Electoral Panorama / Panorama Electoral

An early parliamentary election in Serbia

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:22:00 +0000

Serbian President Boris Tadic dissolved the National Assembly yesterday and called an early parliamentary election for next May 11, following the collapse of Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's center-right coalition government, which fell apart over the issue of suspending ties with the European Union.

A number of EU countries (along with the United States) have extended recognition to the predominantly Albanian province of Kosovo, which last February 17 declared itself independent of Serbia. However, the latter regards Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence as "null and void."

The upcoming parliamentary election will be Serbia's third nationwide vote in just over one year: the preceding National Assembly election was held on January 21, 2007, while a presidential election took place in two rounds of voting last January 20 and February 3.

2007 Parliamentary Elections in Serbia has an overview of the Balkan country's electoral system, while Weimar Serbia? Ultranationalists top parliamentary poll once more, on Global Economy Matters, has further information about the 2007 National Assembly election, including definitive election results. Meanwhile, Déjà vu: ultranationalist Nikolić wins plurality in Serbian presidential election...but loses runoff vote (also on Global Economy Matters) covers the recently held presidential election, with definitive first round and runoff election results.

Malta's Gonzi calls general election for March 8

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:42:00 +0000

The Times of Malta reports that President Eddie Fenech Adami has dissolved Parliament at the request of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who has called a general election for Saturday, March 8. Parliamentary Elections in Malta - Elections to the House of Representatives has an overview of the Mediterranean island nation's electoral system, with nationwide general election results since 1962 and district-level figures since 1976.

Serbia 2008 Presidential Election

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:29:00 +0000

Serbia, which held a presidential election last January 20, returns to the polls for a runoff presidential vote on February 3, and I'm covering the event on Global Economy Matters, under Déjà vu: ultranationalist Nikolić wins plurality in Serbian presidential election...but loses runoff vote.

Faroe Islands 2008 Løgting election results

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 00:20:00 +0000

Elections to the Faroese Løgting now has countrywide results of the January 19, 2008 Løgting election, in which the Republican Party won the largest number of votes and seats, but the Unionist-Social Democratic-Conservative coalition government of Prime Minister Jóannes Eidesgaard retained an overall parliamentary majority.

Elecciones España 2008: Redistribución de escaños favorece ligeramente al Partido Socialista

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:37:00 +0000

(This posting is also available in English.)

En las elecciones generales del próximo 9 de marzo en España, cuatro provincias - Córdoba, La Coruña, Soria y Vizcaya - perderán un escaño en el Congreso de los Diputados, mientras que otras cuatro - Alicante, Almería, Murcia y Toledo - contarán con un escaño adicional en la cámara baja de las Cortes Españolas.

Si las elecciones generales de 2004 se hubiesen llevado a cabo bajo la nueva distribución de escaños en el Congreso, el gobernante Partido Socialista (PSOE) hubiera perdido un escaño en La Coruña así como en Vizcaya, mientras que el opositor Partido Popular (PP) hubiera contado con un escaño menos tanto en Córdoba como en Soria. Sin embargo, el PSOE hubiera capturado los escaños adicionales de Alicante, Murcia y Toledo, mientras que el PP hubiera conseguido solamente el recien añadido escaño de Almería. En resumidas cuentas, el PSOE hubiera tenido una ganancia neta de un escaño, para un total de 165, mientras que el PP hubiera bajado por uno, a 147 escaños. Entre tanto, los restantes nueve partidos representados en el Congreso hubieran obtenido el mismo número de escaños que ganaron en las pasadas elecciones.

Spain Election 2008: Redistribution of seats slightly favors Socialist Party

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:37:00 +0000

(Esta entrada está disponible también en español.)

In the general election of next March 9 in Spain, four provinces - Córdoba, La Coruña, Soria and Vizcaya - will lose a seat in the Congress of Deputies, while another four - Alicante, Almería, Murcia and Toledo - will have an extra seat in the lower house of the Spanish Cortes.

