1958 Belgian general election

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1958 Belgian general election
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
←  1954 1 June 1958 1961  →
212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Gaston Eyskens (1969).jpg Achiel Van Acker (1958).jpg No image.png
Leader Gaston Eyskens Achille Van Acker Maurice Destenay
Party Christian Social Socialist Liberal
Leader sinceCandidate for PMCandidate for PM1954
Last election95 seats, 41.15%82 seats, 37.34%24 seats, 12.15%
Seats won1048020
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 9Decrease2.svg 2Decrease2.svg 4
Popular vote2,465,5491,897,646585,999
Percentage46.50%35.79%11.05%
SwingIncrease2.svg 5.35%Decrease2.svg 1.55%Decrease2.svg 1.10%
 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
  No image.png No image.png No image.png
LeaderN/A Ernest Burnelle Frans Van der Elst
Party LSK Communist VU
Leader sinceN/A19541955
Last election5 seats, 2.10%4 seats, 3.57%New
Seats won521
Seat changeSteady2.svgDecrease2.svg 2New
Popular vote111,284100,145104,823
Percentage2.10%1.89%1.98%
SwingSteady2.svgDecrease2.svg 1.68%New
1958 Belgian legislative election results map.svg
Chamber seat distribution by constituency
Government before election

van Acker IV
BSP/PSB-Lib

Government after election

G. Eyskens II
Christian Social

General elections were held in Belgium on 1 June 1958. [1] The result was a victory for the Christian Social Party, which won 104 of the 212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 53 of the 106 seats in the Senate. [2] Voter turnout was 93.6% in the Chamber election and 93.7% in the Senate election. [3] Elections for the nine provincial councils were also held.

Contents

The election took place in a political crisis known as the Second School War. The outgoing anti-clerical "purple" government of the Socialist and Liberal Party, led by Achille Van Acker, reversed policies of the previous Catholic-led government regarding private schools. The Van Acker government lost the election, leading again to a Catholic government led by Gaston Eyskens. That government, which was a few seats short of a majority in the Chamber, would be the last single-party government in Belgian history. Later in 1958, the School War was ended by a cross-party agreement and the Liberal Party joined the government.

Results

Chamber of Deputies

Belgian Chamber 1958.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Christian Social Party 2,465,54946.50104+9
Belgian Socialist Party 1,897,64635.7980–2
Liberal Party 585,99911.0520–4
Liberal–Socialist Kartels111,2842.1050
People's Union 104,8231.981New
Communist Party of Belgium 100,1451.892–2
Other parties36,9070.700–
Total5,302,353100.002120
Valid votes5,302,35395.11
Invalid/blank votes272,7744.89
Total votes5,575,127100.00
Registered voters/turnout5,954,85893.62
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Senate

Belgium Senate 1958.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Christian Social Party 2,478,15347.1253+4
Belgian Socialist Party 1,886,24235.8740–2
Liberal Party 574,23010.9210–1
Liberal–Socialist Kartels111,2992.1220
Communist Party of Belgium 100,7881.921–1
People's Union 84,3641.6000
Democratic Party23,9530.460–
Independents0–
Total5,259,029100.001060
Valid votes5,259,02994.26
Invalid/blank votes320,0965.74
Total votes5,579,125100.00
Registered voters/turnout5,954,85893.69
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, Belgian Elections

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References

  1. ↑ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p289 ISBN   978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. ↑ Nohlen & Stöver, pp309-311
  3. ↑ Nohlen & Stöver, p291
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