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Christian Social Party (Belgium, 1945)

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

The Christian Social Party (French: Parti Social Chrétien, pronounced [paʁti sɔsjal kʁetjɛ̃], PSC; Dutch: Christelijke Volkspartij, pronounced [ˈkrɪstələkə ˈvɔlkspɑrˌtɛi], lit. 'Christian People's Party', CVP) was a major centre-right political party in Belgium which existed from 1945 until 1968.

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 Block
Succeeded byChristelijke Volkspartij (CVP),
Parti social chrétien (PSC)
HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
IdeologyChristian democracy
Pro-Europeanism
Political positionCentre[1][2]
European affiliationChristian Democrat group
International affiliationChristian Democrat International
Colours  Orange
  Black

Established as the successor to the pre-war Catholic Block, the PSC-CVP was established after the Liberation of Belgium with an explicitly "deconfessionalised" orientation in the Christian Democratic tradition.[3] It remained the largest party in Belgian politics throughout much of its existence and was the last party in Belgian history to gain an outright majority in the 1950 elections. It provided a number of influential prime ministers and participated in most coalition governments in combination with the Belgian Socialist Party and the Liberal Party or its successor the Party for Freedom and Progress.

Amid rising regionalist tensions, the PSC-CVP's regional parties split along linguistic lines in 1968 to form the Francophone Christian Social Party (Parti Social Chrétien, PSC) and Flemish Christian People's Party (Christelijke Volkspartij, CVP).

History

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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

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Chamber of Representatives

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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

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See also

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References

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  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.

Further reading

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  • Lamberts, Emiel (2004). "The Zenith of Christian Democracy: The Christelijke Volkspartij/Parti Social Chrétien in Belgium". In Michael Gehler; Wolfram Kaiser (eds.). Christian Democracy in Europe since 1945. Routledge. pp. 59–73. ISBN 0-7146-5662-3.
  • Beke, Wouter (2005). De ziel van een zuil. De Christelijke Volkspartij 1945-1968. Leuven: Leuven University Press. ISBN 9789058674982.
  • Conway, Martin (1996). "Belgium". In Buchanan, Tom; Conway, Martin (eds.). Political Catholicism in Europe, 1918–1965. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 187–218. ISBN 9780198203193.
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