1950 Belgian general election
First party
Second party
Third party
Leader
Jean Duvieusart
Max Buset
Roger Motz
Party
Christian Social
Socialist
Liberal
Leader since
Candidate for PM
1945
1945
Last election
105 seats, 43.55%
66 seats, 29.76%
29 seats, 15.25%
Seats won
108
73
20
Seat change
3
7
9
Popular vote
2,356,608
1,705,781
556,102
Percentage
47.68%
34.51%
11.25%
Swing
4.13%
4.76%
4.00%
Fourth party
Fifth party
Leader
Edgard Lalmand
N/A
Party
Communist
LSK
Leader since
1943
N/A
Last election
12 seats, 7.49%
New
Seats won
7
4
Seat change
5
New
Popular vote
234,541
87,252
Percentage
4.75%
1.77%
Swing
2.74%
New
Chamber seat distribution by constituency
General elections were held in Belgium on 4 June 1950.[ 1] The result was a victory for the Christian Social Party , which won 108 of the 212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 54 of the 106 seats in the Senate .[ 2] Voter turnout was 92.6%.[ 3] This election was the last one in Belgian history where a single party achieved an absolute majority. Elections for the nine provincial councils were also held.
The elections took place a few months after the divisive referendum on returning King Leopold III from exile and restoring his monarchial duties (the Royal Question ). Following the election, a single-party Catholic government was formed with Jean Duvieusart as Prime Minister, who oversaw the return of King Leopold III, but who was quickly succeeded by Joseph Pholien as Prime Minister, following strikes and protests due to Leopold's return, which ultimately led to his abdication.
Results
Chamber of Deputies Party Votes % Seats +/– Christian Social Party 2,356,608 47.68 108 +3 Belgian Socialist Party 1,705,781 34.51 73 +7 Liberal Party 556,102 11.25 20 –9 Communist Party of Belgium 234,541 4.75 7 –5 Liberal–Socialist Kartels 87,252 1.77 4 +4 Cosmocraten 1,535 0.03 0 0 Belgian Patriotic Party 656 0.01 0 0 Independents 332 0.01 0 0 Total 4,942,807 100.00 212 0 Valid votes 4,942,807 94.70 Invalid/blank votes 276,471 5.30 Total votes 5,219,278 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 5,635,452 92.62 Source: Belgian Elections[ 4]
Senate Party Votes % Seats +/– Christian Social Party 2,210,712 47.19 54 0 Belgian Socialist Party 1,631,368 34.82 37 +4 Liberal Party 526,575 11.24 10 –4 Communist Party of Belgium 229,093 4.89 3 –2 Liberal–Socialist Kartels 86,801 1.85 2 +2 Independents 262 0.01 0 0 Total 4,684,811 100.00 106 0 Valid votes 4,684,811 94.34 Invalid/blank votes 280,854 5.66 Total votes 4,965,665 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 5,635,452 88.11 Source: Belgian Elections[ 5]
References