Had the 2004 general election taken place under the new distribution of Congress seats, the ruling Socialist Party (PSOE) would have lost one seat in both La Coruña and Vizcaya, while the opposition People's Party (PP) would have had a seat fewer in Córdoba as well as Soria. However, PSOE would have captured the additional seats in Alicante, Murcia and Toledo, whereas PP would have only won the newly-added seat in Almería. In all, PSOE would have had a net gain of one seat, for a total of 165, while PP would have come down by one, to 147 seats. Meanwhile, the remaining nine parties represented in Congress would have obtained the same number of seats they won in the last election.

Gobierno de España convoca a elecciones generales

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:03:00 +0000

(This posting is also available in English.)

El gobierno del presidente (primer ministro) español José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero ha aprobado en el día de hoy el decreto para disolver las Cortes - la legislatura bicameral de España - y celebrar elecciones generales el domingo, 9 de marzo de 2008.

Elecciones al Congreso de los Diputados de España tiene información detallada sobre el sistema electoral español.

Actualización

El Boletín Oficial del Estado tiene el texto completo del Real Decreto 33/2008, de 14 de enero, de disolución del Congreso de los Diputados y del Senado y de convocatoria de elecciones.

Spain's government calls a general election

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:03:00 +0000

(Esta entrada está disponible también en español.)

The government of Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has approved today the decree to dissolve the Cortes - Spain's bicameral legislature - and hold a general election on Sunday, March 9, 2008.

Elections to the Spanish Congress of Deputies has detailed information about Spain's electoral system.

Update

The Official Spanish Gazette has the full (Spanish-language) text of Royal Decree 33/2008, of January 14, of dissolution of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate and call to elections.

An early general election in Denmark

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 13:08:00 +0000

Denmark votes today in a snap parliamentary election called by Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Elections to the Danish Folketing has an expanded overview of Denmark's electoral system and party politics, with legislative election results since 1971, while An early and uncertain parliamentary election in Denmark, on Global Economy Matters, covers today's vote.

Update

Elections to the Danish Folketing now has definitive 2007 parliamentary election results, as published by the Danish Ministry of the Interior and Health on November 21. Note that these figures are identical to updated preliminary results issued last November 15, save for very minor changes in the number of registered electors, blank or invalid ballots and votes cast for independent candidates.

Alvaro Colom wins Guatemala presidential election

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:23:00 +0000

(Esta entrada está disponible también en español.)

Álvaro Colom Caballeros of the social democratic-oriented National Unity for Hope (UNE) was elected president of Guatemala in a runoff vote held yesterday, defeating former general Otto Pérez Molina of the right-wing Patriot Party (PP).

Guatemala's Supreme Court of Elections official 2007 election results website reports that with one-hundred percent of the vote tallied, Colom won 1,449,153 votes (52.8%) to 1,294,645 (47.2%) for Pérez Molina. Voter turnout dropped to 48.3%, substantially below the 60.3% turnout attained in the first round of voting last September 9.

Colom, an industrial engineer and textile businessman, will be Guatemala's first left-of-center president in more than five decades. Since the re-establishment of democracy in 1985, the Central American nation has been ruled by centrist or right-wing administrations.

Alvaro Colom triunfa en las elecciones presidenciales de Guatemala

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:23:00 +0000

(This posting is also available in English.)

Álvaro Colom Caballeros, de la Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza (UNE) de orientación socialdemócrata, fue electo presidente de Guatemala en una segunda vuelta celebrada ayer, derrotando al general retirado Otto Pérez Molina del derechista Partido Patriota (PP).

La web oficial de Resultados electorales 2007 del Tribunal Supremo Electoral de Guatemala informa que con el cien porciento de los votos contabilizados, Colom obtuvo 1,449,153 votos (52.8%) frente a 1,294,645 (47.2%) para Pérez Molina. La participación electoral cayó a 48.3%, sustancialmente por debajo del 60.3% de participación logrado en la primera vuelta del pasado 9 de septiembre.

