Humanist Democratic Centre

Infobox_Belgian_Political_Party
party_name = Centre démocrate humaniste
party_
party_wikicolourid = CD&V
leader = Joëlle Milquet
foundation = 2002
ideology = Christian Democracy
international = Centrist Democrat International
european = European People's Party
europarl = European People's Party–European Democrats
colours = Orange/Black
cartel = "none"
flemish = CD&V
german = CSP
names = PSC and CVP/PSC
headquarters = national secretariat
Rue des Deux Églises, Brussels
website = [http://www.lecdh.be/ www.lecdh.be]

The Humanist Democratic Centre (French: "Centre démocrate humaniste" or "cdH") is a Belgian Francophone Christian democratic political party in Wallonia. It currently participates in the governments of Brussels-Capital Region, the French Community of Belgium and the Walloon Region.

History

The PSC was officially founded in 1972. The foundation was the result of the split of the unitary Parti Social-Chrétien/Christelijke Volkspartij (in English: Social Christian Party/Christian People's Party) into the Dutch-speaking Christian People's Party and the French-speaking Christian Social Party (PSC), following the increased linguistic tensions after the crisis at the university of Leuven in 1968.

The PSC performed particularly badly in the 1999 election. This was linked to several scandals, such as the escape of Marc Dutroux and the discovery of dioxine in chickens (the PSC was a coalition partner in the Dehaene government). The decline in votes was also explained by declining adherence to Catholicism. The party was confined to opposition on all levels of government.

The party started a process of internal reform. In 2001 a new charter of principles the "Charter of Democratic Humanism" was adopted and 2002 the party adopted a new constitution and a new name, Humanist Democratic Centre.

In the 2003 election the party did not perform much better and was still confined to opposition. After the 2004 regional elections the party returned to power in Brussels, in Walloon Region and the French Community together with the Socialist Party and Ecolo in Brussels and with the Socialist Party in Walloon Region and the French Community. The current president of the party is Joëlle Milquet.

Ideology

Its ideology is the «"democratic humanism, inspired by personalism inherited notably from christian humanism"», combined with a centre-left policy towards the economy, supporting state interventionism and calling for the unity of Belgium.

2007 elections

In the 10 June 2007 general elections, the party won 10 out of 150 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 2 out of 40 seats in the Senate.

External links

* [http://www.lecdh.be/ Official web site]