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Description
This is a map of the first elections to the People's Chamber (Chambre du peuple) the European Community's lower chamber. The 1956 elections were the first held ever. From the same universe as this map: nanwe01.deviantart.com/art/The…

In 1956 there were not yet European parties although they did sit together in ideologically close groups. The closest ones to a proper party were the Christian democrats, that had been cooperating with each other since 1948 through the NEI. But the issue of what to call the party was troublesome, as the French and Belgian sections (the MRP and the PSC) opposed including the term "Christian" in the party's name, which the Germans and Italians thought vital.

I can explain which parties belong to which group if asked, although I suppose that with the exception of France it should be rather obvious. The far-right/nationalists parties were the UFF in France, the MSI/monarchists in Italy and in Germany the DP or the BHE. That being said, within the liberals there were some groups that were also rather nationalistic like the Saarland liberals (DPS) that were pan-Germans.

I have my doubts regarding the constituencies I used for Italy and (especially) France, so I might change them if some one can propose a more convincing option. For Italy, I've thought of perhaps separating Emilia-Romagna from the Northeast and instead merging Emilia with Tuscany so as to have the "reddest" section of Italy separated from the most DC (the Northeast), which was the whitest. But I don't know.

As for France, I just used the igamies as a basis, although again I can and would change them if someone proposes a more rational option that makes sense in the historical context of the 1950s.

More background info:

France, Italy and Germany all have 63 members assigned to them, although 7 extra seats represent Overseas France (DOM-TOMs), Belgium and NL have 30 and Saar and Luxembourg, 12 each.

However the electoral system is not the same in all countries, as all countries except France employ D'Hont PR, while France while nominally using proportional representation it is 'reinforced' by the apparentement system, and as a result, despite the number of parties, only four coalitions fought in the election, 'centre-droit' (MRP, CNIP, right-wing radicals), 'centre-gauche' (SFIO, left-wing radicals), the far-right (UFF/UDCA & apparentements) and the far-left (PCF & neutralists). In any case and because no single coalition list obtained more than 50% in a single constituency, the apparentements didn't work and as a result, the election just worked like normal D'Hont proportional representation.

The parties per 'group' are as follows, given that there aren't just yet proper European parties.

[B]Far-right & nationalists:[/B] The right-wing populist [I]Union et fraternité française[/I] (UFF, France), the neo-fascist Movimento sociale italiano (MSI), the monarchists in Italy and the right-wing DP/BHE in Germany. They are generally statist, deeply conservative and nationalistic and against the European project. That being said, they aren't something, the Italians are too far-right for the other two while UFF is too deeply anti-German to cooperate with the DP/BHE. Besides their nationalism they also share their anti-semitism.

[B][COLOR="Orange"]Christian Democrats[/COLOR][/B]: The Christian-democrats have been cooperate through annual conferences and the NEI since 1948 and are hence the most cohesive groups, the only reason they aren't unified under an umbrella organisation is the difficulty in finding a name to fit them since the Belgians and the French sections refuse to accept a name with a Christian denomination while the Italian and Germans think it indispensable.

Most thoroughly pro-European and federalist of all groups. Also keen defenders of Eurafricanism. Socially conservative and economically statist. Perhaps the less supportive of European integration are the two Protestant parties from the Netherlands, as the obvious Catholic nature of the group doesn't quite make them feel at home.

Members: Democrazia Cristiana (Italy), CDU/CSU (Germany), PSC (Belgium), MRP (France), KVP (NL, Catholic), ARP, CHU (NL, Protestant), CVU (Saar).

[B][COLOR="Blue"]Liberals[/COLOR][/B]: The Liberals are a make-shift of groups, with diverging views on European integration, with notable members like French ex-Premier Antoine Pinay very much in favour of federalisation to the anti-European attitude of some German national liberals within the FDP and the Saarlander DPS. They sit together on the basis of a common loyalty to the principles of economic liberalism and social conservatism. They are the representants of the pre-war upper-class world and it is no secret that they funded by the big enterprises, especially in France.

