Christian Democratic and Flemish
Encyclopedia
The Christian Democratic and Flemish (Dutch
: , CD&V) is a political party
of Belgium
, formerly called Christian People's Party (Christelijke Volkspartij, CVP). It is a centre-right Flemish
party committed to Christian democracy
, with historic ties to both labour unionism (ACV) and corporative organisation as Unizo
and the Farmer's League.
As of the 2007 elections
, it formed the largest political formation in Belgium until the 2010 elections
, which led to a major loss. Currently, CD&V is a major member of the Flemish Government
led by Kris Peeters
.
. Then, the Christian Social Party
(PSC-CVP) existed from 1944 until 1968. In 1968, the PSC-CVP was split into to the (Walloon) PSC (now Humanist Democratic Centre
) and (Flemish) CVP. In 1999 the CVP became the CD&V.
The party was almost continually in power from its establishment until 1999. From 2003 it has been led by Yves Leterme, and before that was led by Stefaan De Clerck
. Now it is led by Jo Vandeurzen
. Despite its optimistic predictions, it came third in the 2003 elections, coming behind the Flemish Liberals and Democrats
(VLD) and the SP.A-Spirit
cartel. Much of its predominantly rural support was taken by the nationalist party Vlaams Blok
.
CD&V led the opposition to VLD prime minister Guy Verhofstadt
who had formed a center-left coalition between liberals, socialists and greens in 1999 on the federal and Flemish Government level. In 2003 CD&V again lost the federal elections which continuated the federal center-left coalition, but this time without the Greens. On 13 June 2004 Flemish elections were held alongside European elections. CD&V led by Yves Leterme
won these elections, partly by forming a cartel with the moderate nationalist N-VA, and retook its historic position as largest party in Flanders. On the 20th of July 2004 Yves Leterme
presented the new Flemish Government and was sworn into office as the new Minister-President of Flanders. He negotiated a coalition of VLD, SP.A-Spirit and CD&V/N-VA.
(N-VA) electoral pact in the 2007 elections. In the 10 June 2007 general elections
, the cartel won 30 out of 150 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 9 out of 40 seats in the Senate
.
Having become the largest political formation as a result of these elections, the CD&V looked to lead 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.
with the N-VA in 2008, CD&V chose to keep the coalition government running without them to face the problems of the international economic and financial crisis. Furthermore, in 2010 the government wasn't able to solve the issue of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde
, which led to the decision of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats
to step out of the coalition and 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 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.
CD&V in coalition with N-VA
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.
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: , CD&V) is a political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
of Belgium
Politics of Belgium
Politics of Belgium takes place in a framework of a federal, parliamentary, representative democratic, constitutional monarchy, whereby the King of the Belgians is the Head of State and the Prime Minister of Belgium is the head of government in a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by...
, formerly called Christian People's Party (Christelijke Volkspartij, CVP). It is a centre-right Flemish
Flemish Community
The term Flemish Community has two distinct, though related, meanings:...
party committed to Christian democracy
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
, with historic ties to both labour unionism (ACV) and corporative organisation as Unizo
UNIZO
UNIZO is a Belgian organization of Self-Employed and Small and Medium Sized Enterprises ; it is mainly situated in the Flemish region of the Kingdom of Belgium. UNIZO wants to give SMEs a voice from the local up to the European level...
and the Farmer's League.
As of the 2007 elections
Belgian general election, 2007
The 2007 Belgian general election took place on Sunday 10 June 2007. Voters went to the polls in order to elect new members for the Chamber of Representatives and Senate.Eligible voters were Belgian citizens 18 years and older...
, it formed the largest political formation in Belgium until the 2010 elections
Belgian general election, 2010
General elections were held in Belgium on 13 June 2010. After the fall of the previous government over the withdrawal of Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats from the government the King dissolved the legislature and called new elections...
, which led to a major loss. Currently, CD&V is a major member of the Flemish Government
Flemish government
The Flemish Government is the executive branch of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region. It consists of up to a maximum of eleven ministers, chosen by the Flemish Parliament...
led by Kris Peeters
Kris Peeters
Kris Peeters is a Flemish politician and member of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party who is currently Minister-President of Flanders, the northern region of Belgium....
.
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 the so-called christian-democrats shifted the focus of the party slightly to the left. In the interwar years the party was renamed Catholic BlockCatholic Party (Belgium)
The first Catholic Party in Belgium was established in 1869 as the Confessional Catholic Party .-History:In 1852 a Union Constitutionelle et Conservatrice was founded in Ghent, in Leuven , and in Antwerp and Brussels in 1858, which were active only during elections...
