierlot Paul-Henri Spaak Émile Coulonvaux Party Catholic Labour Liberal Leader since Candidate for PM Candidate for PM 1937 Last election 61 seats, 27.70% 70 seats, 32.10% 23 seats, 12.40% Seats won 67 64 33 Seat change 6 6 10 Popular vote 594,133 575,775 335,966 Percentage 30.38% 29.44% 17.18% Swing 2.68% 2.76% 4.78%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Staf De Clercq Julien Lahaut Xavier Relecom Georges Van den Boom Alfons Verbist Party VNV PVDA-PTB KVV Leader since 1933 1936 1936 Last election 16 seats, 7.10% 9 seats, 6.10% New Seats won 17 9 6 Seat change 1 New Popular vote 164,253 90,856 62,548 Percentage 8.40% 4.65% 3.20% Swing 1.40% 1.45% New
Prime Minister before election Paul-Henri Spaak Labour Elected Prime Minister Hubert Pierlot Catholic

Hubert Pierlot, Catholic Prime Minister

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

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