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1954 Belgian general election
First party
Second party
Third party
Leader
Jean Van Houtte
Achille Van Acker
Henri Liebaert
Party
Christian Social
Socialist
Liberal
Leader since
Candidate for PM
Candidate for PM
1953
Last election
108 seats, 47.68%
73 seats, 34.51%
20 seats, 11.25%
Seats won
95
82
24
Seat change
13
9
4
Popular vote
2,123,408
1,927,015
626,983
Percentage
41.15%
37.34%
12.15%
Swing
6.53%
2.83%
0.90%
Fourth party
Fifth party
Sixth party
Leader
N/A
Edgard Lalmand
Walter Couvreur
Party
LSK
PVDA-PTB
CVV
Leader since
N/A
1943
1954
Last election
4 seats, 1.77%
7 seats, 4.75%
New
Seats won
5
4
1
Seat change
1
3
New
Popular vote
108,175
184,108
113,632
Percentage
2.10%
3.57%
2.20%
Swing
0.33%
1.18%
New
Chamber seat distribution by constituency
General elections were held in Belgium on 11 April 1954.[ 1] The dominant Christian Social Party won 95 of the 212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 49 of the 106 seats in the Senate .[ 2] Voter turnout was 93.2%.[ 3] Elections for the nine provincial councils were also held.
The outgoing Catholic government led by Jean Van Houtte lost their majority in parliament. The two other main parties, the Socialist and Liberal Party, subsequently formed a rare "purple" government with Achille Van Acker as Prime Minister. Both parties had an anti-clerical agenda and aimed to reverse policies of the Catholic government regarding private schools. This would become known as the Second School War .
Chamber of Deputies [ edit ]
Party Votes % Seats /– Christian Social Party 2,123,408 41.14 95 –13 Belgian Socialist Party 1,927,015 37.34 82 9 Liberal Party 626,983 12.15 24 4 Communist Party of Belgium 184,108 3.57 4 –3 Christian Flemish People's Union 113,632 2.20 1 New Liberal–Socialist Kartels 108,175 2.10 5 1 Christian Social Rally of Liberty 42,979 0.83 1 New Radio Antwerp 10,177 0.20 0 New Middle Class 9,729 0.19 0 New Universal People 3,139 0.06 0 New Veteran Combatants 1,839 0.04 0 New Van Wonterghem 1,817 0.04 0 New Liberal dissidents1,807 0.04 0 New Independent Social Party 1,613 0.03 0 New Hubert List 1,143 0.02 0 New Camus List 1,001 0.02 0 New Independent Union 884 0.02 0 New European Movement 581 0.01 0 New Flemish Bloc 456 0.01 0 New Mediator 191 0.00 0 New Independents 246 0.00 0 0 Total 5,160,923 100.00 212 0 Valid votes 5,160,923 94.46 Invalid/blank votes 302,668 5.54 Total votes 5,463,591 100.00 Registered voters/turnout 5,863,092 93.19 Source: Belgian Elections
Party Votes % Seats /– Christian Social Party 2,127,699 41.63 49 –5 Belgian Socialist Party 1,915,213 37.48 42 5 Liberal Party 620,979 12.15 11 1 Communist Party of Belgium 181,843 3.56 2 –1 Liberal–Socialist Kartels 108,966 2.13 2 0 Christian Flemish People's Union 155,758 3.05 0 New People's Union 0 New Christian Social Rally of Liberty 0 New Other parties 0 – Total 5,110,458 100.00 106 0 Registered voters/turnout 5,863,092 – Source: Nohlen & Stöver, Belgian Elections