Abstract

At the genera! elections in Belgium, the voter bas the possibility to bring out a vote for a party or a vote for a candidate of the party. At the general elections of October 13, 1985, for the House of Representatives, the voters have voted for 48 % by preference, whereas, for the Senate 38 % of them have done so. The use of preferential votes is varying from one electoral district to another: from 66 % in the district of Oudenaarde to 34 % in Mechelen.There is also a difference from one politica! party to another. The highest percentage is obtained by the christian-democratic parties : 58 % ; the lowest by the ecologists: 22 %.The preferential votes individual candidates obtain differ widely, pointing out not only their popularity but also to a certain extend their political power.