Belgium
Historical data on women
Data on women’s right to vote and to stand for election, the date at which the first woman entered parliament, and female Heads of State or Government
Women's suffrage
Women’s right to vote
Women’s right to vote
Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1919
National or local
Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage
Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Restricted
Detail of restrictions
Suffrage: Restrictions detail
Suffrage only given to widows or mothers of servicemen killed during World War One, citizens shot or killed by the enemy and women political prisoners
Notes
Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
Contained in the law of 9 May 1919. Universal suffrage was introduced for men in 1919.
Women’s right to vote
Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1948
National or local
Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage
Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Universal
Notes
Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
The Law of 27 March 1948 gave all women the right to vote under the same conditions as for men. Women voted for the first time in 1949.
Women’s right to stand for election
Women's right to stand for election
Year in which women obtained the right to stand for election
1921
National or local
Stand for Election: National or Local
National
First woman in parliament
First woman in parliament
Year in which first woman entered parliament
1921
First woman speaker
Year of first woman speaker
Date at which, for the first time in the country's parliamentary history, a woman became Presiding Officer of Parliament or of one of its Houses.
2004