Belgian general election, 1978

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Belgian general election, 1978
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
  1977 17 December 1978 1981  

212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives

 First partySecond partyThird party
  Paul Vanden Boeynants 1966.jpg Andre Cools.jpg Karel van Miert (SP, Belgie), Bestanddeelnr 933-5684.jpg
Leader Paul Vanden Boeynants André Cools Karel Van Miert
Party CVP PS SP
Leader sinceCandidate for PM19781978
Last election56 seats, 26.20%NewNew
Seats won573126
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1NewNew
Popular vote1,447,112689,876684,976
Percentage26.14%12.46%12.37%
SwingDecrease2.svg 0.06%NewNew

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
  Charles-Ferdinand Nothomb in 2011.jpg Ministers Belgische Kabinet. Vice Eerste Minister W. de Clerq (PVV), Bestanddeelnr 918-9461.jpg No image.png
Leader Charles-Ferdinand Nothomb Willy De Clercq André Damseaux
Party PSC PVV PRL
Leader since197719771973
Last election24 seats, 7.29%17 seats, 8.54%16 seats, 3.34%
Seats won252215
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1Increase2.svg 5Decrease2.svg 1
Popular vote560,440573,387256,685
Percentage10.12%10.36%4.64%
SwingIncrease2.svg 2.83%Increase2.svg 1.82%Increase2.svg 1.30%

Belgian federal election 1978 - Chamber - circumscriptions.svg
Colours denote the winning party in each electoral district (for the Chamber of Deputies).

Government before election

Tindemans II
CVP-PSC-BSP/PSB-VU-FDF

Elected Government

Vanden Boeynants II
CVP-PSC-PS-BSP-VU-FDF

State Coat of Arms of Belgium.svg
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General elections were held in Belgium on 17 December 1978. [1] The Christian People's Party emerged as the largest party, with 57 of the 212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 29 of the 106 seats in the Senate. Voter turnout was 94.8%. [2] Elections were also held for the nine provincial councils and for the Council of the German Cultural Community.

Belgium Federal constitutional monarchy in Western Europe

Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Western Europe. It is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the southwest, and the North Sea to the northwest. It covers an area of 30,688 square kilometres (11,849 sq mi) and has a population of more than 11.4 million. The capital and largest city is Brussels; other major cities are Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi and Liège.

<i>Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams</i> political party in Flanders/Belgium

Christian Democratic and Flemish is a Christian democratic Flemish political party in Belgium. The party has historical ties to both trade unionism (ACV) and trade associations (UNIZO) and the Farmer's League. Until 2001, the party was named the Christian People's Party.

Parliament of the German-speaking Community Belgian parliament

The Parliament of the German-speaking Community is the legislative assembly of the German-speaking Community of Belgium based in Eupen.

Contents

The snap elections were called after Prime Minister Leo Tindemans resigned over the Egmont pact, which would have transformed Belgium into a federal state. Vlaams Blok participated for the first time, which was formed out of disagreement within the People's Union over concessions in the Egmont pact.

Leo Tindemans Belgian former prime minister

Leonard Clemence "Leo" Tindemans was a Belgian politician. He served as the 43rd Prime Minister of Belgium serving from 25 April 1974 until he resigned as minister on 20 October 1978. He was a member of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party.

The Egmont pact of 1977 is an agreement on the reform of Belgium into a federal state and on the relations between the linguistic communities in the country. The pact was not carried out due to the resignation of the government, but important elements of the pact were used in later Belgian state reforms.

<i>Vlaams Blok</i> former political party in Flanders/Belgium

Vlaams Blok was the name of a Belgian far-right and secessionist political party with an anti-immigration platform. Its ideologies embraced Flemish nationalism, calling for the independence of Flanders. From its creation in 1978, it was the most notable militant right wing of the Flemish movement. Vlaams Blok's track record in the Flemish and Belgian parliament elections was strong. The election campaigns consisted mainly of the immigration and law-and-order theme, combined with the desire for Flemish autonomy.

Results

Chamber of Deputies

The primary six Flemish political parties and their results for the House of Representatives (Kamer). From 1978 to 2014, in percentages for the complete 'Kingdom'. Kamer-1978-2014.png
The primary six Flemish political parties and their results for the House of Representatives (Kamer). From 1978 to 2014, in percentages for the complete 'Kingdom'.
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Christian People's Party 1,447,11226.1457+1
Belgian Socialist Party (Wallonia) 689,87612.4631+31
Belgian Socialist Party (Flanders) 684,97612.3726–1
Party for Freedom and Progress 573,38710.3622+5
Christian Social Party 560,44010.1225+1
People's Union 388,7627.0214–6
Democratic Front of the Francophones 259,0194.68110
Liberal Reformist Party 256,6854.6415–1
Communist Party of Belgium 180,2343.264+4
Walloon Rally 128,1532.3240
Vlaams Blok 75,6351.371+1
UDRT/RAD 48,6160.881+1
AMA/TPO43,4830.790New
PL41,4600.750New
PRLW/PRF31,2800.5700
Belgian Socialist Party (Luxembourg) 30,2220.551New
Ecolo 21,2240.3800
PLW9,8610.180New
Party of German-speaking Belgians 9,0320.1600
ECOLOG8,3600.1500
Walloon Rally (Luxembourg) 6,4930.120New
AGALEV 5,5560.1000
ECOPOL3,9220.070New
LSDP3,6780.070New
BNP-PNB3,4650.060New
LRT2,5970.0500
PLF2,3130.040New
PPB2,1230.040New
UDP1,8430.030New
GROEN1,7610.030New
PFU1,6860.0300
PF-ECO1,5120.030New
KAGANO1,3760.0200
PVCM9930.020New
PFN7290.010New
LP-PL6980.010New
PDE3750.010New
PDRT3110.010New
Invalid/blank votes507,058
Total6,042,6891002120
Source: Belgian Elections

Senate

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Christian People's Party 1,420,77725.9329+1
Belgian Socialist Party (Wallonia) 685,30712.5117–2
Belgian Socialist Party (Flanders) 678,77612.3913+1
Party for Freedom and Progress 572,53510.4511+2
Christian Social Party 535,9399.7812+1
People's Union 384,5627.027–3
Liberal Reformist Party-PL330,1556.036New
Democratic Front of the Francophones 266,7134.877New
Communist Party of Belgium 182,7113.3310
Walloon Rally 123,7942.2620
Vlaams Blok 80,8091.470New
UDRT/RAD 51,5710.940New
AMA/TPO44,3790.810New
Ecolo 43,8830.8000
Belgian Socialist Party (Luxembourg) 30,8370.561New
Party of German-speaking Belgians 11,1480.2000
PLW11,0810.20New
Walloon Rally (Luxembourg) 6,6590.120New
RAL/LRT3,7440.070New
LSDP3,2390.060New
PPB2,8040.050New
PLF2,6400.050New
UDP2,2210.040New
PFU2,0450.040New
PCR9170.020New
Invalid/blank votes565,299
Total6,044,5451001060
Source: 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, p291