View source for 2003 Belgian federal election

{{Short description|none}}
{{No footnotes|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox legislative election
| country = Belgium
| previous_election = [[1999 Belgian federal election|1999]]
| next_election = [[2007 Belgian federal election|2007]]
| election_date = {{Start date|2003|05|18|df=yes}}

| module = {{Infobox legislative election
| embed = yes
| election_name = Chamber of Representatives
| seats_for_election = All 150 seats in the [[Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)|Chamber of Representatives]]
| majority_seats = 76
| turnout = 91.63%

| leader1 = [[Guy Verhofstadt]]
| party1 = [[Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten|VLD]]
| last_election1 = 23
| seats1 = 25
| percentage1 = 15.36

| leader2 = [[Johan Vande Lanotte]]
| party2 = [[Socialistische Partij Anders|sp.a]]–[[Spirit (Belgium)|spirit]]
| last_election2 = 14
| seats2 = 23
| percentage2 = 14.91

| leader3 = [[Stefaan De Clerck]]
| party3 = Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams
| last_election3 = 22
| seats3 = 21
| percentage3 = 13.25

| leader4 = [[Elio Di Rupo]]
| party4 = Parti Socialiste (Belgium)
| last_election4 = 19
| seats4 = 25
| percentage4 = 13.02

| leader5 = [[Frank Vanhecke]]
| party5 = Vlaams Blok
| last_election5 = 15
| seats5 = 18
| percentage5 = 11.68

| leader6 = [[Antoine Duquesne]]
| party6 = Mouvement Réformateur
| last_election6 = 18
| seats6 = 24
| percentage6 = 11.40

| leader7 = [[Joëlle Milquet]]
| party7 = Centre démocrate humaniste
| last_election7 = 10
| seats7 = 8
| percentage7 = 5.47

| party8 = New Flemish Alliance
| leader8 = [[Geert Bourgeois]]
| last_election8 = New
| seats8 = 1
| percentage8 = 3.06

| party9 = Ecolo
| leader9 = {{ill|Philippe Defeyt|nl}}<br/>{{ill|Évelyne Huytebroeck|nl}}<br/>{{ill|Marc Hordies|nl}}
| last_election9 = 11
| seats9 = 4
| percentage9 = 3.06

| party10 = [[National Democracy (Belgium)|FN]]
| leader10 = [[Daniel Féret]]
| last_election10 = 1
| seats10 = 1
| percentage10 = 1.98

| module = {{Infobox legislative election
| embed = yes
| election_name = Senate
| seats_for_election = 40 of 71 seats in the [[Senate (Belgium)|Senate]]
| noleader = yes

| party1 = [[Socialistische Partij Anders|sp.a]]–[[Spirit (Belgium)|spirit]]
| last_election1 = 4
| seats1 = 7
| percentage1 = 15.47

| party2 = [[Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten|VLD]]
| last_election2 = 6
| seats2 = 7
| percentage2 = 15.38

| party3 = Parti Socialiste (Belgium)
| last_election3 = 4
| seats3 = 6
| percentage3 = 12.84

| party4 = Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams
| last_election4 = 6
| seats4 = 6
| percentage4 = 12.71

| party5 = Mouvement Réformateur
| last_election5 = 5
| seats5 = 5
| percentage5 = 12.15

| party6 = Vlaams Blok
| last_election6 = 4
| seats6 = 5
| percentage6 = 11.32

| party7 = Centre démocrate humaniste
| last_election7 = 3
| seats7 = 2
| percentage7 = 5.54

| party8 = Ecolo
| last_election8 = 3
| seats8 = 1
| percentage8 = 3.19

| party9 = [[National Democracy (Belgium)|FN]]
| last_election9 = 0
| seats9 = 1
| percentage9 = 2.25

| map = {{switcher|[[File:2003 Belgium Chamber of Representatives election.svg|300px]]|Chamber of Representatives results by electoral district|[[File:2003 Belgium Senate election.svg|300px]]|Senate direct election results by province}}

| title = [[Cabinet of Belgium|Federal Government]]
| posttitle = Federal Government after election
| before_election = [[Verhofstadt I Government]]
| after_election = [[Verhofstadt II Government]]
}}}}}}{{Politics of Belgium}}

Federal elections were held in [[Belgium]] on 18 May 2003, the first under a new electoral code. One of the novelties was an electoral threshold of 5, which has cost many seats to the [[Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie|N-VA]] and the [[Green party|Green parties]], [[Ecolo]] and [[Agalev]]. The Belgian Socialists recovered well; the liberal and nationalist parties increased their vote as well.

