The Impact of the Spanish Civil War on the Parti Ouvrier Belge

The Spanish Civil War was not an anomaly during the interwar period. The failure of the Coup in July of 1936 generated two confronted political sides that were also present in other European states such as Belgium. However, in contrast to what occurred in Spain, Belgian political parties solved tensions by forming government coalitions that succeeded in preserving stability. A coalition partner since 1935, the Parti Ouvrier Belge was confronted with a dilemma caused by the Spanish Civil War that provoked a fracture within the party. The choice was either to be loyal to the spirit of internationalism or to give priority to government policy and national imperatives.