. Then, the Christian Social Party
Christian Social Party (Belgium, defunct)
The Christian Social Party was a Belgian Catholic political party, which existed from 1945 until 1968.-History:At the end of World War II, on 18–19 August 1945 the Christelijke Volkspartij-Parti Social Chrétien was founded under the presidency of August de Schryver as the successor to the...
(PSC-CVP) existed from 1944 until 1968. In 1968, the PSC-CVP was split into to the (Walloon) PSC (now Humanist Democratic Centre
Humanist Democratic Centre
The Humanist Democratic Centre is a Francophone Christian democratic political party in Belgium. The cdH currently participates in the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, the Government of the French Community and the Walloon Government.- History :...
) and (Flemish) CVP. In 1999 the CVP became the CD&V.
The party was almost continually in power from its establishment until 1999. From 2003 it has been led by Yves Leterme, and before that was led by Stefaan De Clerck
Stefaan De Clerck
Stefaan Maria Joris Yolanda De Clerck is a Belgian politician and former Minister of Justice of Belgium. He was Minister of Justice from 1995 until 1998 as well, when he resigned following the escape from prison of Marc Dutroux. He has served as chairman of Christian Democratic and Flemish party...
. Now it is led by Jo Vandeurzen
Jo Vandeurzen
Johan Maria Gerardus "Jo" Vandeurzen is a Belgian politician, member of Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams , a centrist Flemish Christian Democratic party. He was the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Justice and Institutional Reforms in the Leterme I Government , which took office on 20...
. Despite its optimistic predictions, it came third in the 2003 elections, coming behind the Flemish Liberals and Democrats
Flemish Liberals and Democrats
' , commonly known as Open VLD and also simply as the VLD, is a Flemish liberal political party in Belgium, created in 1992 from the former Party for Freedom and Progress and a few other politicians from other parties. The party led the government for three cabinets under Guy Verhofstadt from 1999...
(VLD) and the SP.A-Spirit
SP.A-Spirit
The SP.a-SPIRIT was a Belgian electoral coalition between the Flemish parties Socialist Party Different and Spirit....
cartel. Much of its predominantly rural support was taken by the nationalist party Vlaams Blok
Vlaams Blok
The Vlaams Blok was a Belgian far-right and secessionist political party with an anti-immigration platform. Its ideologies embraced Flemish nationalism, calling for the independence of Flanders. From its creation in 1978, it was the most notable militant right wing of the Flemish movement. Vlaams...
.
CD&V led the opposition to VLD prime minister Guy Verhofstadt
Guy Verhofstadt
Guy Verhofstadt is a Belgian politician who was the 47th Prime Minister of Belgium from 1999 to 2008. He is currently a Member of the European Parliament and leader of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.- Early career :...
who had formed a center-left coalition between liberals, socialists and greens in 1999 on the federal and Flemish Government level. In 2003 CD&V again lost the federal elections which continuated the federal center-left coalition, but this time without the Greens. On 13 June 2004 Flemish elections were held alongside European elections. CD&V led by Yves Leterme
Yves Leterme
Yves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008...
won these elections, partly by forming a cartel with the moderate nationalist N-VA, and retook its historic position as largest party in Flanders. On the 20th of July 2004 Yves Leterme
Yves Leterme
Yves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008...
presented the new Flemish Government and was sworn into office as the new Minister-President of Flanders. He negotiated a coalition of VLD, SP.A-Spirit and CD&V/N-VA.
2007 elections
Although unwilling to state clearly his position as aspiring prime minister of Belgium, Leterme led the Senate list for the CD&V/New-Flemish AllianceNew-Flemish Alliance
' is a Flemish right-wing political party, founded in the autumn of 2001. It is a conservative and liberal movement that promotes civic nationalism...
(N-VA) electoral pact in the 2007 elections. In the 10 June 2007 general elections
Belgian general election, 2007
The 2007 Belgian general election took place on Sunday 10 June 2007. Voters went to the polls in order to elect new members for the Chamber of Representatives and Senate.Eligible voters were Belgian citizens 18 years and older...
, the cartel won 30 out of 150 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 9 out of 40 seats in the Senate
Belgian Senate
The Belgian Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral Federal Parliament of Belgium, the other being the Chamber of Representatives. It is considered to be the "upper house" of the Federal Parliament.-History and future:...
.
Having become the largest political formation as a result of these elections, the CD&V looked to lead the subsequent coalition talks, which repeatedly stalled (see 2007–2008 Belgian government formation
2007–2008 Belgian government formation
The 2007–2008 Belgian government formation followed the general election of 10 June 2007, and consisted of a period of negotiation in which the Flemish parties Flemish Liberal Democratic , Christian Democratic and Flemish and New Flemish Alliance , and the French-speaking parties Reformist...
). On the 20 March 2008, a new federal government was finally assembled.
