1958 Belgian general election

1958 Belgian general election

1 June 1958
212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
First party Second party Third party   Leader Gaston Eyskens Achille Van Acker Maurice Destenay Party Christian Social 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
Chamber seat distribution by constituency
Government before election van Acker IV BSP/PSB-Lib Government after election G. Eyskens II Christian Social

General elections were held in Belgium on 1 June 1958. 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. Voter turnout was 93.6% in the Chamber election and 93.7% in the Senate election. 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 again to 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–Socialist 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	–
Total		5,302,353	100.00	212	0
Valid votes		5,302,353	95.11
Invalid/blank votes		272,774	4.89
Total votes		5,575,127	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		5,954,858	93.62
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Senate

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Christian Social Party	2,478,153	47.12	53	+4
	Belgian Socialist Party	1,886,242	35.87	40	–2
	Liberal Party	574,230	10.92	10	–1
	Liberal–Socialist Kartels	111,299	2.12	2	0
	Communist Party of Belgium	100,788	1.92	1	–1
	People's Union	84,364	1.60	0	0
	Democratic Party	23,953	0.46	0	–
	Independents			0	–
Total		5,259,029	100.00	106	0
Valid votes		5,259,029	94.26
Invalid/blank votes		320,096	5.74
Total votes		5,579,125	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		5,954,858	93.69
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, Belgian Elections