Colom, quien es ingeniero industrial y dueño de una fábrica de textiles, será el primer presidente de centro-izquierda de Guatemala en más de cinco décadas. Desde el reestablecimiento de la democracia en 1985, la nación centroamericana ha sido gobernada por administraciones de centro o de derecha.

Elecciones Nacionales en Argentina

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 13:56:00 +0000

(This posting is also available in English.)

Argentina celebra elecciones generales el domingo, 28 de octubre de 2007, y Elecciones Nacionales en Argentina tiene una breve exposición del sistema electoral de la nación sudamericana, con los resultados de la elección presidencial de 2003 y de las elecciones legislativas de 2005, así como una extensa reseña de la historia política del país.

Argentina goes to the polls for a general election - or a coronation?, en Global Economy Matters cubre también (en inglés) las elecciones de 2007. Además, el blog de Argentina Elections 2007-Elecciones Argentina 2007 (apoyado por la Universidad de la Columbia Británica en Canadá) presenta una amplia cobertura del evento desde una perspectiva académica y fuera de lineas partidistas.

National Elections in Argentina

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 13:56:00 +0000

(Esta entrada está disponible también en español.)

Argentina holds a general election on Sunday, October 28, 2007, and National Elections in Argentina has an overview of the South American nation's electoral system, with the results of the 2003 presidential election and the 2005 legislative elections, as well as an extensive review of the country's political history.

Argentina goes to the polls for a general election - or a coronation?, on Global Economy Matters also covers the 2007 election. In addition, the Argentina Elections 2007-Elecciones Argentina 2007 blog (supported by University of British Columbia in Canada) presents broad coverage of the event from an academic and non-partisan perspective.

Poland and Switzerland 2007 election results

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:54:00 +0000

I'm pleased to announce that nationwide and provincial-level results of the 2001, 2005 and 2007 parliamentary elections in Poland, as well as clickable election maps of the three events are now available in Elections to the Polish Sejm - Results Lookup.

The election statistics come from Poland's National Electoral Commission websites, listed here.

In addition, Federal Elections in Switzerland - Elections to the Nationalrat (National Council) has been updated with detailed 2007 election results. The figures were largely derived from data published on the Swiss Federal Statistical Office's Elections 2007 website, but the results available there have been complemented (and in some cases updated) with information from the cantons' official sites, listed here.

It should be pointed out that results for Luzern were calculated from party vote (Parteistimmen) figures obtained from the canton's website - the Federal Statistical Office's elections site appears to have erroneously published list vote (Listenstimmen) totals - which has also produced slight changes in the party vote percentages at the national level.

Update

As of November 9, 2007, the elections website of Switzerland's Federal Statistical Office has corrected results for Luzern canton, and nationwide party vote percentages available there and on this website are now largely in agreement. In addition, the voter turnout rate for Zürich canton has been corrected to 49%, and as a result the nationwide turnout in last month's parliamentary election now stands at 48.3%. The 2007 federal election results available here have been updated to reflect this correction, as well as other minor changes.

Switzerland 2007 election links

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 14:40:00 +0000

As noted in Federal Elections in Switzerland - Elections to the Nationalrat (National Council), the Federal Statistical Office's Election 2007 website has 2007 election results available in German, French and Italian. In addition, all of the cantons' official websites, listed below, are publishing election results.

Zürich - in German
Bern - in German and French
Luzern - in German
Uri - in German
Schwyz - in German
Obwalden - in German
Nidwalden - in German
Glarus - in German
Zug - in German
Fribourg - in French and German
Solothurn - in German
Basel-Stadt - in German
Basel-Landschaft - in German
Schaffhausen - in German
Appenzell Ausserrhoden - in German
Appenzell Innerrhoden - in German
St. Gallen - in German
Graubünden, in German, Rumantsch and Italian
Argau - in German
Thurgau - in German
Ticino - in Italian
Vaud - in French
Valais - in French and German
Neuchâtel - in French
Genève - in French
Jura - in French

The swissinfo website, an enterprise of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, has 2007 election coverage in English (and several other languages). The Federal Parliament's website also has an Elections 2007 section, available in German, French and Italian. Finally, the Federal Chancellery provides information about the election, including full candidate listings in German, French and Italian.

