Christian Social Party–Christian People's Party (Belgium, 1945)

The Christian Social Party (French: Parti Social Chrétien, or PSC; Dutch: Christelijke Volkspartij, CVP) was a major centre-right political party in Belgium which existed from 1945 until 1968. Established as the successor to the pre-war Catholic Block, the new party was established with a "deconfessionalised" Christian democracratic orientation[3] but split along linguistic lines in 1968 into the Christian Social Party (Parti Social Chrétien) and Christian People's Party (Christelijke Volkspartij). As the largest party throughout much of the period of its existence, it participated in most of the country's coalition governments during its existence alongside the Belgian Socialist Party and Liberal Party and provided a number of influential prime ministers.

For the late 19th century Belgian political party, see Christene Volkspartij.
Christian Social Party—Christian People's 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
Catholic Flemish People's 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  Orange
  Black

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
 Increase 19 Steady 1st Opposition
1949 2,190,895 43.6
105 / 212
 Increase 13 Steady 1st Christian Social-Liberal coalition
1950 2,356,608 47.7
108 / 212
 Increase 3 Steady 1st Majority government
1954 2,123,408 41.2
95 / 212
 Decrease 13 Steady 1st Opposition
1958 2,465,549 46.5
104 / 212
 Increase 9 Steady 1st Minority government until November 1958, later Christian Social-Liberal coalition
1961 2,182,642 41.5
96 / 212
 Decrease 8 Steady 1st Christian Social-Socialist coalition
1965 1,785,211 34.5
77 / 212
 Decrease 19 Steady 1st Christian Social-Socialist coalition until March 1966, later Christian Social-Liberal coalition
1968 1,643,785 31.8
69 / 212
 Decrease 8 Steady 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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