1919 Luxembourg general election

General elections were held in Luxembourg on 26 October 1919.^[1] They were the first held after several constitutional amendments were passed on 15 May of the same year.^[2] The reforms had introduced universal suffrage and proportional representation, increased the electorate from 6% of the population to 42%,^[3] and vested national sovereignty in the people, as opposed to the Grand Duke. They were also the first elections held after the German occupation during World War I.

1919 Luxembourg general election

← 1918 26 October 1919 1922 →

48 seats in the Chamber of Deputies 24 seats needed for a majority

Party Leader Vote % Seats +/– Party of the Right Émile Reuter 49.72 27 +4 Socialist Party 17.57 8 −4 Radical Party 15.96 7 −3 IPP 6.83 2 −3 PNI Pierre Prüm 6.24 3 +1 Cartel Othon Decker 1.67 1 New This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. Prime Minister before Prime Minister after Émile Reuter Party of the Right Émile Reuter Party of the Right

The election saw the beginning of conservative dominance of Luxembourgish politics, ending seventy years of liberal dominance that had begun to crumble after the death of Paul Eyschen. With the constitutional reforms and the birth of the modern political order, the elections are considered the first in the modern political history of Luxembourg.

Results

The election was an overwhelming victory for the Party of the Right, led by Émile Reuter, the sitting Prime Minister. The 1919 general election was the only occasion in Luxembourgian history on which a party has held more than 50% of the seats (although it was repeated in the partial election of 1922).^[4] Reuter would maintain a coalition with the Liberal League (which ran under the name "Radical Party") for another two years, before forming the first single-party cabinet on 15 April 1921.^[5]

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Party of the Right	655,695	49.72	27	4
	Socialist Party	231,672	17.57	8	–4
	Radical Party	210,450	15.96	7	–3
	Independent People's Party	90,076	6.83	2	–3
	Independent National Party	82,297	6.24	3	+1
	Cartel	22,057	1.67	1	New
	Emile Mark List	14,055	1.07	0	New
	Independent Workers' Party	11,354	0.86	0	New
	J Kayser List	1,084	0.08	0	New
Total		1,318,740	100.00	48	–5
Registered voters/turnout		126,194	–
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

By constituency

Constituency	Seats	Turnout	Party		Votes	Seats won
Centre	13			Party of the Right	180,545	6
				Radical Party	121,598	4
				Socialist Party	83,151	3
				Independent People's Party	13,490	0
Est	7	19,054		Party of the Right	90,252	6
				Cartel	22,057	1
				Independent People's Party	7,790	0
Nord	12	29,990		Party of the Right	211,159	8
				Independent National Party	82,297	3
				Socialist Party	29,546	1
				Independent People's Party	3,949	0
Sud	16			Party of the Right	173,739	7
				Socialist Party	118,975	4
				Radical Party	88,852	3
				Independent People's Party	64,847	2
				Emile Mark List	14,055	0
				Independent Workers' Party	11,354	0
				J Kayser List	1,084	0
Source: Luxemburger Wort, Luxemburger Wort

References

1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1234 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. Thewes, Guy (July 2003). Les gouvernements du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg depuis 1848 (PDF) (Édition limitée ed.). Luxembourg City: Service Information et Presse. p. 76. ISBN 2-87999-118-8. Retrieved 2006-08-23.
3. "Luxembourg" (PDF). University of Tampere. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-05-07. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
4. Thewes (2003), p. 78
5. Thewes (2003), p. 77