Christian Democratic and Flemish

Christian Democratic and Flemish[8][9] (Dutch: Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams, listen ; CD&V) is a Flemish Christian-democratic political party in Belgium.[2][3] The party has historical ties to both trade unionism (ACV) and trade associations (UNIZO) and the Farmer's League. Until 2001, the party was named the Christian People's Party (Christelijke Volkspartij, CVP).

Christian Democratic and Flemish

Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams
PresidentJoachim Coens
Founded1968 (CVP)
2001 (CD&V)
Preceded byChristian Social Party
HeadquartersWetstraat 89
1040 Brussels
Membership (2018) 50,000[1]
IdeologyChristian democracy[2][3]
Political positionCentre[4][5][6] to centre-right[7]
European affiliationEuropean People's Party
International affiliationCentrist Democrat International
European Parliament groupEuropean People's Party
French-speaking counterpartHumanist Democratic Centre
German-speaking counterpartChristian Social Party
Colours  Orange
Chamber of Representatives
(Flemish seats)
12 / 87
Senate
(Flemish seats)
5 / 35
Flemish Parliament
19 / 124
Brussels Parliament
(Flemish seats)
1 / 17
European Parliament
(Flemish seats)
2 / 12
Flemish Provincial Councils
40 / 175
Website
www.cdenv.be

It was traditionally the largest political party of Flanders, until it was overtaken by the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) in the 2010s. CD&V participated in most governments and has generally the largest number of mayors. Most Prime Ministers of Belgium and Ministers-President of Flanders have been CD&V politicians. Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council from 2009 to 2014, is one of the leading politicians of CD&V.

CD&V is a member of the European People's Party (EPP) and Centrist Democrat International.

History

The history of the CD&V dates back to the 19th century. It originated in the 19th century catholic party, or 'Parti conservateur' (Conservative Party). At the end of the century, the new fraction of Christian democrats shifted the focus of the party slightly to the left. In the interwar years the party was renamed Catholic Bloc. Then, the Christian Social Party (PSC-CVP) existed from 1945 until 1968. In 1968, the PSC-CVP was split into the French-speaking Christian Social Party (PSC, now Humanist Democratic Centre, cdH) and Flemish Christian People's Party (Christelijke Volkspartij CVP).[10][11] In 2001 the CVP changed its name to the CD&V.

The party was almost continually in power from its establishment until 1999, with the exception of 1954–1958. In 1999, the Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) became the largest party in Belgium, and formed a majority purple government of liberals, social democrats and greens. The same happened in the Flemish Government, but with the addition of Flemish nationalists. In 2003 CD&V again lost the federal elections which continued the federal centre-left coalition, but this time without the Greens.

In 2004, Flemish elections were held and the CD&V once more became the largest political party by representation in the Flemish Parliament. Yves Leterme became Flemish minister-president. After successful local elections in 2006, the party became the largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives after the federal elections of 2007. The CD&V led the subsequent coalition talks, which repeatedly stalled (see 2007–2008 Belgian government formation). On the 20 March 2008, a new federal government was finally assembled, led by Yves Leterme. Kris Peeters subsequently became the next minister-president of Flanders. From 30 December 2008 till 25 November 2009, Herman Van Rompuy led his first cabinet before becoming the first permanent president of the European Council. Afterwards, Yves Leterme led his second government.

In June 2009, Flemish elections were held and the CD&V remained the largest party of Flanders. Kris Peeters stayed as Flemish minister-president. The party also remained the largest Flemish party in the European Parliament after the 2009 European elections.

In 2010, the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD) decided to step out of the federal coalition, consequently ending the government. The federal elections of 2010 resulted in a major loss of historic proportions for CD&V, largely due to votes lost to the Flemish-nationalist New Flemish Alliance. In the campaign, former prime minister Yves Leterme took a subtle step aside as frontrunner of the party. The president of the party, Marianne Thyssen, had pre-electorally stated that she was a candidate to become Prime Minister.

On 6 December 2011, the Di Rupo Government was formed, with the CD&V as the largest Flemish party.

During the local elections in 2012, CD&V managed to remain the largest Flemish party on the local level. It remained in the coalition of all five Flemish provinces and in three quarters of the municipalities. Almost half of these municipalities were subsequently led by CD&V mayors.

