Exasperation

Last Sunday, a fine sunny day in Belgium, 5,500,000 voters went apathetically to the polls, called out for the third time in a year to resolve the exasperating question of exiled King Leopold's return to the throne (TIME, July 18 et seq.). After an inconclusive referendum and various futile attempts to form a government that could dispose of the "royal question" one way or another, Regent Prince Charles had called for new parliamentary elections.

The Christian Socialists, Belgium's largest party and the only one solidly backing Leopold, had a slim majority in the outgoing Senate but were two seats short of controlling the House of Representatives. By picking up a few more seats in the House, they hoped to control both branches of the incoming Parliament, form a one-party government, bring Leopold back. Actually they did win control of the House (108 seats to the combined opposition's 104), but in the face of surprising Socialist gains, there was a faint chance that the Christian Socialists would lose control of the Senate.*

No one was sure this week whether a solution was at last in sight, or only more exasperation. Snarled a Brussels concierge: "What this country needs is two Kings--one in Flanders for the Flemish, the other some place--any place--in exile, for the rest of us."

Not all Senators are elected by popular vote. Some will be elected later by provincial councils, others by the Senate itself.

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