Gerolf Annemans
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Gerolf Annemans | |
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Member of the European Parliament for Belgium | |
Assumed office 1 July 2014 | |
Parliamentary group | Identity and Democracy[a] |
Constituency | Dutch-speaking electoral college |
Leader of Vlaams Belang | |
In office 16 December 2012 – 19 October 2014 | |
Preceded by | Bruno Valkeniers |
Succeeded by | Tom Van Grieken |
Member of the Chamber of Representatives | |
In office March 1987 – 28 April 2014 | |
Constituency | Antwerp |
Personal details | |
Born | Gerolf Emma Jozef Annemans 8 November 1958 Antwerp, Belgium |
Political party | Vlaams Belang |
Other political affiliations | Vlaams Blok (1985–2004) |
Spouse | Monika D'hooghe |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | University of Antwerp |
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Gerolf Emma Jozef Annemans (born 8 November 1958) is a
Political career
Youth and initial career
Annemans read law at the University of Antwerp (UA) and graduated in 1982. He held a seat on the council of the university's law faculty and the UA governing and executive boards. He was also the chief editor of the UA-newspaper and presidium member of Sofia, the guild of the Antwerp law students. During his academic studies from 1980–1981, Annemans was head of the editorial staff of the students' magazine Tegenstroom, the club publication of the Katholiek Vlaams Hoogstudentenverbond (Flemish Catholic Students' Society, KVHV) society. After graduating he also contributed to several columns in the pro-Flemish conservative weekly newspaper 't Pallieterke. Annemans was briefly promoted to a chief editing position at 't Pallieterke but eventually opted for a career in politics.
Vlaams Blok / Vlaams Belang
In 1985, Gerolf Annemans became a public activist of the Vlaams Blok (renamed Vlaams Belang on 14 November 2004), as he was offered the place of first substitute on the electoral list for the
A quarter-century of parliamentary opposition
In his parliamentary work and speeches, he often mentions what he calls "the Belgian disease" (the inability of
Member of investigative and persecutive commissions
In his crusade against what he diagnoses as the "Belgian disease" (in this sense the political-administrative tangle facilitating inefficiency and corruption), he joined several parliamentary commissions for the investigation of scandals and embezzlements. In that capacity, Annemans took part in the
Annemans and Lijst Dedecker
After the federal elections of 10 June 2007, Annemans warned his partisans on his weblog for underestimation of the "Dedecker factor". He did not believe that the then successful
The orderly split-up of Belgium
In 2010, Annemans announced the publication of a new book in which he would outline a blueprint for the "active preparation of Flemish independence." The main point of this book, that was co-authored by Steven Utsi and released in October 2010, is that the Flemings mustn't cling to concrete road maps for independence, but rather pursue an open strategy. With
Party ideologist
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With the abovementioned book and manifestoes, Annemans confirms his status of ideological trailblazer. He sees Vlaams Belang as a hotbed of new political viewpoints, even as a social avant-garde. This innovative ambitions also resound in his most recent publication "1914–2014: Van loopgraven tot republiek" (1914–2014: From trench to republic). According to Annemans, the book should not be considered as a political testament, but rather as a 'helicopter perspective' of Flanders' past and the challenges the Vlaams Belang ought to deal with in the twenty-first century. As director of the Vlaams Belang political research department, and afterwards as party chairman, he carried the final responsibility for several election programmes as well as the texts and brochures for ideological congresses and colloquiums. In total, Annemans wrote ten books on republican, ethical and security matters.
Many times he had been alleged to be co-author of the widely despised 70-point plan (Belgium) to stop immigration, though this isn't correct. On the other hand, Annemans has a clear-cut vision on immigration and always insisted on the importance of an elaborate migration chapter in the VB platform. However, his adversaries have created the wrong impression that the Vlaams Blok/Belang repeatedly attempted to launch policy plans based on the 70-point plan. In fact, the plan has been eliminated by the party board many years back.
Party chairman
On 16 December 2012, Annemans was elected chairman of the Vlaams Belang.[2] He succeeded Bruno Valkeniers after an unsatisfactory electoral result. The party had lost over two-thirds of its electorate in its traditional stronghold Antwerp. Annemans' chairmanship was confirmed in a secret ballot by a large majority of 92% of party members. The fresh VB foreman championed a strict migration policy and a revision of EU cooperation, but, above all, voiced more than ever the demand for an independent Flanders.
On 25 May 2014, he was the leading candidate of Vlaams Belang for the European Parliament and was elected as the sole MEP of his party. That day the party suffered a serious defeat, not only at the EU elections, but also in the regional and federal elections. Already on the day after, Annemans announced his retreat and an early chairmanship election in October 2014.[3]
Private life
Gerolf Annemans is married and has three children.[4]
References
- ISBN 978-1-5063-2715-0.
- ^ "Gerolf Annemans élu à la tête du Vlaams Belang". 7sur7.be (in French). 16 December 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "Tom Van Grieken désigné nouveau président du Vlaams Belang". RTBF Info (in French). 19 October 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
- ^ "Vlaams Belang - Flanders". Identity and Democracy Group - English. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
External links