1968 Belgian general election

General elections were held in Belgium on 31 March 1968.^[1] The Christian Social Party remained the largest party.^[2] Voter turnout was 90.0%.^[3] Elections for the nine provincial councils were also held.

1968 Belgian general election

← 1965 31 March 1968 1971 →
212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
First party Second party Third party   Leader Gaston Eyskens Léo Collard Omer Vanaudenhove Party Christian Social Socialist Freedom and Progress Leader since Candidate for PM 1959 1961 Last election 77 seats, 34.45% 64 seats, 28.28% 48 seats, 21.61% Seats won 69 59 47 Seat change 8 5 1 Popular vote 1,643,785 1,403,107 1,080,894 Percentage 31.75% 27.10% 20.87% Swing 2.65% 1.18% 0.74%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader Frans Van der Elst Albert Peeters Party VU FDF RW Leader since 1955 1967 Last election 12 seats, 6.69% 3 seats, 1.33% New Seats won 20 6 6 Seat change 8 3 New Popular vote 506,697 154,023 151,421 Percentage 9.79% 2.92% 2.92% Swing 3.10% 1.59% New
Chamber seat distribution by constituency.
Government before election Vanden Boeynants I CVP/PSC-PVV/PLP Government after election G. Eyskens V CVP/PSC-BSP/PSB

The snap elections were called after the government, a coalition of the Christian Social Party and the liberal Party for Freedom and Progress led by Christian Democrat Paul Vanden Boeynants, fell due to the Leuven Crisis.

The linguistic crisis would trigger the split of the dominant Christian Social Party into a Flemish and French-speaking party. The two other main parties would follow suit. The crisis also caused the rise of small linguistic, federalist parties, such as the People's Union on the Flemish side and the Democratic Front of the Francophones and Walloon Rally on the French-speaking side.

Results

Chamber of Deputies

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Christian Social Party	1,643,785	31.75	69	–8
	Belgian Socialist Party	1,403,107	27.10	59	–5
	Party for Freedom and Progress	1,080,894	20.87	47	–1
	People's Union	506,697	9.79	20	+8
	Communist Party of Belgium	170,625	3.30	5	–1
	Democratic Front of the Francophones	154,023	2.97	6	+3
	Walloon Rally	151,421	2.92	6	New
	Red Lions	46,065	0.89	0	New
	Walloon Workers	3,474	0.07	0	New
	Pro-Peking Communists	3,119	0.06	0	New
	ULS	2,694	0.05	0	New
	Return to Liège	1,933	0.04	0	New
	Flemish Social Movement	1,922	0.04	0	New
	Kaganovemus	1,634	0.03	0	0
	Dierenbes	1,608	0.03	0	New
	Walloon Communists	964	0.02	0	New
	Z. Kleur	723	0.01	0	New
	Flemish Communists	702	0.01	0	New
	FU Pop	572	0.01	0	New
	Trotskyists	289	0.01	0	New
	SH	198	0.00	0	New
	RJB	161	0.00	0	New
	Independents	1,342	0.03	0	0
Total		5,177,952	100.00	212	0
Valid votes		5,177,952	93.22
Invalid/blank votes		376,700	6.78
Total votes		5,554,652	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		6,170,167	90.02
Source: Belgian Elections

Senate

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Belgian Socialist Party	1,410,617	27.60	33	+2
	Christian Social Party	1,398,065	27.35	29	–15
	Party for Freedom and Progress	1,073,860	21.01	22	–1
	People's Union	513,342	10.04	9	+5
	FDF–RW	293,433	5.74	5	+4
	Communist Party of Belgium	180,130	3.52	2	–1
	Vanden Boeynants Kartel	183,171	3.58	6	New
	Red Lions	45,097	0.88	0	New
	Walloon Workers	3,777	0.07	0	New
	Pro-Peking Communists	3,452	0.07	0	New
	Kaganovemus	2,694	0.05	0	0
	ULS	2,364	0.05	0	New
	Flemish Communists	801	0.02	0	New
	Walloon Communists	520	0.01	0	New
	FU Pop	495	0.01	0	New
Total		5,111,818	100.00	106	0
Valid votes		5,111,818	92.05
Invalid/blank votes		441,379	7.95
Total votes		5,553,197	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		6,170,167	90.00
Source: Belgian Elections, Statistical Yearbook

References

1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p289 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. Nohlen & Stöver, pp309-311
3. Nohlen & Stöver, p291