1971 Belgian general election

7 November 1971
All 212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives
First party Second party Third party   Leader Jos Van Eynde Edmond Leburton Gaston Eyskens Pierre Descamps Party Socialist CVP PVV-PLP Last election 27.10%, 59 seats – 20.87%, 47 seats Seats won 57 40 34 Seat change 2 New 13 Popular vote 1,335,730 967,701 865,655 Percentage 25.29% 18.32% 16.39% Swing 1.81pp New 4.48pp   Fourth party Fifth party   Leader Frans Van der Elst Robert J. Houben Party VU PSC Last election 9.79%, 20 seats – Seats won 21 15 Seat change 1 New Popular vote 586,917 327,393 Percentage 11.11% 6.20% Swing 1.32pp New
Results by constituency for the Chamber of Representatives
Government before election G. Eyskens V CVP-PSC-BSP/PSB Government after election G. Eyskens V CVP-PSC-BSP/PSB

Politics of Belgium
Constitution Taxation Constitutional Court
Monarchy Monarch (list) Philippe Duchess of Brabant Elisabeth of Belgium Crown Council Royal Family
Federal Parliament Senate President: Stephanie D'Hose Chamber of Representatives President: Eliane Tillieux
Federal Cabinet De Croo Government Prime Minister: Alexander De Croo
Judiciary Administrative jurisdictions Council of State Highest court Court of Cassation Appellate courts Court of appeal Court of labour Trial courts Court of assizes Tribunal of first instance Civil tribunal Correctional tribunal Family and juvenile tribunal Sentence enforcement tribunal Labour tribunal Enterprise tribunal Minor crimes Minor claims Police tribunal Justice of the peace
Recent elections European 2009 2014 2019 2024 Federal 2007 2010 2014 2019 Regional 2004 2009 2014 2019 Local 2000 2006 2012 2018 Political parties
Subdivisions Communities and regions Provinces Arrondissements Municipalities
Foreign relations France-Belgium relations Belgium-Germany relations Belgium-United Kingdom relations Belgium-Netherlands relations Belgium–Luxembourg relations Politics of the European Union
Belgium portal Other countries

General elections were held in Belgium on 7 November 1971.^[1] The result was a victory for the Christian People's Party, which won 40 of the 212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 34 of the 106 seats in the Senate. Voter turnout was 91.5%.^[2] Elections to the nine provincial councils were also held.

The linguistic issues led to the splitting of the major parties into separate Flemish and Francophone parties. Consequently the election returned a very fragmented parliament.

The election followed the first state reform, with the creation of three cultural communities. The newly elected members of parliament would thus also serve in the newly established cultural councils.

Results

Chamber of Representatives

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Belgian Socialist Party	1,335,730	25.29	57	–2
	Christian People's Party	967,701	18.32	40	New
	Party for Freedom and Progress	865,655	16.39	34	–13
	People's Union	586,917	11.11	21	+1
	Christian Social Party	327,393	6.20	15	New
	Walloon Rally	306,606	5.81	12	+6
	PSC–CVP	292,101	5.53	12	−57
	FDF–Walloon Rally	286,639	5.43	12	New
	Communist Party	161,517	3.06	5	0
	Red Lions	104,040	1.97	4	+4
	Independent Liberal Party	21,919	0.42	0	New
	Independent Christians	7,801	0.15	0	New
	Liberal Flemish People's Party	2,740	0.05	0	New
	Trotskyists	2,660	0.05	0	0
	Kaganovemus	2,580	0.05	0	New
	Van Meerhage	2,004	0.04	0	New
	Z Kleur	1,547	0.03	0	0
	Democratic and Progressive Union	1,534	0.03	0	New
	Francophone Party	1,471	0.03	0	New
	New Party	899	0.02	0	New
	U Verbruik	640	0.01	0	New
	Dieferenbes	633	0.01	0	0
	De Keyzer	565	0.01	0	New
	R D Wal	339	0.01	0	New
Total		5,281,631	100.00	212	0
Valid votes		5,281,631	91.99
Invalid/blank votes		459,637	8.01
Total votes		5,741,268	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		6,271,240	91.55
Source: Belgian Elections

References