1958 Belgian general election
|
|
|
212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives |
| |
First party |
Second party |
Third party |
| |
150x150px |
150x150px |
 |
| Leader |
Gaston Eyskens |
Achille Van Acker |
Maurice Destenay |
| Party |
[[Christian Social Party (Belgium, defunct)|Template:Christian Social Party (Belgium, defunct)/meta/shortname]] |
Socialist |
Liberal |
| Leader since |
Candidate for PM |
Candidate for PM |
1954 |
| Last election |
95 seats, 41.15% |
82 seats, 37.34% |
24 seats, 12.15% |
| Seats won |
104 |
80 |
20 |
| Seat change |
 9 |
 2 |
4 |
| Popular vote |
2,465,549 |
1,897,646 |
585,999 |
| Percentage |
46.50% |
35.79% |
11.05% |
| Swing |
5.35% |
1.55% |
1.10% |
|
| |
Fourth party |
Fifth party |
Sixth party |
| |
|
|
|
| Leader |
N/A |
Ernest Burnelle |
Frans Van der Elst |
| Party |
LSK |
Communist |
VU |
| Leader since |
N/A |
1954 |
1955 |
| Last election |
5 seats, 2.10% |
4 seats, 3.57% |
New |
| Seats won |
5 |
2 |
1 |
| Seat change |
 |
2 |
New |
| Popular vote |
111,284 |
100,145 |
104,823 |
| Percentage |
2.10% |
1.89% |
1.98% |
| Swing |
|
1.68% |
New |
|
|
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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.
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 to again 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
|
|
| Party |
Votes |
% |
Seats |
+/– |
| Christian Social Party |
2,465,549 |
46.50 |
104 |
+9 |
| Belgian Socialist Party |
1,897,646 |
35.79 |
80 |
–2 |
| Liberal Party |
585,999 |
11.05 |
20 |
–4 |
| Liberal-Soclialist Kartels |
111,284 |
2.10 |
5 |
0 |
| People's Union |
104,823 |
1.98 |
1 |
New |
| Communist Party of Belgium |
100,145 |
1.89 |
2 |
–2 |
| Other parties |
36,907 |
0.70 |
0 |
– |
| Invalid/blank votes |
272,774 |
– |
– |
– |
| Total |
5,575,127 |
100 |
212 |
0 |
| Registered voters/turnout |
5,954,858 |
93.62 |
– |
– |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver |
Senate
|
|
| Party |
Votes |
% |
Seats |
+/– |
| Christian Social Party |
2,390,368 |
45.45 |
53 |
+4 |
| Belgian Socialist Party |
1,886,242 |
35.87 |
40 |
–2 |
| Liberal Party |
574,230 |
10.92 |
10 |
–1 |
| Liberal-Soclialist Kartels |
111,299 |
2.12 |
2 |
0 |
| Communist Party of Belgium |
100,788 |
1.92 |
1 |
–1 |
| People's Union |
79,198 |
1.51 |
0 |
0 |
| Democratic Party |
11,309 |
0.22 |
0 |
New |
| Independents |
16,145 |
3.07 |
0 |
|
| Invalid/blank votes |
320,096 |
– |
– |
– |
| Total |
5,579,125 |
100 |
106 |
0 |
| Registered voters/turnout |
5,954,858 |
93.69 |
– |
– |
| Source: Belgian Elections |
References
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