Ottoman Diplomats

Synopsis

Etienne Carathéodory Effendi reports about the first legislative elections that took place in Belgium under universal suffrage, on October 14th 1894. He notes that the results of the first election round were completely unexpected and surprising. The Liberal Party collapsed, and its two most eminent leaders, Frère-Orban and Bara, did not get enough votes to get re-elected in the first round. Frère-Orban withdrew his candidacy. (In attachment is a newspaper clipping about Frère-Orban’s decision.) The Catholic Party was already certain of a majority. However, Catholic Prime Minister De Burlet was not re-elected in the first round either. According to Carathéodory, the real winners of these elections were the socialists, strong newcomers in the Belgian parliament. In conclusion, the existing government would stay in power, although the results of the second round could harm the government, especially if De Burlet was defeated by a liberal. Carathéodory expects Beernaert to succeed him. Furthermore, he foresees many difficulties for Belgium’s internal politics. According to him, the political parties needed to reorient themselves. Conservative elements on the right as well as on the left were needed to counterbalance the socialists. Proportional representation was needed as a correction to the principle of universal suffrage, in order to avoid calamities.

Attachments

Newspaper clipping ("Désistement de M. Frère-Orban", 18-10-1894, La Liberté, The newspaper publishes the decision of Frère-Orban to withdraw his candidacy, after the defeat of the liberals in the first election round under universal suffrage and his failure to get re-elected in this first round.)

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