2010 elections
After the break-up of the cartelCartel
A cartel is a formal agreement among competing firms. It is a formal organization of producers and manufacturers that agree to fix prices, marketing, and production. Cartels usually occur in an oligopolistic industry, where there is a small number of sellers and usually involve homogeneous products...
with the N-VA in 2008, CD&V chose to keep the coalition government running without them to face the problems of the international economic and financial crisis. Furthermore, in 2010 the government wasn't able to solve the issue of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde
Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde
Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde is a Belgian electoral and judicial arrondissement in the center of the country, encompassing:* the officially bilingual Brussels-Capital Region, which coincides...
, which led to the decision of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats
Flemish Liberals and Democrats
' , commonly known as Open VLD and also simply as the VLD, is a Flemish liberal political party in Belgium, created in 1992 from the former Party for Freedom and Progress and a few other politicians from other parties. The party led the government for three cabinets under Guy Verhofstadt from 1999...
to step out of the coalition and 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 New-Flemish Alliance. In the campaign, former prime minister Yves Leterme
Yves Leterme
Yves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008...
took a subtle step aside as frontrunner of the party. The president of the party, Marianne Thyssen
Marianne Thyssen
Marianne Leonie Petrus Thyssen is a Belgian politician and Member of the European Parliament for Flanders with the CD&V/N-VA, a Vice-Chairwoman of the European People's Party and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection.On 15 May 2008 she was...
, had pre-electorally stated that she was a candidate to become prime minister.
Electoral results (1971-2010)
Results for the Chamber of Representatives, in percentages for the Kingdom of Belgium.CD&V in coalition with N-VA
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
- 1968-1972 Robert Vandekerckhove
- 1972-1979 Wilfried MartensWilfried MartensWilfried Martens is a Belgian politician. He was born in Sleidinge . Martens was the 44th Prime Minister of Belgium from 3 April 1979 to 6 April 1981 and 17 December 1981 to 7 March 1992....
- 1979-1982 Leo Tindemans
- 1982-1988 Frank SwaelenFrank SwaelenFrank Swaelen was a Belgian Christian Democratic politician and member of the Christian People's Party . He was born in Antwerp. In 1968, he became a member of the Chamber of Representatives...
- 1988-1993 Herman Van RompuyHerman Van RompuyHerman Achille Van Rompuy is the first long-term and full-time President of the European Council...
- 1993-1996 Johan Van HeckeJohan Van HeckeJohan Jozef Marie Clara Van Hecke is a Belgian politician and Member of the European Parliament for Flanders with the Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten, part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade.He is also a...
- 1996-1999 Marc Van Peel
- 1999-2001 Stefaan De ClerckStefaan De ClerckStefaan Maria Joris Yolanda De Clerck is a Belgian politician and former Minister of Justice of Belgium. He was Minister of Justice from 1995 until 1998 as well, when he resigned following the escape from prison of Marc Dutroux. He has served as chairman of Christian Democratic and Flemish party...
CD&V
- 2001-2003 Stefaan De ClerckStefaan De ClerckStefaan Maria Joris Yolanda De Clerck is a Belgian politician and former Minister of Justice of Belgium. He was Minister of Justice from 1995 until 1998 as well, when he resigned following the escape from prison of Marc Dutroux. He has served as chairman of Christian Democratic and Flemish party...
- 2003-2004 Yves LetermeYves LetermeYves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008...
- 2004-2007 Jo VandeurzenJo VandeurzenJohan Maria Gerardus "Jo" Vandeurzen is a Belgian politician, member of Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams , a centrist Flemish Christian Democratic party. He was the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Justice and Institutional Reforms in the Leterme I Government , which took office on 20...
- 2007-2008 Etienne SchouppeEtienne SchouppeEtienne Adolf Schouppe is a Belgian politician. He is a member of the Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams party. Before his entry into politics, he was executive manager of the National Railway Company of Belgium. Schouppe was a member of the Belgian Senate from 2003 to 2010 and since 2008 the State...
- 2008-2008 Wouter BekeWouter BekeWouter Beke is a Belgian politician and a member of the CD&V. He was reelected as a member of the Belgian Senate in 2007.Wouter Beke studied Social Law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Political Sciences at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven...
- 2008-2010 Marianne ThyssenMarianne ThyssenMarianne Leonie Petrus Thyssen is a Belgian politician and Member of the European Parliament for Flanders with the CD&V/N-VA, a Vice-Chairwoman of the European People's Party and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection.On 15 May 2008 she was...
- 2010-present Wouter BekeWouter BekeWouter Beke is a Belgian politician and a member of the CD&V. He was reelected as a member of the Belgian Senate in 2007.Wouter Beke studied Social Law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Political Sciences at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven...
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.