BELGIUM: Gains for the Socialists

More than 5,000,000 Belgians went to the polls last week (voting is compulsory) for the first national election in four years. Premier Jean Van Houtte’s Social Christian (Catholic) Party, which has had a slim parliamentary majority, emerged from the election still the largest party, but it lost so many seats that Van Houtte submitted his resignation. King Baudouin asked him to stay on a while as caretaker. Biggest gainer: Paul-Henri Spaak’s Socialists. A coalition government with Socialist participation is certain, but whether the Socialists team up with the Social Christians or with the third-place Liberals is still to be seen.

While Socialist Leader Paul-Henri Spaak—an ardent supporter of NATO, EDC and a unified Europe—is presumably the leading choice for Premier, there is a chance that he will prefer to be Foreign Minister instead.