The Flemish Greens lost all their seats. The Greens were attacked on two fronts: some,{{who|date=November 2024}} including their coalition partners, accused them of being too fundamentalist, while others{{who|date=November 2024}} said that they had betrayed their ideals. The resignation of a Walloon green minister ([[Isabelle Durant]]), one week before the elections, probably didn't do them much good either.{{cn|date=November 2024}} Although it was predicted in some opinion polls, the gains of the [[Front National (Belgium)|Front National]] were surprising, considering that it seldom appeared in the media.{{cn|date=November 2024}} The most important trend was the recovery of the Flemish social-democrats, led by the popular (some would say populist) [[Steve Stevaert]]. The fact that [[Elio Di Rupo]] was learning [[Dutch language|Dutch]] caused rumours that he hoped to become [[prime minister]],{{cn|date=November 2024}} if the social-democrats would turn out to be the largest political family.

Themes that probably influenced the election results in some way{{cn|date=November 2024}} were the government's opposition to the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]], the controversy around the nuisance around the [[Brussels Airport|airport of Zaventem]], the controversy surrounding the banning of tobacco publicity, and unemployment, but a general dominating theme was lacking.

==Results==
===Chamber of Representatives===
<onlyinclude>{{Election results
|image=[[File:Belgique2003.svg]]
|party1=[[Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten|Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten]]|votes1=1009223|sw1=+1.06|seats1=25|sc1=+2
|party2=[[Socialistische Partij Anders]]–[[Spirit (Belgium)|Spirit]]|votes2=979750|sw2=+5.37|seats2=23|sc2=+9
|party3=[[Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams]]|votes3=870749|sw3=–0.84|seats3=21|sc3=–1
|party4=[[Socialist Party (Belgium)|Parti Socialiste]]|votes4=855992|sw4=+2.86|seats4=25|sc4=+6
|party5=[[Vlaams Blok]]|votes5=767605|sw5=+1.72|seats5=18|sc5=+3
|party6=[[Mouvement Réformateur]]|votes6=748952|sw6=+1.26|seats6=24|sc6=+6
|party7=[[Centre démocrate humaniste]]|votes7=359660|sw7=–0.40|seats7=8|sc7=–2
|party8=[[New Flemish Alliance]]|votes8=201399|sw8=New|seats8=1|sc8=New
|party9=[[Ecolo]]|votes9=201118|sw9=–4.29|seats9=4|sc9=–7
|party10=[[Agalev]]|votes10=162205|sw10=–4.52|seats10=0|sc10=–9
|party11=[[National Front (Belgium)|National Front]]|votes11=130012|sw11=+0.53|seats11=1|sc11=0
|party12=[[Vivant]]|votes12=81337|sw12=–0.86|seats12=0|sc12=0
|party13={{ill|Christian Democrats Federal|fr|Chrétiens démocrates fédéraux|lt=Chrétiens démocrates francophones}}|votes13=38346|sw13=New|seats13=0|sc13=New|color13=#003399
|party14=[[Liberal Appeal]]|votes14=29868|sw14=New|seats14=0|sc14=New
|party15=[[Rassemblement Wallonie France]]|votes15=25416|sw15=New|seats15=0|sc15=New
|party16=[[Workers' Party of Belgium]]|votes16=20825|sw16=–0.18|seats16=0|sc16=0
|party17=[[RESIST (electoral list)|RESIST]]|votes17=10059|sw17=New|seats17=0|sc17=New
|party18=[[Belgian Union]]|votes18=10034|sw18=New|seats18=0|sc18=New
|party19=Parti citoyenneté et prospérité|votes19=8258|sw19=New|seats19=0|sc19=New|color19=#B68800
|party20={{ill|Socialist Movement (Belgium)|fr|Mouvement socialiste (Belgique)|lt=Socialist Movement}}|votes20=8116|sw20=New|seats20=0|sc20=New|color20=#AF0202
|party21=[[Communist Party of Belgium (1989)|Communist Party of Belgium]]|votes21=6759|sw21=–0.27|seats21=0|sc21=0
|party22=[[New Belgian Front]]|votes22=6736|sw22=–0.26|seats22=0|sc22=0
|party23=[[Movement_for_Action,_Resistance_and_an_Independent_Alternative|MARIA]]|votes23=6440|sw23=New|seats23=0|sc23=New|color23=#dddddd
|party24={{abbr|France|Français réunis dans une action nationale de coopération et d’émancipation}}|votes24=5668|sw24=–0.03|seats24=0|sc24=0|color24=#dddddd
|party25=[[Nation (political party)|Nation]]|votes25=4190|sw25=New|seats25=0|sc25=New
|party26=VeiligBlauw|votes26=3237|sw26=New|seats26=0|sc26=New|color26=#4D6581
|party27=Left Socialist Party|votes27=2929|sw27=New|seats27=0|sc27=New
|party28=[[Communist Party of Belgium (1989)|Communist Party]]–{{abbr|RDS|Résistance, démocratie, socialisme}}|votes28=2522|sw28=New|seats28=0|sc28=New
|party29=CHOPE|votes29=2430|sw29=New|seats29=0|sc29=New
|party30={{abbr|RDS|Résistance, démocratie, socialisme}}–[[Communist Party of Belgium (1989)|Communist Party]]|votes30=2084|sw30=New|seats30=0|sc30=New
|party31=UFE|votes31=1910|sw31=New|seats31=0|sc31=New
|party32=OMNIUM|votes32=1616|sw32=New|seats32=0|sc32=New
|party33=PDA|votes33=1415|sw33=New|seats33=0|sc33=New
|party34={{ill|Vrijheid, Intimiteit, Thuis, Arbeid en Liefde|nl}}|votes34=1325|sw34=New|seats34=0|sc34=New|color34=#dddddd
|party35=Noor|votes35=1141|sw35=+0.00|seats35=0|sc35=0|color35=#04A068
|party36=DL|votes36=1052|sw36=New|seats36=0|sc36=New
|party37=MDT|votes37=914|sw37=New|seats37=0|sc37=New
|party38=Parti humaniste–Humanistische Partij|votes38=521|sw38=+0.01|seats38=0|sc38=0
|party39=PPR|votes39=376|sw39=New|seats39=0|sc39=New
|invalid=364412
|total_sc=0
|electorate=7570637
|source=[https://polling2003.belgium.be/electionshome/uk/result/chamber/table_top.html IBZ]
}}</onlyinclude>

