1939 Belgian general election

1939 Belgian general election

2 April 1939

Chamber of Representatives

All 202 seats in the Chamber of Representatives

Party Leader Vote % Seats +/– PC–KVV Hubert Pierlot 32.71 73 +12 Labour Paul-Henri Spaak 30.19 64 −6 Liberal Émile Coulonvaux 17.19 33 +10 VNV Staf De Clercq 8.28 17 +1 PVDA-PTB Collective leadership 5.36 9 0 Rexist Léon Degrelle 4.44 4 −17 Technocrat Leo Frenssen 1 New Veterans 1 New This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

Senate

All 101 seats in the Senate

Party Leader Vote % Seats +/– Catholic Hubert Pierlot 30.71 35 +1 Labour Paul-Henri Spaak 30.64 35 −4 Liberal Émile Coulonvaux 17.57 16 +5 VNV Staf De Clercq 7.76 8 +3 PVDA-PTB Collective leadership 5.04 3 −1 Rexist Léon Degrelle 4.13 1 −7 KVV Alfons Verbist 2.75 3 New This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. Government before Government after election Spaak I National Unity (Lab–Catholic–Lib) Pierlot I Catholic–Lab

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 Spaak 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 of electoral losses. It was not Prime Minister Pierlot, but the Minister of the Interior who provided the required contresignant 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 before World War II.

Results

Chamber of Representatives

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Catholic Party	764,843	32.71	67	+6
	Catholic Flemish People's Party			6	New
	Belgian Labour Party	705,969	30.19	64	–6
	Liberal Party	401,991	17.19	33	+10
	Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond	193,528	8.28	17	+1
	Communist Party of Belgium	125,428	5.36	9	0
	Rexist Party	103,821	4.44	4	–17
	Heimattreue Front	7,733	0.33	0	New
	Technocrat Party	35,124	1.50	1	New
	Veterans			1	New
	Walloon Party			0	New
	Socialist dissidents			0	0
	Liberal dissidents			0	New
	Revolutionary Socialist Action			0	0
	Lahaut List			0	New
	Liste De Keyser (Tchno)			0	New
	Walloon Dissident Party			0	New
	Verbist			0	New
	Independents			0	0
Total		2,338,437	100.00	202	0
Valid votes		2,338,437	93.96
Invalid/blank votes		150,442	6.04
Total votes		2,488,879	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		2,667,341	93.31
Source: Mackie & Rose, 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
	Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond	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	0
Total		2,289,830	100.00	101	0
Valid votes		2,289,830	92.00
Invalid/blank votes		199,033	8.00
Total votes		2,488,863	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		2,667,341	93.31
Source: Belgian Elections