Communist Party of Belgium
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Communist Party of Belgium (in Flemish: Kommunistische Partij van België, in French: Parti Communiste de Belgique) was a political party in Belgium. It was formed at a congress in Anderlecht on September 3-4 1921. KPB/PCB was formed through the unification of two groups, the Communist Party led by War Van Overstraeten and the Belgian Communist Party led by Joseph Jacquemotte, following a split from the Belgian Workers Party. At the time of its foundation, KPB/PCB had around 500 members.[1] KPB/PCB became the Belgian section of the Communist International.
The party started publishing Le Drapeau Rouge in French.
The party gained parliamentary presence in 1925, as both Van Overstraeten and Jacquemotte were elected MPs.
By 1935 KPB/PCB had 9 deputies in the lower house of parliament and 4 senators. In 1938 it had a membership of about 8500.
During the Second World War, the party had to go underground during German occupation. After the end of the war, the party was strengthened and obtained 12.7% in the parliamentary elections. The party participated in coalition government with the socialists and the liberals 1946-1947.
On August 18, 1950 the party chairman, Julien Lahaut, was assassinated by far-right elements.
KPB/PCB lost its parliamentary presence in 1985.
The youth wing of KPB/PCB was known as the Communist Youth of Belgium.
In 1989 KPB/PCB was divided into two separate parties, Kommunistische Partij in Flanders and Parti Communiste in Wallonia.
[edit] Chairmen of KPB/PCB
- Julien Lahaut 1945-1950
- Ernest Burnelle 1954-1968
- Marc Drumaux 1968-1972
- Louis Van Geyt 1972-1989
[edit] General Secretaries of KPB/PCB
- Edgard Lalmand 1943-1954
