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Socialist Party (francophone Belgium)
Encyclopedia
The Socialist Party is a Francophone
social-democratic
political party
in Belgium
. As of the 2010 elections
, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party. The party is led by Elio Di Rupo
and supplies the Ministers-President of the Walloon region and French Community
(Rudy Demotte
), the Brussels-Capital Region
(Charles Picqué
) and the German-speaking Community
(Karl-Heinz Lambertz
) of Belgium. In the German-speaking community, the party is known as the Sozialistische Partei (SP).
The PS is very commonly part of governing coalitions, and dominates most local authorities because of the extremely fragmented nature of Belgian political institutions, particularly in Francophone areas. In the years since 1999, the PS has simultaneously controlled five regional executive bodies: the Government of the French Community
, the Walloon Government, the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, as well as the COCOF
, a local subsidiary in Brussels of the French Community Government, and the Government of the German-speaking Community.
The party, or its members, have from time to time been brought into connection with criminal activities and political scandals, mostly concerning bribery and financial fraud (Cools assassination
, Agusta scandal
, Dassault Affair, Carolorégienne affair, ICDI affair). The Carolorégienne affair caused Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe
to step down as Minister-President of the Walloon region.
in the 2007 general election
In the 10 June 2007 general elections
, the party won 20 out of 150 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 4 out of 40 seats in the Senate
. PS was a member of the Leterme I Government
and the Van Rompuy I Government
and is currently a member of the Leterme II Government
which was formed on 25 November 2009.
became the party's strongman).
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
social-democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
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...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. As of 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...
, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party. The party is led by Elio Di Rupo
Elio Di Rupo
Elio Di Rupo is a Belgian social-democratic politician and the Party Leader of the Socialist Party .-Biography:...
and supplies the Ministers-President of the Walloon region and French Community
French Community of Belgium
The French Community of Belgium is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. Although its name could suggest that it is a community of French citizens in Belgium, it is not...
(Rudy Demotte
Rudy Demotte
Rudy W.G. Demotte is a Belgian socialist politician and present Minister-President of Wallonia since 19 July 2007, replacing Elio Di Rupo, one month after an historical defeat of the socialists in the federal election...
), the Brussels-Capital Region
Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region
The Minister-President of the Brussels Capital-Region is the person leading the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region. The post is appointed for 5 years along with 4 ministers and 3 "state" secretaries...
(Charles Picqué
Charles Picqué
Charles Picqué is a Belgian, French-speaking politician. He is currently serving his second term as Minister-President of the Brussels Capital-Region....
) and the German-speaking Community
German-speaking Community of Belgium
The German-speaking Community of Belgium is one of the three federal communities of Belgium. Covering an area of 854 km² within the province of Liège in Wallonia, it includes nine of the eleven municipalities of the so-called East Cantons...
(Karl-Heinz Lambertz
Karl-Heinz Lambertz
Karl-Heinz Lambertz , is a jurist and politician, currently the leader of the Government of the German-speaking Community of Belgium. He is noted for voicing an outspoken demand for his community, numbering about 70,000 around Eupen, to be separated from Wallonia and be recognised as a autonomous...
) of Belgium. In the German-speaking community, the party is known as the Sozialistische Partei (SP).
The PS is very commonly part of governing coalitions, and dominates most local authorities because of the extremely fragmented nature of Belgian political institutions, particularly in Francophone areas. In the years since 1999, the PS has simultaneously controlled five regional executive bodies: the Government of the French Community
Government of the French Community
The Cabinet of the French Community of Belgium is the executive branch of the French Community of Belgium, and it sits in Brussels. It consists of a number of ministers chosen by the Parliament of the French Community and is headed by a Minister-President....
, the Walloon Government, the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, as well as the COCOF
French Community Commission
The Commission communautaire française is the local representative of the French-speaking authorities in the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium....
, a local subsidiary in Brussels of the French Community Government, and the Government of the German-speaking Community.
The party, or its members, have from time to time been brought into connection with criminal activities and political scandals, mostly concerning bribery and financial fraud (Cools assassination
André Cools
André H.P. Cools was a Belgian socialist politician who died by assassination.-Political career:Cools had a long and distinguished political career...
, Agusta scandal
Agusta scandal
The Agusta scandal or the Case Agusta-Dassault was a Belgian corruption scandal. It resulted from the purchase of military helicopter of the Agusta A109 Agusta-type by the Belgian Army in 1988, where Agusta and Dassault bribed various office holders...