Electoral results (1971–2014)

Federal Parliament

Results for the Chamber of Representatives, in percentages for the Kingdom of Belgium. From 1971 tot 1999: CVP figures. 2003: CD&V figures. 2007: CD&V/N-VA figures. From 2010 onwards: CD&V figures.

2014 Belgian general election2010 Belgian general election2007 Belgian general election2003 Belgian general election1999 Belgian general election1995 Belgian general election1991 Belgian general election1987 Belgian general election1985 Belgian general election1981 Belgian general election1978 Belgian general election1977 Belgian general election1974 Belgian general election1971 Belgian general election

Chamber of Representatives

Election year # of overall votes % of overall vote % of language
group vote
# of overall seats won # of language
group seats won
+/- Government Notes
1995 1,042,933 17.2
29 / 150
in coalition
1999 875,967 14.1
22 / 150
7 in opposition
2003 870,749 13.3
21 / 150
21 / 88
1 in opposition
2007 1,234,950 18.5
25 / 150
25 / 88
4 in coalition In cartel with N-VA; 30 seats won by CD&V/N-VA
2010 707,986 10.9
17 / 150
17 / 88
8 in coalition
2014 783,060 11.6
18 / 150
18 / 88
1 in coalition
2019 602,520 8.9
12 / 150
8 / 88
6 in coalition

Senate

Election year # of overall votes % of overall vote % of language
group vote
# of overall seats won # of language
group seats won
+/- Notes
1995 1,009,656 16.8 26.9 (#1)
7 / 40
7 / 25
1999 913,508 14.7 23.6 (#2)
6 / 40
6 / 25
1
2003 832,849 12.7 20.4 (#3)
6 / 40
6 / 25
0
2007 1,287,389 19.4 31.4 (#1)
8 / 40
8 / 25
2 In cartel with N-VA; 9 seats won by CD&V/N-VA
2010 646,375 10.0 16.2 (#2)
4 / 40
4 / 25
4 Last direct election

Brussels Parliament

Election year # of overall votes % of overall vote % of language
group vote
# of overall seats won # of language
group seats won
+/- Notes
1989 18,523 4.2 (#6)
4 / 75
1995 13,586 3.3 (#6)
3 / 75
1
1999 14,284 3.4 23.6 (#2)
3 / 75
0
2004 10,482 2.3 16.8 (#4)
3 / 89
3 / 17
0 In cartel with N-VA; 3 seats won by CD&V/N-VA
2009 7,696 1.7 14.9 (#4)
3 / 89
3 / 17
0
2014 6,105 1.3 11.4 (#5)
2 / 89
2 / 17
1

Flemish Parliament

Election year # of
overall votes
% of
overall vote
% of language
group vote
# of
overall seats won
# of language
group seats won
+/– Government Notes
1995 1,010,505 26.8 (#1)
37 / 124
in coalition
1999 857,732 22.1 (#1)
30 / 124
7 in opposition
2004 1,060,580 26.1 (#1)
29 / 124
1 in coalition In cartel with N-VA; 35 seats won by CD&V/N-VA
2009 939,873 22.9 (#1)
31 / 124
2 in coalition
2014 860,685 20.48 (#2)
27 / 124
4 in coalition
2019 652,766 15.40 (#3)
19 / 124
8 in coalition

Provincial elections

Provincial councils
year number of votes share of votes numer of councilors
1994
152 / 401
2000
128 / 411
2006 1,231,655 30.6%
136 / 411
2012 877,019 21.5%
82 / 351
2018 822,488 19.7%
40 / 175

European Parliament

Election year # of overall votes % of overall vote % of electoral
college vote
# of overall seats won # of electoral
college won
+/- Notes
1979 1,607,941 48.1 (#1)
7 / 24
7 / 13
1984 1,132,682 32.5 (#1)
4 / 24
4 / 13
3
1989 1,247,075 34.1 (#1)
5 / 24
5 / 13
1
1994 1,013,266 27.4 (#1)
4 / 25
4 / 14
1
1999 839,720 21.7 (#2)
3 / 25
3 / 14
1
2004 1,131,119 28.2 (#1)
3 / 24
3 / 14
0 In cartel with N-VA; 4 seats won by CD&V/N-VA
2009 948,123 23.3 (#1)
3 / 22
3 / 13
0
2014 840,814 12.57 20.0 (#3)
2 / 21
2 / 12
1
2019 617,651 9.17 14.53 (#4)
2 / 21
2 / 12
0

