General elections were held in Belgium on 10 December 1857,Codebook Constituency-level Elections Archive, 2003Sternberger, D, Vogel, B & Nohlen, D (1969) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band I: Europa - Erster Halbband, p105 the first full general elections since 1848. The elections were called by royal order of 12 November 1857, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives that had convened in a new session only two days earlier.
Going into the elections, Liberals held a majority in the Senate and the Catholics in the Chamber of Representatives. The unionist (Catholic–liberal) De Decker government resigned and a liberal government led by Charles Rogier took over shortly before the elections were called.
In the elections for the Chamber of Representatives the result was a victory for the Liberal Party, which won 70 of the 108 seats. The Liberal Party now had a majority in both chambers of parliament.
Voter turnout was 79%, although only 90,543 men (2% of the country's population) were eligible to vote.
Campaign Twelve of the 108 seats were uncontested, of which the Liberals won three and the Catholics nine.
Results
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