1898 French legislative election

The 1898 general election was held on 8 and 22 May 1898.

1898 French legislative election

8–22 May 1898
All 585 seats to the Chamber of Deputies 293 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	75.2
First party Second party Third party   Leader Jules Méline Henri Brisson Édouard Drumont Party Anti-Dreyfusards Parties Progressive Republicans Royalists Ralliés Dreyfusards Parties Radicals Radical-Socialists Socialists Antisemitic League Leader's seat Vosges Seine Algeria Seats won 340 235 14 Seat change 242 82 New Popular vote 4,709,657 3,258,661 137,804 Percentage 58.1% 40.2% 1.7% Swing 41% 13.5% New
Prime Minister before election Jules Méline Democratic Union Elected Prime Minister Henri Brisson Radical Left

The government of Jules Méline, who had been premier since April 1896, had relied on the support of Conservatives, contrary to the convention of republican concentration, according to which no government should rely on the support of monarchists and Bonapartists in the Chamber of Deputies if it could not rely on a republican majority.

The election was dominated by the Dreyfus Affair, and saw several notable supporters of Dreyfus (Joseph Reinach, Jean Jaurès, Jules Guesde) lose their seats. Twenty-two professed anti-Semites were also elected, including Édouard Drumont. Overall, however, the election saw the defeat of Méline and his supporters: the Radicals were victorious, allowing Henri Brisson to form a republican government.[1]