Presidents

CVP/PSC

  • 1945–1947 Gilbert Mullie
  • 1947–1949 Paul Willem Segers
  • 1949–1959 Jef De Schuyffeleer
  • 1959–1961 Fred Bertrand
  • 1961–1963 Jozef De Saeger
  • 1963–1968 Robert Vandekerckhove

CVP

CD&V

Until 1968 this lists gives the president of the Flemish part of the unitary CVP/PSC. The party changed its name from CVP to CD&V on 29 September 2001.

See also

Notes

  1. "Open VLD heeft de meeste leden en steekt CD&V voorbij". deredactie.be. 30 October 2014.
  2. Nordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "Flanders/Belgium". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  3. Ari-Veikko Anttiroiko; Matti Mälkiä (2007). Encyclopedia of Digital Government. Idea Group Inc (IGI). p. 397. ISBN 978-1-59140-790-4. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  4. Devillers, Sophie; Baudewyns, Pierre; De Winter, Lieven; Reuchamps, Min (1 November 2018). "Who do you feel and what future do you want for Belgium? A comparison of candidates and voters' identities and institutional preferences" (PDF). In Vandeleene, Audrey; De Winter, Lieven; Baudewyns, Pierre (eds.). Candidates, Parties and Voters in the Belgian Partitocracy. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-3-319-96460-7.
  5. Keman, Hans (25 July 2008). "The Low Countries: Confrontation and Coalition in Segmented Societies". In Colomer, Josep M. (ed.). Comparative European Politics (3rd ed.). Routledge. p. 220. ISBN 1-134-07354-2.
  6. Derks, Anton (2007). "Populist Challenges to the Welfare State in Belgium: On the Susceptibility of the Underprivileged for Anti-Welfare State Discourse and Politics". In Mau, Steffen; Veghte, Benjamin (eds.). Social Justice, Legitimacy and the Welfare State. Ashgate Publishing. p. 182. ISBN 978-0-7546-4939-7.
  7. Hyman, Richard; Gumbrell-McCormick, Rebecca (2010). "Trade unions, politics and parties: is a new configuration possible?" (PDF). Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research. 16 (3). doi:10.1177/1024258910373863.
  8. Brown, Stephen (1 December 2019). "Flanders' new battleground: culture". Politico. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  9. Bock, Pauline (7 October 2020). "Why did it take so long to form Belgium's new 'Vivaldi' coalition?". Euronews. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  10. Emiel Lamberts (1 January 1997). Christian Democracy in the European Union, 1945/1995: Proceedings of the Leuven Colloquium, 15-18 November 1995. Leuven University Press. p. 65. ISBN 978-90-6186-808-8. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  11. Daniele Caramani (29 March 2004). The Nationalization of Politics: The Formation of National Electorates and Party Systems in Western Europe. Cambridge University Press. p. 308. ISBN 978-0-521-53520-5. Retrieved 2 August 2013.

References

  • Th. Luykx and M. Platel, Politieke geschiedenis van België, 2 vol., Kluwer, 1985
  • W. Dewachter, Tussen staat en maatschappij, 1945–1995, christendemocratie in België, Tielt, 1995.
  • E. Witte, J. Craeybeckx en A. Meynen, Politieke geschiedenis van België, Standaard, 1997

Further reading

  • Beke, Wouter (2004). Steven Van Hecke; Emmanuel Gerard (eds.). Living Apart Together: Christian Democracy in Belgium. Christian Democratic Parties in Europe Since the End of the Cold War. Leuven University Press. pp. 133–158. ISBN 90-5867-377-4.
  • Lamberts, Emiel (2004). Michael Gehler; Wolfram Kaiser (eds.). The Zenith of Christian Democracy: The Christelijke Volkspartij/Parti Social Chrétien in Belgium. Christian Democracy in Europe since 1945. Routledge. pp. 59–73. ISBN 0-7146-5662-3.
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