European Super Sunday: elections in Poland, Slovenia and Switzerland, and a referendum in Turkey

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 13:26:00 +0000

It's Super Sunday in Europe tomorrow, with three countries - Poland, Slovenia and Switzerland - voting in elections, while Turkey - which straddles Europe and Asia - holds a constitutional amendments referendum.

Voters in Poland go to the polls for a parliamentary election held ahead of schedule after the collapse of Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski's right-wing coalition government two months ago. Poland's early parliamentary election of 2007, at Global Economy Matters, reviews the Polish electoral system and political developments since the 1989 re-establishment of democracy in the Eastern European country. Meanwhile,
Edward Hugh writes about Employment and Unemployment in Poland, the first in a series of postings about the Polish economy.

Switzerland will also be holding parliamentary elections. Federal Elections in Switzerland - Elections to the Nationalrat (National Council) presents an overview of the Swiss electoral system, with lower house election results from 1971 to 2003.

Of white and black sheep: Switzerland holds a federal parliamentary election, on Global Economy Matters, has additional information about the event, while Edward Hugh reviews Switzerland's economy in Swiss Cheese.

Meanwhile, voters in Slovenia, one of the former Yugoslav republics, will be choosing a successor to President Janez Drnovšek, who won't be seeking a second term. Slovenia's 2007 Presidential Election, also on Global Economy Matters, covers today's presidential vote, while Edward Hugh writes that Slovenia is Different.

Finally, Turkey holds a referendum on constitutional amendments that would provide for the direct election of the country's president, among other things.

Elections to the Turkish Grand National Assembly has an overview of Turkey's electoral system, with 1983 to 2007 parliamentary election results.

Australia federal election set for November 24

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 03:24:00 +0000

ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) reports that Prime Minister John Howard has announced the country will go to the polls on November 24.

Federal Elections in Australia has descriptions of the House of Representatives and Senate electoral systems, as well as general election results from 1993 to 2004.

Link:

PM announces November 24 poll - ABC News

Gibraltar's Caruana remains in power - just barely

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:26:00 +0000

The ruling Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD) of Chief Minister Peter Caruana narrowly held on to power in a general election held yesterday in the British territory. GSD won ten of seventeen seats in the House of Assembly, for a majority of three over the opposition alliance of the Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party (GSLP) and the Gibraltar Liberal Party, which obtained seven seats.

Although GSD secured a larger parliamentary majority than in the 2003 general election, the popular vote was considerably closer: GSD slipped from 51.5% of the vote to 49.3% (76,334 votes), while the GSLP/Liberal Alliance rose from 39.7% to 45.5% with 70,397 votes. Meanwhile, none of the other parties running in the election secured parliamentary representation: the Progressive Democratic Party won only 3.7% of the vote (5,799 votes), while other candidates received a total of 2,213 votes (1.4%).

Parliamentary elections in Gibraltar are carried out by a limited vote electoral system, under which every elector may cast up to ten votes. There were 16,004 voters out of 19,660 electors, for a turnout rate of 81.4%, slightly up from 79.2% in 2003.

The Government of Gibraltar website has detailed 2007 election results.

Ukraine 2007 parliamentary election

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:48:00 +0000

Voters in Ukraine also went to the polls today. Ukraine holds an early parliamentary election, at Global Economy Matters, has partial 2007 election results and reviews the electoral system and post-independence political developments in the former Soviet republic, while Edward Hugh analyzes The Economic Outlook in Ukraine.

Ecuador celebra elecciones para una Asamblea Constituyente

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 13:39:00 +0000

(This posting is also available in English.)

