1946 Belgian general election

1946 Belgian general election

17 February 1946 (1946-02-17)
All 202 seats in the Chamber of Representatives 102 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Hubert Pierlot Paul-Henri Spaak Julien Lahaut Party Christian Social Socialist Communist Leader since Candidate for PM? Candidate for PM 1945 Last election 73 seats, 33.58% 64 seats, 29.44% 9 seats, 4.65% Seats won 92 69 23 Seat change 19 5 14 Popular vote 1,006,293 746,738 300,099 Percentage 42.54% 31.57% 12.69% Swing 8.96% 2.13% 8.04%   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Roger Motz Pierre Clerdent Antoine Delfosse Party Liberal Democratic Union Leader since 1945 1945 Last election 33 seats, 17.18% New party Seats won 17 1 Seat change 16 1 Popular vote 211,143 51,095 Percentage 8.93% 2.16% Swing 8.25 2.16%
Seats by constituency
Government before election van Acker II BSP/PSB-Lib-UDB-KPB/PCB Government after election Spaak II BSP/PSB

General elections were held in Belgium on 17 February 1946. The result was a victory for the Christian Social Party, which won 92 of the 202 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 51 of the 101 seats in the Senate. Voter turnout was 90.3%.

They were the first elections after the Second World War and saw fundamental changes among the political parties. The Flemish National Union, which held 17 seats prior to the war and collaborated with Nazi Germany during the war, was outlawed. The Catholic Party changed into the Christian Social Party while the Belgian Labour Party changed into the Belgian Socialist Party. The Liberal Party suffered major losses, while the Christian Social Party and the Communist Party made major gains.

Following the elections, Paul-Henri Spaak formed a Socialist minority government supported by the Communists. After he failed to win the confidence of the Christian Social and Liberal parties, outgoing PM Achille Van Acker formed a new government which included Socialists, Communists and Liberals.

Results

Chamber of Deputies

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	Christian Social Party	1,006,293	42.54	92
	Belgian Socialist Party	746,738	31.57	69
	Communist Party of Belgium	300,099	12.69	23
	Liberal Party	211,143	8.93	17
	Belgian Democratic Union	51,095	2.16	1
	Liberal–Socialist Kartels	37,844	1.60	0
	Union of Trades	3,360	0.14	0
	FRENSSEN	2,480	0.10	0
	Walloon Unity Party	1,774	0.07	0
	Belgian People's Movement	865	0.04	0
	Resistant	676	0.03	0
	Middle Classes	274	0.01	0
	Belgian Free Independents	212	0.01	0
	Independents	2,785	0.12	0
Total		2,365,638	100.00	202
Valid votes		2,365,638	96.14
Invalid/blank votes		94,971	3.86
Total votes		2,460,609	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		2,724,796	90.30
Source: Belgian Elections

Senate

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	Christian Social Party	999,264	42.74	51
	Belgian Socialist Party	729,943	31.22	34
	Communist Party of Belgium	300,655	12.86	11
	Liberal Party	214,837	9.19	4
	Belgian Democratic Union	48,441	2.07	0
	Liberal–Socialist Kartels	33,732	1.44	1
	Union of Trades	3,764	0.16	0
	Demarrez	3,753	0.16	0
	Independents	3,866	0.17	0
Total		2,338,255	100.00	101
Valid votes		2,338,255	95.63
Invalid/blank votes		106,767	4.37
Total votes		2,445,022	100.00
Source: Belgian Elections