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

## 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.

## Election results

### Chamber of Representatives

| 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 | $_{MinoritygovernmentuntilNovember1958,laterChristianSocial-Liberalcoalition}$ |
| 1961 | 2,182,642 | 41.5 | 96 / 212 | 8 | 1st | Christian Social-Socialist coalition |
| 1965 | 1,785,211 | 34.5 | 77 / 212 | 19 | 1st | $_{ChristianSocial-SocialistcoalitionuntilMarch1966,laterChristianSocial-Liberalcoalition}$ |
| 1968 | 1,643,785 | 31.8 | 69 / 212 | 8 | 1st | Christian Social-Socialist coalition |

## Notable members

* Jean Duvieusart
* Gaston Eyskens
* Pierre Harmel
* Théo Lefèvre
* Joseph Pholien
* Paul Vanden Boeynants
* Jean Van Houtte
* Count Jean Charles Snoy et d'Oppuers