Los votantes en Ecuador acuden a las urnas hoy para elegir una Asamblea Constituyente que redactará una nueva constitución para la nación sudamericana.

La Asamblea Constituyente se compondrá de 130 miembros: 100 de las veintidós provincias del país, 24 de una lista nacional y seis escogidos por los ecuatorianos residentes en el extranjero. Los escaños provinciales y de la lista nacional se repartirán por el método del resto mayor de representación proporcional. Sin embargo, en las circunscripciones provinciales de dos escaños, le corresponderá un mandato a la candidatura que quede en segundo lugar si la misma consigue por lo menos el veinticinco porciento de los votos. Entre tanto, los seis miembros de la Asamblea que representarán a los ecuatorianos en el extranjero serán electos en tres circunscripciones - EE.UU. y Canadá, Europa y América Latina - por mayoría simple.

Los partidos políticos y los movimientos ciudadanos presentan listas de candidatos, y cada elector contará con un número de votos igual al número de representantes a elegirse. Los electores pueden escoger una sola lista, y de esta manera votar por todos los candidatos en la misma, o pueden escoger a candidatos de diferentes listas. Los escaños que obtengan las listas se le asignarán a los candidatos con mayor número de votos dentro de cada lista. El voto es compulsorio, salvo para los electores analfabetos, discapacitados, mayores de 65 años o residentes en el extranjero.

Ecuador ha sufrido de inestabilidad política en épocas recientes, y el país ha tenido ocho presidentes en los pasados once años. En las elecciones generales de 2006, Rafael Correa, un economista de 44 años, resultó electo presidente. Correa, que se considera a sí mismo un cristiano de izquierda, ha tenido enfrentamientos con el Congreso y desea implementar cambios institucionales abarcadores. En un referéndum celebrado el pasado 15 de abril, los votantes aprobaron su propuesta para convocar a una Asamblea Constituyente por 5,354,595 votos a favor (81.7%) frente a 814,323 en contra (12.4%), con una participación electoral del 71.6%.

Un total de 3,229 candidatos concurren a las elecciones en 26 listas nacionales, 428 provinciales y 44 del extranjero. No obstante, se anticipa que el partido oficialista - la Alianza PAIS (Patria Altiva I Soberana) - obtenga el mayor número de escaños, y posiblemente la mayoría absoluta.

La web del Tribunal Supremo Electoral de Ecuador tendrá los resultados en vivo de la elección de hoy.

Ecuador holds a constituent assembly election

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 13:39:00 +0000

(Esta entrada está disponible también en español.)

Voters in Ecuador go to the polls today to elect a constituent assembly that will draft a new constitution for the South American nation.

The constituent assembly will be composed of 130 members: 100 from the country's twenty-two provinces, 24 from a national list and six chosen by Ecuadorians residing abroad. Provincial and national list seats will be distributed by the largest remainder method of proportional representation. However, in provincial constituencies with two seats, the second largest ticket will be entitled to one mandate if it obtains at least twenty-five percent of the vote. Meanwhile, the six assembly members representing Ecuadorians abroad will be elected in three constituencies - the U.S. and Canada, Europe and Latin America - by simple majority voting.

Political parties and citizen movements submit lists of candidates, and each elector will have a number of votes equal to the number of representatives to be elected. Electors may choose a single list, and in this manner vote for all its candidates, or they may choose candidates from different lists. Seats won by lists will be assigned to the candidates with the largest number of votes within each list. Voting is compulsory, except for electors who are illiterate, handicapped, over the age of 65 or residing abroad.

Ecuador has suffered from political instability in recent times, and the country has had eight presidents over the past eleven years. In the 2006 general election, 44-year old economist Rafael Correa was elected president. Correa, who considers himself a left-wing Christian, has clashed with Congress and wants to implement sweeping institutional changes. In a referendum held last April 15, voters overwhelmingly approved his proposal to call a constituent assembly by 5,354,595 votes in favor (81.7%) to 814,323 against (12.4%), on a 71.6% turnout.

