The Malaise

What with the humiliating Congo defeat, the winter's long labor riots and the nation's economic malaise, Belgium was limp, dispirited and hardly in a mood for another round of national elections. Not even the campaign speeches of popular Paul-Henri Spaak. who quit as NATO Secretary-General to take over leadership of the Socialists, could whip up the listless crowds. Spaak's electioneering Socialists blamed Premier Gaston Eyskens and his Catholic-backed Social Christians for the Congo debacle, and attacked Eyskens' sensible but unpopular economic austerity program--price of the lost Congo-- because it meant higher taxes and reduced pensions. Belgium's voters were ready to criticize politicians of every stripe, in a sullen style reminiscent of the ugly, empty mood of Frenchmen in the last stages of the Fourth Republic.

On election day. 6,000,000 went to the polls, for voting is compulsory in Belgium. But 5 1/2% abstained by turning in unmarked ballots. Both the ruling coalition partners, the Social Christians and the Liberals (really conservatives) lost strength. The Socialists, on the other hand, held all their seats in the House of Representatives, gained five in the Senate. Even the Communists, who had lost strength steadily since 1946, suddenly found themselves with three new seats in the House, for a total of five; there were also gains for the far-right Flemish People's Union, which advocates a separate state with internal autonomy for the Flemish-speaking area in the north.

Despite their losses, the Social Christians were still the strongest party, would be the backbone of any new coalition. Badly trounced Gaston Eyskens would not be at its head. Emerging as new Social Christian candidate for the premiership is tough, freewheeling 47-year-old Theo Lefevre. president of the party since 1950. In the end, Lefevre would probably turn not to the Liberals but to the Socialists for help in forming a government. Socialist Leader Paul-Henri Spaak himself has ambitions for the nation's top job; moreover, the Socialists insisted that they would not cooperate unless the controversial economic austerity law is withdrawn.

Weeks of negotiation lay ahead before Belgium would get a new government. In the meantime, Eyskens, tired of it all and now without major influence, would stay on as caretaker Premier at the urgent plea of King Baudouin.

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