1961 Belgian general election

1961 Belgian general election

26 March 1961
212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
First party Second party Third party   Leader Théo Lefèvre Léo Collard Roger Motz Party Christian Social Socialist Liberal Leader since Candidate for PM 1959 1958 Last election 104 seats, 46.50% 80 seats, 35.79% 20 seats, 11.05% Seats won 96 84 20 Seat change 8 4 Popular vote 2,182,642 1,933,424 649,376 Percentage 41.46% 36.72% 12.33% Swing 5.04% 0.93% 1.28%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Frans Van der Elst Ernest Burnelle Jean-Marie Evrard Party VU PVDA-PTB RN Leader since 1955 1954 1959 Last election 1 seat, 1.98% 2 seats, 1.89% New Seats won 5 5 1 Seat change 4 3 New Popular vote 182,407 162,238 42,450 Percentage 3.46% 3.08% 0.81% Swing 1.48% 1.19% New
Chamber seat distribution by constituency
Government before election G. Eyskens IV CVP/PSC-Lib Government after election Lefèvre CVP/PSC-BSP/PSB

General elections were held in Belgium on 26 March 1961. The result was a victory for the Christian Social Party, which won 96 of the 212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 47 of the 106 seats in the Senate. Voter turnout was 92.3%. Elections for the nine provincial councils were also held.

Prior to the elections, the centre-right government of the Christian Social and Liberal Party led by Gaston Eyskens pushed through austerity measures with a law known as the Eenheidswet or Loi Unique, despite heavy strikes in the preceding weeks, especially in Wallonia. After the elections, the Christian Democrats formed a new government with the Socialist Party instead of the Liberal Party, with Théo Lefèvre as Prime Minister.

Results

Chamber of Deputies

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Christian Social Party	2,182,642	41.46	96	–8
	Belgian Socialist Party	1,933,424	36.72	84	+4
	Liberal Party	649,376	12.33	20	0
	People's Union	182,407	3.46	5	+4
	Communist Party of Belgium	162,238	3.08	5	+3
	National Rally	42,450	0.81	1	New
	Independent Party	33,174	0.63	0	New
	National Union of Independents	12,252	0.23	0	New
	National Party	4,375	0.08	0	New
	Liberal dissidents	3,956	0.08	0	New
	Walloon Unity	3,466	0.07	0	New
	Alleenstaande	3,101	0.06	0	New
	Zelfstandig	2,307	0.04	0	New
	Francophone Bloc	1,824	0.03	0	New
	Gekavemus	604	0.01	0	New
	Independent Workers	551	0.01	0	New
	Universal People	480	0.01	0	New
	EC Group	154	0.00	0	New
	Independents	46,244	0.88	1	+1
Total		5,265,025	100.00	212	0
Valid votes		5,265,025	94.46
Invalid/blank votes		308,815	5.54
Total votes		5,573,840	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		6,036,165	92.34
Source: Belgian Elections

Senate

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Christian Social Party	2,200,323	42.12	47	–6
	Belgian Socialist Party	1,924,605	36.84	45	+5
	Liberal Party	637,922	12.21	11	+1
	Communist Party of Belgium	163,576	3.13	1	0
	People's Union	159,096	3.05	2	+2
	National Movement	26,211	0.50	0	New
	Independent Party	21,421	0.41	0	New
	National Union of Independents	13,284	0.25	0	New
	Liberal dissidents	7,711	0.15	0	New
	National Rally	5,425	0.10	0	New
	National Party	4,457	0.09	0	New
	Walloon Unity	3,478	0.07	0	New
	Francophone Bloc	1,947	0.04	0	New
	Other parties	18,405	0.35	0	–
	Independents	36,646	0.70	0	0
Total		5,224,507	100.00	106	0
Valid votes		5,224,507	93.73
Invalid/blank votes		349,475	6.27
Total votes		5,573,982	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		6,036,165	92.34
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, Belgian Elections