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Flemish Interest
Vlaams Belang
Abbreviation
VB
Leader
Tom Van Grieken
Founded
14 November 2004; 19 years ago (2004-11-14)
Preceded by
Vlaams Blok
Headquarters
Madouplein 8 1210 Brussels
Youth wing
Vlaams Belang Jongeren
Membership (2021)
22,194[1]
Ideology
Flemish nationalism Right-wing populism
Political position
Right-wing[2][3][4][5] to far-right[15]
Regional affiliation
None
European affiliation
Identity and Democracy Party
European Parliament group
Identity and Democracy
Francophone counterpart
Chez Nous
Colours
Yellow
Black
Slogan
"Our people first" (Dutch: «Eerst onze mensen»)
Chamber of Representatives
18 / 87
(Flemish seats)
Senate
7 / 35
(Flemish seats)
Flemish Parliament
23 / 124
Brussels Parliament
1 / 17
(Flemish seats)
European Parliament
3 / 12
Flemish seats)
Flemish Provincial Councils
24 / 175
Benelux Parliament
2 / 21
Website
www.vlaamsbelang.org
Politics of Belgium
Political parties
Elections
Vlaams Belang (Dutch:[ˈvlaːmzbəˈlɑŋ], lit.'Flemish Interest', VB) is a Flemish nationalist[16][17] and right-wing populist[17][18] political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels Capital Region of Belgium. It is widely considered to be on the political far-right,[19] although it self-describes as centre-right.[20]
Vlaams Belang is a rebrand of Vlaams Blok which dissolved after a trial in 2004 condemned the party for racism. After reorganizing itself as Vlaams Belang, the party continued the core philosophy of its predecessor by campaigning on a separatist[16][17] and Flemish nationalist platform. It also supports maintaining Flemish cultural identity, opposition to multiculturalism, and calls for tougher law and order policies. However, the VB toned down and implemented some changes to the more controversial portions of the former Vlaams Blok statute[21] and has sought to change its image from a radical to a more conservative party by distancing itself from some of its former programs.[22] 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 with the Flemish electorate and was one of the most successful national-populist parties in Europe. However, from 2008 the party experienced a downturn in support and membership which coincided with internal disputes 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 made a comeback during the 2019 federal elections. Following the election, there has been some media speculation that the cordon sanitaire on the party may be lifted for the first time.[23]
^"Vlaams Belang ziet ledenaantal stevig stijgen". hln.be (in Dutch). 18 June 2021..
^Joe Painter; Alex Jeffery (6 February 2009). Political Geography. p. 145. ISBN 978-1-4462-0350-7.
^"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
^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).
^Nielsen, Nikolaj (7 June 2012). "Flemish nationalist offers anti-burqa reward". EUobserver. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
^
Art, David (2011). Inside the Radical Right: The Development of Anti-Immigrant Parties in Western Europe. Cambridge University Press.
^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.
^Leman, Johan (2012). 'Flemish Interest' (VB) and Islamophobia: Political, legal and judicial dealings. Campus Verlag. pp. 69–90.
^Vogt, Roland (2014). Belgium: A Nation-State without a National Identity?. Transaction. p. 14.
^"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.
^""Het signaal? Het was gewoon niet goed genoeg"". Het Nieuwsblad. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
^"Vlaams Belang is terug, samen met de discussie over cordon, schrijven de kranten". Het Nieuwsblad. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
^"Overzicht van een bewogen verkiezingsdag: Vlaams Belang grote winnaar, Zweedse partijen likken wonden". De Morgen. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
^"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.
^[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
^ abWingfield, George (2008). Belgium. Infobase Publishing. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-7910-9670-3.
^ abcNordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "Flanders/Belgium". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
^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.
^"Inside the far right's Flemish victory". POLITICO. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
^"Engels". Vlaams Belang (in Dutch). 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
^"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.
^Cite error: The named reference wt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Belgium's far-right not ruled out of potential coalition". The Brussels Times. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
VlaamsBelang is a rebrand of Vlaams Blok which dissolved after a trial in 2004 condemned the party for racism. After reorganizing itself as Vlaams Belang...
an electoral alliance called Vlaams Blok in 1978, before merging to create Vlaams Blok as a political party in 1979. Vlaams Blok was the most notable militant...
kwart kiest voor VlaamsBelang" (in Dutch). 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023. "GVA PEILING. De Wever zit federaal VlaamsBelang op de hielen,...
VlaamsBelang Jongeren (VBJ; Dutch for "Flemish Interest Youth") is the youth wing of the VlaamsBelang party. Until the conviction of the Vlaams Blok...
Flemish nationalist youth organisation Vlaams Nationaal Jeugdverbond (VNJ) in Berchem that has links to the VlaamsBelang. A Turkish courier was able to quickly...
politician, journalist and commentator. He is one of the leading members of VlaamsBelang, a right-wing Flemish nationalist and secessionist political party....
politician of the Flemish nationalist party VlaamsBelang (VB) and formerly of its predecessor, the Vlaams Blok. He has been a member of the European Parliament...
new name. On 14 November, the Vlaams Blok thus disbanded itself, and the VlaamsBelang was established. The VlaamsBelang instituted a number of changes...
were elected from eleven multi-member constituencies. The right-wing VlaamsBelang (VB) saw a resurgence in Flanders, and with the New Flemish Alliance...
2019 to 2023, Van Langenhove seated as an "independent member" of the VlaamsBelang fraction in the Chamber of Representatives. Van Langenhove was born...
open to negotiating with the party (although accepting former Vlaams Blok/VlaamsBelang members as defectors into the N-VA still remains controversial...
started condemning racism and the far-right (especially the Belgian party VlaamsBelang). After that, the site abruptly switched sides and now "LGF has become...
Pen on 13 June 2019. It was expanded to include former ENF members VlaamsBelang and the Freedom Party of Austria, as well the new Freedom and Direct...
example, when Vlaams Blok was taken to court for racism in 2004, the court in fact convicted three vzws, after which a successor party VlaamsBelang was founded...
left the party and became an independent. One VlaamsBelang member of the Chamber and one VlaamsBelang member of the Senate left their party and decided...
from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2019. "VlaamsBelang program". VlaamsBelang. Retrieved 2 May 2019. "" L'Europe contre les peuples " :...
Union) which split into different parties including the Vlaams Blok (succeeded by the VlaamsBelang), the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) and FlemishProgressives...
50.84750°N 4.36750°E / 50.84750; 4.36750 The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: Vlaams Parlement, formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes...
Parlement: Gerolf Annemans (64) in 2024 geen lijsttrekker meer voor VlaamsBelang". De Morgen. 6 October 2023. Tommy Thijs en Jan Straetmans, "Overzicht...
VLD member Hugo Coveliers. It participated in a list-cartel with the VlaamsBelang in the October 2006 Antwerp municipal elections and in selected provincial...
a group, National Rally, Northern League, Freedom Party of Austria, VlaamsBelang and the Civic Conservative Party formed MENF. Later in 2014, they decided...
businessman currently serving as a Member of the European Parliament for the VlaamsBelang. Vandendriessche holds a master's degree in political sciences and a...
before becoming a member of Vlaams Blok which succeeded the VVP. He then became a member of the Blok's successor VlaamsBelang in 2004 and was secretary...
elected Belgian senator in 2003 for the far-right party Vlaams Blok, which was succeeded by VlaamsBelang in 2004. Since 2019, she has been a member of the...