Vlaams Belang

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Vlaams Belang (English: Flemish Interest) is a right-wing Belgian political party. It supports Flemish independence, restricted immigration, and free market economics. Opponents see it as far-right (see an article by Eric Defoortfor one view on this subject).

Vlaams Belang was formed in 2004 by members of the now defunct Vlaams Blok (English: Flemish Block), which was condemned by a court for permanent incitation to discrimination and racism in November 2004. Members of the Vlaams Belang party and some other conservatives such as the law professor Matthias Storme see it as a political trial inspired by the Belgian establishment, which would not have been possible were it not for amendments to laws carried out in the preceding years.

Changes to the party platform have been made to allow it to comply with the law and the motto of Vlaams Blok, Eigen volk eerst ("Our own people first"), has been dropped.

Vlaams Belang, and the former Vlaams Blok is a very divisive issue in Belgium, particularly in Flanders. One response to Vlaams Belang has been attempts to cut state funding for the party. However, this is viewed by some as being counter-productive (see an article by Bart Brinckman for one view on this subject).

Some people, who support Vlaams Belang, fear the loss of Brussels if Belgium were to split and, for instance, the mainly French-speaking Wallonia were to enter into a union with France.

Policies

Vlaams Belang advocates independence for Flanders and strict limitations on immigration. It is a leading force in the militant wing of the Flemish movement and is a Euronationalist party.

Some of the main points in its platform include:

  • Independence for Flanders. One stated reason for this is financial transfers between Flanders and Wallonia (the other part of Belgium) which Vlaams Belang considers to be unjustified. Vlaams Belang also worries about consequences for the Belgian employment cost.
  • Increase child benefits including provisions which allow one parent, if both employed, to remain at home for the benefit of education for their child or children. This is aimed at increasing the birth rate.
  • Reform of the pension system based upon investment funds.
  • Preserve the current education system. The 2003 Pisa Report places it as best out of those it reviewed.
  • Block Turkey from joining the European Union.
  • Repeal anti-racism and anti-discrimination legislation on the grounds of free speech.
  • Free market economic policies, such as limiting government intervention. It also advocates a flat tax.

It has dropped the policy of the return of all non-European immigrants in favour of one which states that only those who fail to assimilate must return. It also dropped a policy advocating a federation with the Netherlands in favour of closer co-operation.

Members

Some members, such as Roeland Raes have been accused of being Nazi sympathizers. See The Guardian article 'Belgium's far right party in Holocaust controversy ' for more information. However there are conflicting sources, such as (in Dutch) this Standaard.be article. Roeland Raes was charged with historical revisionism in accordance with the Belgian Negationism Law, specifically for uttering the following controversial sentence: “whether it was planned (before the war, thus ahead of the Wannsee Conference) that they should all die during the war is another question”, however he has not been found guilty. During the interview, Raes also had no doubts about the systematic persecution and deportation of the Jews by the Germans.

News articles


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