IFES
 

May 18, 2003 Held

Belgium
Kingdom of Belgium
Election for Senaat / Senat (Belgian Senate)

Results

Voter Participation


Cast Votes:6,934,678
Valid Votes:6,551,519
Invalid Votes:383,159
Voter
Turnout*

Vote Share by Party:

Party Seats Won Seats Change Votes

Flemish Liberal Democrats 7 - 1,007,868

15.38%

Social Progressive Alternative Party 7 - 1,013,560

15.47%

Christian Democrats and Flemish 6 - 832,849

12.71%

Socialist Party - Walloon 6 - 840,908

12.84%

Flemish Block 5 - 741,940

11.32%

Reformist Movement (MR) (Mouvement Réformateur) 5 - 795,763

12.15%

Democratic and Humanist Center 2 - 362,708

5.54%

Ecologist (Francophone) 1 - 208,868

3.19%

VIVANT 1 - 36,421

0.56%

New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) (Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie) - - -

-1.00%

Others - - 713,637

7.84%

Ecologist (Flemish) - - -

-1.00%
Election Results Modified: Jun 11, 2024

General Information

At stake in this election:

  • 71 seats in the Senate (Senaat / Senat)

Description of government structure:

  • Chief of State: King ALBERT II
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT
  • Assembly: Belgium has a bicameral Parliament consisting of the Senate (Senaat / Senat) with 71 seats and the Chamber of Deputies (Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des Representants) with 150 seats.

Description of electoral system:

  • The King is hereditary N/A.
  • In the Senate (Senaat / Senat), 40 members are elected by direct popular vote to serve 4-year terms and 31 members are elected by indirect vote to serve 4-year terms. In the Chamber of Deputies (Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des Representants) 150 members are elected by popular vote via proportional representation to serve 4-year terms.

Main parties in the electoral race:

  • Party: Flemish Liberal Democrats (VLD)
    Leader: Karel DE GUCHT
    Seats won in this Senate election: 7
    Seats won in last Senate election: 6
  • Party: Christian Democrats and Flemish (CD&V)*
    Leader: Stefaan DE CLERCK
    Seats won in this Senate election: 6
    Seats won in last Senate election: 6
  • Party: Socialist Party - Walloon (PS)
    Leader: Elio DI RUPO
    Seats won in this Senate election: 6
    Seats won in last Senate election: 4
  • Party: Reform Movement (MR)*
    Leader: Daniel DUCARME
    Seats won in this Senate election: 5
    Seats won in last Senate election: 5
  • Party: Social Progressive Alternative Party (SPA)**
    Leader: Steve STEVAERT
    Seats won in this Senate election: 7
    Seats won in last Senate election: 4
  • Bloc: Flemish Block (VL-BLOK)
    Leader: Frank VANHECKE
    Seats won in this Senate election: 5
    Seats won in last Senate election: 4
  • Party: Democratic and Humanist Center (CDH)***
    Leader: Joelle MILQUET
    Seats won in this Senate election: 2
    Seats won in last Senate election: 3
  • Party: The Greens/Ecologist (Francophone) (ECOLO)
    Seats won in this Senate election: 1
    Seats won in last Senate election: 3
  • Party: New Flemish Alliance (N-VA)
    Leader: Geert BOURGEOIS
    Seats won in this Senate election: 0
    Seats won in last Senate election: 2
  • Party: Ecologist (Flemish) (AGALEV)
    Leader: Jos GEYSELS
    Seats won in this Senate election: 0
    Seats won in last Senate election: 3
  • Party: VIVANT
    Seats won in this Senate election: N/A
    Seats won in last Senate election: N/A
  • Other Parties
    Seats won in this Senate election: 1

* Formerly the Flemish Christian People's Party.

** Also translated as "Socialist Party Different". Formed an electoral coalition with the Spirit Party.

** Formerly the Christian Social Party.

Last parliamentary election:

  • The last election to the Chamber of Deputies was held on June 13, 1999.

Population and voter registration:

  • Population: 10,318,000 (2003 est.)
  • Registered Voters: 7,570,637 (2003)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 5,299,665 (2003)

·         Is Belgium a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Belgium ratified CEDAW: Yes (10 July 1985)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 53 (Chamber of Representatives); 22 (Senate) (following 2003 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 21

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very Low

Disability Data:

·         Is Belgium a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Belgium ratified CRPD: Yes (2 July 2009)

·         Population with a disability: 1,547,700 (est.)

Election Modified: Jun 21, 2024

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