1995 Belgian federal election explained

Country:Belgium
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1991 Belgian general election
Previous Year:1991
Next Election:1999 Belgian federal election
Next Year:1999
Seats For Election:All 150 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
40 of 71 seats in the Senate
Majority Seats:respectively 76 and 36
Election Date:21 May 1995
Leader1:Jean-Luc Dehaene
Leader Since1:Candidate for PM
Party1:Christian People's Party (Belgium)
Last Election1:39 seats, 16.8%
Seats1:29
Seat Change1:10
Popular Vote1:1,042,933
Percentage1:17.2%
Swing1:0.4%
Leader2:Guy Verhofstadt
Leader Since2:1992
Party2:Flemish Liberals and Democrats
Last Election2:26 seats, 12.0%
Seats2:21
Seat Change2:5
Popular Vote2:798,363
Percentage2:13.1%
Swing2:1.1%
Image3: PS
Leader3:Philippe Busquin
Leader Since3:1992
Party3:Socialist Party (francophone Belgium)
Last Election3:35 seats, 13.5%
Seats3:21
Seat Change3:14
Popular Vote3:720.819
Percentage3:11.9%
Swing3:1.6%
Colour4:FF0000
Leader4:Louis Tobback
Leader Since4:1994
Party4:Socialist Party (Flanders)
Last Election4:28 seats, 12.0%
Seats4:20
Seat Change4:8
Popular Vote4:762.444
Percentage4:12.6%
Swing4:0.6%
Leader5:Louis Michel
Leader Since5:1995
Party5:Liberal Reformist Party + Democratic Front of Francophones
Last Election5:23 seats, 9.6%
Seats5:18
Seat Change5:5
Popular Vote5:623.250
Percentage5:10.1%
Swing5:0.5%
Leader6:GĂ©rard Deprez
Leader Since6:1981
Party6:Christian Social Party (Wallonia)
Last Election6:18 seats, 7.7%
Seats6:12
Seat Change6:6
Popular Vote6:469.101
Percentage6:7.7%
Government
Posttitle:Government after election
Before Election:Dehaene I
Before Party:CVP-PSC-PS-SP
After Election:Dehaene II
After Party:CVP-PSC-PS-SP

Federal elections were held in Belgium on 21 May 1995 to elect members of the Chamber of Representatives and Senate. The Christian People's Party (CVP) kept its position as largest party in Flanders and overall in Belgium, and Jean-Luc Dehaene (CVP) continued as Prime Minister.

On the same day, regional elections were also held. These were the first elections after the new 1993 Belgian Constitution, which turned Belgium formally into a federal state. The new Constitution also reduced the number of seats in the Chamber (from 212 to 150) and in the Senate (from 70 to 40 directly elected senators).

Results

Senate