, Dassault Affair, Carolorégienne affair, ICDI affair). The Carolorégienne affair caused Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe
Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe
Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe , nicknamed "Van Cau", is a Walloon politician. He is member of the Belgian French-speaking Socialist Party ....
to step down as Minister-President of the Walloon region.
Electoral results
The PS performed well in the 2003 general election, but were overtaken as the largest Francophone party by the Reformist MovementReformist Movement
The Reformist Movement is a French-speaking liberal political party in Belgium. The party was in coalition as part of the Leterme II Government, and was also part of the governing coalition in the Walloon Region and Brussels-Capital Region until the 2004 regional elections...
in the 2007 general election
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...
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 party won 20 out of 150 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 4 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:...
. PS was a member of the Leterme I Government
Leterme I Government
The Leterme I Government was the federal government of Belgium from 20 March 2008 to 22 December 2008. It took office when the Flemish Christian democrat Yves Leterme was sworn in as Prime Minister...
and the Van Rompuy I Government
Van Rompuy I Government
The Van Rompuy I Government was the federal government of Belgium from 30 December 2008 until 15 November 2009. Herman Van Rompuy was nominated as the first President of the European Council and resigned shortly after as Premier...
and is currently a member of the Leterme II Government
Leterme II Government
The Leterme II Government was the federal government of Belgium from 24 November 2009 to 26 April 2010. it is still the caretaker government. It took office when the Flemish Christian Democrat Yves Leterme was sworn in as Prime Minister. It followed the Van Rompuy I Government which ended...
which was formed on 25 November 2009.
Timeline
Results for the Chamber of Representatives, in percentages for the Kingdom of Belgium.Ideology
The ideology and image of the PS is a mix of old-style state interventionism, combined with a modern electoral marketing (since Elio Di RupoElio Di Rupo
Elio Di Rupo is a Belgian social-democratic politician and the Party Leader of the Socialist Party .-Biography:...
became the party's strongman).
Notable figures
Chairmen
- André CoolsAndré CoolsAndré H.P. Cools was a Belgian socialist politician who died by assassination.-Political career:Cools had a long and distinguished political career...
, 1978-1981 (previously leader of the Walloon branch of the BSP/PSB) - Guy SpitaelsGuy SpitaelsGuy G. A. Gh. Spitaels is a Belgian politician of the Socialist Party. He graduated in 1957 in political and social sciences at the Universite Catholique de Louvain ....
, 1981–1992 - Philippe BusquinPhilippe BusquinPhilippe Busquin is a Belgian politician. He was Member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2009 for the French Community of Belgium with the Parti Socialiste, part of the Socialist Group and sat on the European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy. Busquin was the chairman...
, 1992–1999 - Elio Di RupoElio Di RupoElio Di Rupo is a Belgian social-democratic politician and the Party Leader of the Socialist Party .-Biography:...
, 1999–present
Other
- Rudy DemotteRudy DemotteRudy W.G. Demotte is a Belgian socialist politician and present Minister-President of Wallonia since 19 July 2007, replacing Elio Di Rupo, one month after an historical defeat of the socialists in the federal election...
- André FlahautAndré FlahautAndré M.J.Gh. Flahaut is a Belgian politician. He was born on 18 August 1955 in Walhain, then in the province of Brabant and now in the province of Walloon Brabant. Flahaut studied political sciences and public administration at the Université Libre de Bruxelles.He joined the Socialist Party in...
- Jean-Claude MarcourtJean-Claude MarcourtJean-Claude Marcourt is since 2009 the Vice-Minister-President, minister of Economy and Foreign Affairs of the Walloon government and Vice-Minister-President and Minister of Higher Education of the Government of the French Community. He is member of the Belgian Francophone Socialist Party...
- Philippe MoureauxPhilippe MoureauxPhilippe Moureaux is a Belgian politician, senator, mayor of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, and professor of economic history at the Université Libre de Bruxelles....
- Laurette OnkelinxLaurette OnkelinxLaurette A.J. Onkelinx is a Belgian politician from the Francophone Socialist Party. She is the Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health in the Belgian federal government, i.e., the Van Rompuy I Government, which took office on 30 December 2008.-Biography:Born to Gaston Onkelinx and Germaine...
- Jean-Claude Van CauwenbergheJean-Claude Van CauwenbergheJean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe , nicknamed "Van Cau", is a Walloon politician. He is member of the Belgian French-speaking Socialist Party ....