A total of 3,229 candidates are running in the election in 26 national lists, 428 provincial lists, and 44 expatriate lists. Nonetheless, it is expected that the ruling party - the PAIS Alliance (Proud and Sovereign Fatherland) - will obtain the largest the number of seats in the assembly, and possibly an absolute majority.

Ecuador's Supreme Court of Elections website will have live, Spanish-language results of today's election.

2007 Hellenic Parliament election results

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:43:00 +0000

Elections to the Hellenic Parliament (Vouli) has been updated with nationwide and constituency-level results of last Sunday's legislative election in Greece, as reported by the Ministry of the Interior's National Elections 2007 website.

Elections to the Hellenic Parliament (Vouli)

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 15:11:00 +0000

Greece holds an early parliamentary election on Sunday, September 16, 2007. Elections to the Hellenic Parliament (Vouli) has an overview of Greece's electoral system, with results of Greek general elections since 1996. Greece's snap parliamentary election of 2007 - trial by (wild) fire?, in Global Economy Matters, has further information on the event, while Edward Hugh puts The Greek Economy Under The Microscope.

Today's election will be held under a new electoral law passed by the outgoing Pan Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) government in early 2004, which provides for a majority bonus of forty seats (out of a total of 300) for the popular vote winner at the nationwide level; the remaining 260 seats (including 12 nationwide seats and 248 multi-member constituency seats) will be initially allocated by the largest remainder (Hare) method of PR. The legal provisions covering the upcoming elections to the Vouli are contained in Presidential Decree 96/2007 (available in Greek here; link to the Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization).

Under the new system - which retains the existing three percent nationwide threshold - parties could win up to 87% of the seats they would receive under full proportionality (260 of 300 mandates being 86.7% of the total number of Vouli seats), as opposed to 70% under the old law. At the same time, the 40-seat majority prize means a single party could win an absolute parliamentary majority with as little as 42% of the nationwide vote.

Although the new electoral law was enacted in 2004 just before the election held that year, it did not come into effect at the time because the parliamentary majority voting in favor of the law did not reach the two-thirds required by the constitution for the immediate application of a new electoral system. Had the new electoral law been in place for the 2004 election and had voters cast their ballots the same way, the distribution of Vouli seats in the election would have been as follows: New Democracy (ND), 164; PASOK, 111; Communist Party of Greece (KKE), 16; and Coalition of the Left, the Movements and the Ecology (SYN), 9. Compared to the actual 2004 election outcome, ND would have lost just one seat but PASOK would have lost six, while KKE would have gained four seats and SYN would have won three additional mandates.

Turkey update

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 13:12:00 +0000

Last July 22, the ruling, moderately Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a clear victory in a snap Grand National Assembly election triggered by a political crisis over the proposed election to the presidency of Abdullah Gul - who was finally chosen by the Grand National Assembly as head of state last August.

One factor that contributed decisively to AKP's electoral triumph was its record of strong, sustained economic growth under Erdogan's tenure, and Edward Hugh takes an in-depth look at Turkey's economy in Turkey, Emerging Markets and the Coming Global Credit Crunch, Turkey, The Anatolian Tiger and Turkey, The Anatolian Tiger II, at Global Economy Matters.

Belgium: three months without government

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 18:04:00 +0000

It's been three months since Belgian voters went to the polls for a federal election in which the Liberal-Socialist coalition government of Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt lost its absolute majority in the Chamber of Representatives. However, a new government has yet to emerge.

In the election, the Christian Democratic & Flemish (CD&V) scored major gains and emerged as the largest party in the Chamber, although well short of an absolute majority. As a result, party leader Yves Leterme was nominated to replace Verhofstadt, who resigned after the election. However, last August 23 Leterme gave up after his attempt to form a coalition cabinet stumbled over the issue of further devolution of powers to the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders. Meanwhile, Verhofstadt remains as caretaker head of government.

Federal Elections in Belgium has detailed results of last June 10 election.