===Senate===
<onlyinclude>{{Election results
|image=[[File:Sénat2003.svg]]
|party1=[[Socialistische Partij Anders]]–[[Spirit (Belgium)|Spirit]]|votes1=1013560|sw1=+6.59|seats1=7|sc1=+3
|party2=[[Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten|Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten]]|votes2=1007868|sw2=+0.01|seats2=7|sc2=+1
|party3=[[Socialist Party (Belgium)|Parti Socialiste]]|votes3=840908|sw3=+3.19|seats3=6|sc3=+2
|party4=[[Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams]]|votes4=832849|sw4=–2.03|seats4=6|sc4=0
|party5=[[Mouvement Réformateur]]|votes5=795757|sw5=+1.58|seats5=5|sc5=0
|party6=[[Vlaams Blok]]|votes6=741940|sw6=+1.91|seats6=5|sc6=+1
|party7=[[Centre démocrate humaniste]]|votes7=362705|sw7=–0.49|seats7=2|sc7=–1
|party8=[[Ecolo]]|votes8=208868|sw8=–4.21|seats8=1|sc8=–2
|party9=[[New Flemish Alliance]]|votes9=200273|sw9=New|seats9=0|sc9=New
|party10=[[Agalev]]|votes10=161024|sw10=–4.62|seats10=0|sc10=–3
|party11=[[National Front (Belgium)|National Front]]|votes11=147305|sw11=+0.75|seats11=1|sc11=+1
|party12=[[Vivant]]|votes12=86723|sw12=–0.66|seats12=0|sc12=0
|party13={{ill|Christian Democrats Federal|fr|Chrétiens démocrates fédéraux|lt=Chrétiens démocrates francophones}}|votes13=38339|sw13=New|seats13=0|sc13=New|color13=#003399
|party14=[[Rassemblement Wallonie France]]|votes14=27424|sw14=New|seats14=0|sc14=New
|party15=[[Liberal Appeal]]|votes15=26629|sw15=New|seats15=0|sc15=New
|party16=[[Workers' Party of Belgium]]|votes16=18699|sw16=+0.11|seats16=0|sc16=0
|party17=[[RESIST (electoral list)|RESIST]]|votes17=17604|sw17=New|seats17=0|sc17=New
|party18=Left Socialist Party|votes18=8337|sw18=New|seats18=0|sc18=New
|party19=VeiligBlauw|votes19=8048|sw19=New|seats19=0|sc19=New|color19=#4D6581
|party20={{ill|Social Liberal Democrats|nl|SoLiDe (België)}}|votes20=6651|sw20=–0.02|seats20=0|sc20=0|color20=#6200AD
|invalid=383093
|total_sc=0
|electorate=7570637
|source=[https://elections2003.belgium.be/electionshome/fr/result/senate/table_top.html IBZ]
}}</onlyinclude>

== Further reading ==
* {{cite journal
 | last = Fitzmaurice
 | first = John
 |date= January 2004
 | title = Belgium Stays 'Purple': The 2003 Federal Election
 | journal = [[West European Politics]]
 | volume = 27
 | issue = 1
 | pages = 146–156
 | doi = 10.1080/01402380412331280843
}}

{{Belgian elections}}

[[Category:2003 elections in Europe|Belgium]]
[[Category:2003 elections in Belgium|Federal]]
[[Category:Federal elections in Belgium]]
[[Category:May 2003 in Europe|Belgium]]