1968 Belgian general election

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1968 Belgian general election
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
  1965 31 March 1968 1971  

212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Gaston Eyskens (1969).jpg Leo Collard 1968.jpg Omer Vanaudenhove.jpg
Leader Gaston Eyskens Léo Collard Omer Vanaudenhove
Party Christian Social Socialist Freedom and Progress
Leader sinceCandidate for PM19591961
Last election77 seats, 34.45%64 seats, 28.28%48 seats, 21.61%
Seats won695947
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 8Decrease2.svg 5Decrease2.svg 1
Popular vote1,643,7851,403,1071,080,894
Percentage31.75%27.10%20.87%
SwingDecrease2.svg 2.65%Decrease2.svg 1.18%Decrease2.svg 0.74%

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
  No image.png No image.png No image.png
LeaderFrans Van der ElstAlbert Peeters
Party VU FDF RW
Leader since19551967
Last election12 seats, 6.69%3 seats, 1.33%New
Seats won2066
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 8Increase2.svg 3New
Popular vote506,697154,023151,421
Percentage9.79%2.92%2.92%
SwingIncrease2.svg 3.10%Increase2.svg 1.59%New

1968 Belgian legislative election results map.svg
Chamber seat distribution by constituency.

Government before election

Vanden Boeynants I
CVP/PSC-PVV/PLP

Government after election

G. Eyskens V
CVP/PSC-BSP/PSB

General elections were held in Belgium on 31 March 1968. [1] The Christian Social Party remained the largest party. [2] Voter turnout was 90.0%. [3] Elections for the nine provincial councils were also held.

Contents

The snap elections were called after the government, a coalition of the Christian Social Party and the liberal Party for Freedom and Progress led by Christian Democrat Paul Vanden Boeynants, fell due to the Leuven Crisis.

The linguistic crisis would trigger the split of the dominant Christian Social Party into a Flemish and French-speaking party. The two other main parties would follow suit. The crisis also caused the rise of small linguistic, federalist parties, such as the People's Union on the Flemish side and the Democratic Front of the Francophones and Walloon Rally on the French-speaking side.

Results

Chamber of Deputies

Belgian Chamber 1968.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Christian Social Party 1,643,78531.7569–8
Belgian Socialist Party 1,403,10727.1059–5
Party for Freedom and Progress 1,080,89420.8747–1
People's Union 506,6979.7920+8
Communist Party of Belgium 170,6253.305–1
Democratic Front of the Francophones 154,0232.976+3
Walloon Rally 151,4212.926New
Red Lions 46,0650.890New
Walloon Workers3,4740.070New
Pro-Peking Communists3,1190.060New
ULS2,6940.050New
Return to Liège1,9330.040New
Flemish Social Movement1,9220.040New
Kaganovemus1,6340.0300
Dierenbes1,6080.030New
Walloon Communists9640.020New
Z. Kleur7230.010New
Flemish Communists7020.010New
FU Pop5720.010New
Trotskyists2890.010New
SH1980.000New
RJB1610.000New
Independents1,3420.0300
Total5,177,952100.002120
Valid votes5,177,95293.22
Invalid/blank votes376,7006.78
Total votes5,554,652100.00
Registered voters/turnout6,170,16790.02
Source: Belgian Elections

Senate

Belgium Senate 1968.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Belgian Socialist Party 1,410,61727.6033+2
Christian Social Party 1,398,06527.3529–15
Party for Freedom and Progress 1,073,86021.0122–1
People's Union 513,34210.049+5
FDFRW 293,4335.745+4
Communist Party of Belgium 180,1303.522–1
Vanden Boeynants Kartel 183,1713.586New
Red Lions 45,0970.880New
Walloon Workers3,7770.070New
Pro-Peking Communists3,4520.070New
Kaganovemus2,6940.0500
ULS2,3640.050New
Flemish Communists8010.020New
Walloon Communists5200.010New
FU Pop4950.010New
Total5,111,818100.001060
Valid votes5,111,81892.05
Invalid/blank votes441,3797.95
Total votes5,553,197100.00
Registered voters/turnout6,170,16790.00
Source: Belgian Elections, Statistical Yearbook

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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