A process for exhaust gas desulfurization by the wet lime-gypsum process comprises an absorption step for scrubbing the exhaust gases with a calcium hydroxide slurry as an absorbent; an oxidizing step for oxidizing a slurry composed chiefly of calcium sulfite from the absorption step; and a solids-liquid separation step for separating a slurry composed mainly of gypsum from the oxidizing step, characterized in that the liquid from said solids-liquid separation step is passed into a sulfate impurity reaction step where said liquid reacts with added calcium hydroxide and is thereby freed from water-soluble sulfate impurities; and the so purified liquid is supplied to the absorbent preparation step where it is mixed with calcium hydroxide to form said absorbent. Also, precipitates formed in said sulfate impurity reaction step are supplied to said absorbent preparation step.