Members: CNIP (France), Parti Liberal (Belgium), VVD (NL), FDP (Germany), DPS, DV (Saar), DP (LX), PLI (Italy, no representation)

[B]Radicals:[/B] Symbols of the pre-war liberal left, committed to economic liberalisation combined with a (perhaps embryonic) welfare state, a middle class left-wing coalition of two, three parties.

Members: PRRRS & UDSR (France, RDA in overseas France seats) and PRI (Italy, no representation)

[B][COLOR="Magenta"]Social democrats[/COLOR][/B]: The socdems are perhaps the most divided group regarding European federalisation, with considerable divisions between the parties in France, Germany and the Netherlands. Meanwhile in Italy, the PDSI is pro-Europe but Nenni's PSI is not (just yet). Obviously, and as their name suggests, they are inspired by democratic Marxism and as a result defend the nationalisation of certain economic sectors, greater etatism and redistribution, and an expanded welfare state paid through higher taxation. The more pro-European ones also demand a creation of a European social market so to say, that seeks to harmonise social differences between European countries, especially the French who have the most generous welfare state and hence their labour is most expensive.

Members: SFIO (France), PS (Belgium), PvdA (Netherlands), SPD (Germany), SPS (Saar), LSAP (Luxembourg), PSI, PSDI (Italy).

[B][COLOR="Red"]Communist Parties:[/COLOR][/B] The largest anti-European bloc in the People's Chamber. They denounce the Community as an aggressive anti-Soviet and clerico-reactionary power dominated by Jesuits. In France, where the PCF is particularly strong attacks the Community as a new Reich soon to be dominated by the Germans in alliance with the French bourgeois, bringing back old slogans such as "Better Hitler than Blum" and such. However, they have been weakened by the events in Hungary.

Members: PCF (France), PCI (Italy), PCB, CPN (Netherlands), KPD (Germany, banned), KPL (Luxembourg), KPS (Saar).

Description
This is a map of the first elections to the People's Chamber (Chambre du peuple) the European Community's lower chamber. The 1956 elections were the first held ever. From the same universe as this map: nanwe01.deviantart.com/art/The…

In 1956 there were not yet European parties although they did sit together in ideologically close groups. The closest ones to a proper party were the Christian democrats, that had been cooperating with each other since 1948 through the NEI. But the issue of what to call the party was troublesome, as the French and Belgian sections (the MRP and the PSC) opposed including the term "Christian" in the party's name, which the Germans and Italians thought vital.

I can explain which parties belong to which group if asked, although I suppose that with the exception of France it should be rather obvious. The far-right/nationalists parties were the UFF in France, the MSI/monarchists in Italy and in Germany the DP or the BHE. That being said, within the liberals there were some groups that were also rather nationalistic like the Saarland liberals (DPS) that were pan-Germans.

I have my doubts regarding the constituencies I used for Italy and (especially) France, so I might change them if some one can propose a more convincing option. For Italy, I've thought of perhaps separating Emilia-Romagna from the Northeast and instead merging Emilia with Tuscany so as to have the "reddest" section of Italy separated from the most DC (the Northeast), which was the whitest. But I don't know.

As for France, I just used the igamies as a basis, although again I can and would change them if someone proposes a more rational option that makes sense in the historical context of the 1950s.

More background info:

France, Italy and Germany all have 63 members assigned to them, although 7 extra seats represent Overseas France (DOM-TOMs), Belgium and NL have 30 and Saar and Luxembourg, 12 each.

However the electoral system is not the same in all countries, as all countries except France employ D'Hont PR, while France while nominally using proportional representation it is 'reinforced' by the apparentement system, and as a result, despite the number of parties, only four coalitions fought in the election, 'centre-droit' (MRP, CNIP, right-wing radicals), 'centre-gauche' (SFIO, left-wing radicals), the far-right (UFF/UDCA & apparentements) and the far-left (PCF & neutralists). In any case and because no single coalition list obtained more than 50% in a single constituency, the apparentements didn't work and as a result, the election just worked like normal D'Hont proportional representation.

