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Vlaams Belang

Flemish Interest
Vlaams Belang
AbbreviationVB
LeaderTom Van Grieken
Founded14 November 2004 (2004-11-14)
Preceded byVlaams Blok
HeadquartersMadouplein 8
1210 Brussels
Youth wingVlaams Belang Jongeren
Membership (2021)Increase 22,194[1]
Ideology
Political positionRight-wing[6] to far-right[16]
Regional affiliationNone
European affiliationPatriots.eu
European Parliament groupPatriots for Europe
(since 2024)[nb 1]
Francophone counterpartChez Nous
Colours
  •   Yellow
  •   Black
SloganEerst onze mensen
('Our people first')
Chamber of Representatives
20 / 87
(Flemish seats)
Senate
7 / 35
(Flemish seats)
Flemish Parliament
31 / 124
Brussels Parliament
2 / 17
(Flemish seats)
European Parliament
3 / 13
(Flemish seats)
Flemish Provincial Councils
24 / 175
Benelux Parliament
2 / 21
(Belgian seats)
Website
www.vlaamsbelang.org

Vlaams Belang (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈvlaːmz bəˈlɑŋ] ; lit. 'Flemish Interest'; VB) is a Flemish nationalist,[17][18] Eurosceptic and right-wing populist[18][19] political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels Capital Region of Belgium. It is widely considered by the media and political analysts to be on the political far-right,[20] although it self-describes as right-nationalist and has tried to distance itself from the far-right label in recent years.[21]

Vlaams Belang is a rebrand of Vlaams Blok, which was dissolved after it was condemned for espousing racism during a trial which was held in 2004. After it reorganized itself as Vlaams Belang, it continued to espouse the core philosophy of its predecessor by campaigning on a separatist[17][18] and Flemish nationalist platform. It also supports the maintenance of Flemish cultural identity, it opposes multiculturalism, and it advocates the imposition of tougher law & order policies. However, the VB toned its rhetoric down and it also implemented some changes in the more controversial portions of the former Vlaams Blok statute[22] and has sought to change its image from a radical to a more conservative party by distancing itself from some of its former programs.[23] Nonetheless, most other parties initially continued the cordon sanitaire which was implemented against the former party, effectively blocking the Vlaams Belang from taking part in government at any level. Additionally, attempts on cutting public subsidies specifically for the party were made through the Belgian draining law.

Like Vlaams Blok, Vlaams Belang was initially popular among the Flemish electorate and it was also one of the most successful nationalist-populist parties in Europe. However, from 2008, the party experienced a downturn in support and membership, a situation which coincided with internal problems which existed within the party and the rise of the more moderate nationalist New Flemish Alliance, which also supports Flemish independence. Under the current leadership of Tom Van Grieken, the VB has begun to regain popular support and as a result, it made a comeback during the 2019 federal elections. Following the election, there has been some media speculation that the cordon sanitaire of the party may be lifted for the first time.[24] By 2021, the VB had again grown into one of the largest parties in the Flemish region.[25]

  1. ^ "Vlaams Belang ziet ledenaantal stevig stijgen". hln.be (in Dutch). 18 June 2021..
  2. ^ Joe Painter; Alex Jeffery (6 February 2009). Political Geography. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-4462-0350-7.
  3. ^ "Shaken Dutch lawmaker Wilders says no more Prophet cartoons, for now". Reuters. 8 September 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2022. Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders visits a local market in Antwerp, Belgium, with members of the Flemish right-wing Vlaams Belang party ahead of Belgian local elections
  4. ^ Moens, Barbara (17 January 2022). "Belgium's regions face off over EU debt rules". Politico EU. Retrieved 6 April 2022. An especially hot topic are the budget transfers from Flanders to Brussels and Wallonia — long the target of Flemish nationalist parties such as N-VA and the right-wing Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest).
  5. ^ Nielsen, Nikolaj (7 June 2012). "Flemish nationalist offers anti-burqa reward". EUobserver. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  6. ^ [2][3][4][5]
  7. ^ Art, David (2011). Inside the Radical Right: The Development of Anti-Immigrant Parties in Western Europe. Cambridge University Press.
  8. ^ Laible, Janet (2010). 'Back to the Future' with Vlaams Belang? Flemish Nationalism as a Modernizing Project in a Post-Modern European Union. Lexington Books. pp. 136, 142.
  9. ^ Leman, Johan (2012). 'Flemish Interest' (VB) and Islamophobia: Political, legal and judicial dealings. Campus Verlag. pp. 69–90.
  10. ^ Vogt, Roland (2014). Belgium: A Nation-State without a National Identity?. Transaction. p. 14.
  11. ^ "Krantencommentaren over paradox van 26 May: 'Twintig jaar na de dioxinecrisis botst opnieuw politieke generatie op haar limieten'". De Standaard. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  12. ^ ""Het signaal? Het was gewoon niet goed genoeg"". Het Nieuwsblad. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  13. ^ "Vlaams Belang is terug, samen met de discussie over cordon, schrijven de kranten". Het Nieuwsblad. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  14. ^ "Overzicht van een bewogen verkiezingsdag: Vlaams Belang grote winnaar, Zweedse partijen likken wonden". De Morgen. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  15. ^ "Belgium agrees on government, 16 months after election". Deutsche Welle. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2022. The extreme right-wing Vlaams Belang, which got 12% in the last elections, is also not represented.
  16. ^ [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]
  17. ^ a b Wingfield, George (2008). Belgium. Infobase Publishing. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-7910-9670-3.
  18. ^ a b c Nordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "Flanders/Belgium". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  19. ^ Hans-Jürgen Bieling (2015). "Uneven development and 'European crisis constitutionalism', or the reasons for and conditions of a 'passive revolution in trouble'". In Johannes Jäger; Elisabeth Springler (eds.). Asymmetric Crisis in Europe and Possible Futures: Critical Political Economy and Post-Keynesian Perspectives. Routledge. p. 110. ISBN 978-1-317-65298-4.
  20. ^ "Inside the far right's Flemish victory". POLITICO. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Beginselverklaring". Vlaams Belang (in Dutch). Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  22. ^ "From Vlaams Blok to Vlaams Belang: The Belgian Far-Right Renames Itself" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2011-03-05.
  23. ^ Cite error: The named reference wt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ "Belgium's far-right not ruled out of potential coalition". The Brussels Times. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  25. ^ "Flemish nationalists to retain lead in Belgian parliament, far right gains". Reuters. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.


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