Christian Social Party (Belgium, defunct)

The Christian Social Party (PSC-CVP) was an Christian-democratic[3] political party in Belgium that existed from 1945 until 1968, when it split along linguistic lines.

For the late 19th century Belgian political party, see Christene Volkspartij.
Christian Social Party

Christelijke Volkspartij
Parti Social Chrétien
Historical leadersJean Duvieusart (first)
Jean-Charles Snoy et d'Oppuers (last)
FoundedAugust 18, 1945 (1945-08-18)
Dissolved1968 (1968)
Preceded byCatholic Party
Succeeded byChristen-Democratisch en Vlaams,
Christian Social Party
HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
IdeologyChristian democracy
Pro-Europeanism
Political positionCentre[1][2]
European affiliationChristian Democrat group
International affiliationChristian Democrat International
Colours  Black

The Christian Social Party was Belgium's largest party in most elections. The other two main parties were the Belgian Socialist Party and the Liberal Party (together forming the three "pillars").

History

At the end of World War II, on 18–19 August 1945 the Parti Social Chrétien-Christelijke Volkspartij (CVP-PSC) was founded under the presidency of August de Schryver as the successor to the Catholic Party.

In 1968, the party divided along linguistic lines, forming the Francophone Christian Social Party (Parti Social Chrétien) in Wallonia and the Flemish Christian People's Party (Christelijke Volkspartij) in Flanders.[4][5]

Election results

Chamber of Representatives
Election Votes % Seats +/– Position Government
1946 1,006,293 42.5
92 / 202
 19 1st Opposition
1949 2,190,895 43.6
105 / 212
 13 1st Christian Social-Liberal coalition
1950 2,356,608 47.7
108 / 212
 3 1st Majority government
1954 2,123,408 41.2
95 / 212
 13 1st Opposition
1958 2,465,549 46.5
104 / 212
 9 1st Minority government until November 1958, later Christian Social-Liberal coalition
1961 2,182,642 41.5
96 / 212
 8 1st Christian Social-Socialist coalition
1965 1,785,211 34.5
77 / 212
 19 1st Christian Social-Socialist coalition until March 1966, later Christian Social-Liberal coalition
1968 1,643,785 31.8
69 / 212
 8 1st Christian Social-Socialist coalition

Notable members

See also

Further reading
  • Lamberts, Emiel (2004). Michael Gehler; Wolfram Kaiser (eds.). The Zenith of Christian Democracy: The Christelijke Volkspartij/Parti Social Chrétien in Belgium. Christian Democracy in Europe since 1945. Routledge. pp. 59–73. ISBN 0-7146-5662-3.

Sources
  • Th. Luykx and M. Platel, Politieke geschiedenis van België, 2 vol., Kluwer, 1985
  • E. Witte, J. Craeybeckx en A. Meynen, Politieke geschiedenis van België, Standaard, 1997

References
  1. Keefe, Eugene K.; et al. (1974). Area Handbook for Belgium (1st ed.). U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 141.
  2. Cerulus, Laurens (4 January 2017). "The party that's pulling the Belgian left to the left". Politico. …centrist Christian-Democrats all split into Flemish and French-speaking parties in the late 1960s and 70s.
  3. Kees van Kersbergen; Philip Manow (6 April 2009). Religion, Class Coalitions, and Welfare States. Cambridge University Press. pp. 21–. ISBN 978-0-521-89791-4. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  4. Emiel Lamberts (1 January 1997). Christian Democracy in the European Union, 1945/1995: Proceedings of the Leuven Colloquium, 15-18 November 1995. Leuven University Press. pp. 65–. ISBN 978-90-6186-808-8. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  5. Daniele Caramani (29 March 2004). The Nationalization of Politics: The Formation of National Electorates and Party Systems in Western Europe. Cambridge University Press. pp. 308–. ISBN 978-0-521-53520-5. Retrieved 2 August 2013.


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