The parties per 'group' are as follows, given that there aren't just yet proper European parties.

[B]Far-right & nationalists:[/B] The right-wing populist [I]Union et fraternité française[/I] (UFF, France), the neo-fascist Movimento sociale italiano (MSI), the monarchists in Italy and the right-wing DP/BHE in Germany. They are generally statist, deeply conservative and nationalistic and against the European project. That being said, they aren't something, the Italians are too far-right for the other two while UFF is too deeply anti-German to cooperate with the DP/BHE. Besides their nationalism they also share their anti-semitism.

[B][COLOR="Orange"]Christian Democrats[/COLOR][/B]: The Christian-democrats have been cooperate through annual conferences and the NEI since 1948 and are hence the most cohesive groups, the only reason they aren't unified under an umbrella organisation is the difficulty in finding a name to fit them since the Belgians and the French sections refuse to accept a name with a Christian denomination while the Italian and Germans think it indispensable.

Most thoroughly pro-European and federalist of all groups. Also keen defenders of Eurafricanism. Socially conservative and economically statist. Perhaps the less supportive of European integration are the two Protestant parties from the Netherlands, as the obvious Catholic nature of the group doesn't quite make them feel at home.

Members: Democrazia Cristiana (Italy), CDU/CSU (Germany), PSC (Belgium), MRP (France), KVP (NL, Catholic), ARP, CHU (NL, Protestant), CVU (Saar).

[B][COLOR="Blue"]Liberals[/COLOR][/B]: The Liberals are a make-shift of groups, with diverging views on European integration, with notable members like French ex-Premier Antoine Pinay very much in favour of federalisation to the anti-European attitude of some German national liberals within the FDP and the Saarlander DPS. They sit together on the basis of a common loyalty to the principles of economic liberalism and social conservatism. They are the representants of the pre-war upper-class world and it is no secret that they funded by the big enterprises, especially in France.

Members: CNIP (France), Parti Liberal (Belgium), VVD (NL), FDP (Germany), DPS, DV (Saar), DP (LX), PLI (Italy, no representation)

[B]Radicals:[/B] Symbols of the pre-war liberal left, committed to economic liberalisation combined with a (perhaps embryonic) welfare state, a middle class left-wing coalition of two, three parties.

Members: PRRRS & UDSR (France, RDA in overseas France seats) and PRI (Italy, no representation)

[B][COLOR="Magenta"]Social democrats[/COLOR][/B]: The socdems are perhaps the most divided group regarding European federalisation, with considerable divisions between the parties in France, Germany and the Netherlands. Meanwhile in Italy, the PDSI is pro-Europe but Nenni's PSI is not (just yet). Obviously, and as their name suggests, they are inspired by democratic Marxism and as a result defend the nationalisation of certain economic sectors, greater etatism and redistribution, and an expanded welfare state paid through higher taxation. The more pro-European ones also demand a creation of a European social market so to say, that seeks to harmonise social differences between European countries, especially the French who have the most generous welfare state and hence their labour is most expensive.

Members: SFIO (France), PS (Belgium), PvdA (Netherlands), SPD (Germany), SPS (Saar), LSAP (Luxembourg), PSI, PSDI (Italy).

[B][COLOR="Red"]Communist Parties:[/COLOR][/B] The largest anti-European bloc in the People's Chamber. They denounce the Community as an aggressive anti-Soviet and clerico-reactionary power dominated by Jesuits. In France, where the PCF is particularly strong attacks the Community as a new Reich soon to be dominated by the Germans in alliance with the French bourgeois, bringing back old slogans such as "Better Hitler than Blum" and such. However, they have been weakened by the events in Hungary.

Members: PCF (France), PCI (Italy), PCB, CPN (Netherlands), KPD (Germany, banned), KPL (Luxembourg), KPS (Saar).