Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"VLD" redirects here. For other uses, see VLD (disambiguation).

Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats
Party for Freedom and Progress
Colours  Blue
Chamber of Representatives
7 / 87
(Flemish seats)
Senate
5 / 35
(Flemish seats)
Flemish Parliament
9 / 124
Brussels Parliament
2 / 17
(Flemish seats)
European Parliament
1 / 12
(Flemish seats)
Flemish Provincial Councils
13 / 175
Benelux Parliament
2 / 21
Website
www.openvld.be

The Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats[2][3][4] (Dutch: Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten, [ˈoːpə(ɱ) ˈvlaːmsə libəˈraːlən ɛn deːmoːˈkraːtə(n), -lə ʔɛn -] ⓘ, Open Vld) is a Flemish liberal[5][6][7][8] political party in Belgium. The party has been described as centre-right[9] and has smaller factions within the party that have conservative liberal[7][8][10] and social liberal views.[citation needed] The party is a member of the Liberal Group,[11] Renew Europe, and Liberal International.

The party was created in 1992 from the former bilingual

Reformist Movement (MR) in Wallonia. The party led the government for three cabinets under Guy Verhofstadt from 1999 until March 2008. Open VLD then formed the Federal Government (the so-called "Swedish government") with N-VA, CD&V
and Mouvement Réformateur.

In the

Van Rompuy I Government formed on 2 January 2009, the Leterme II Government formed on 24 November 2009 and the Di Rupo Government
formed on 6 December 2011.

Ideologically, Open VLD started as an economically liberal[12] and somewhat libertarian Thatcherite party under its founder, Guy Verhofstadt, which mirrored some of the original ideology of the PVV. The VLD rapidly became more centrist and gave up much of its free market approach, partly under the influence of Verhofstadt's political scientist brother Dirk Verhofstadt. However, the VLD continued to contain conservative-libertarian and classical liberal wings with ties to think-tanks like Nova Civitas. Party chairman Bart Somers called in November 2006 for a "revolution" within the party, saying that "a liberal party", like the VLD, "can be only progressive and social".[13]

From 2000 to 2004, during the second period of its participation in the Belgian federal government and under

Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, the VLD allegedly lost most of its ideological appeal. Several of its thinkers such as (former member) Boudewijn Bouckaert, president of Nova Civitas, heavily criticized the party. Many others, particularly from the party's conservative and Flemish autonomist wing, resented the priority it placed on the 'Belgian compromise', which enabled the French Community
's Socialist Party to gain a dominant position in the formulation of Belgian federal government policy.

In 2004, the VLD teamed up with the minority social-liberal party

European elections. VLD-Vivant lost the elections to arch rivals CD&V and the Flemish Bloc. The VLD fell from second to third place among the Flemish political parties, slipping narrowly behind the sp.a-Spirit cartel. Internal feuds, the support for electoral rights for immigrants and an unsuccessful economic policy were seen as the main reasons for its election defeat. From 2007, the party kept having electoral difficulties, first due to competition from split-off List Dedecker and after 2010 from the liberal-conservative Flemish-nationalist party N-VA
.

History

The VLD has its origins in the Party for Freedom and Progress (which in turn was a successor to the Liberal Party), a bilingual party which stood in both the Flemish and Walloon regions of Belgium. As such the liberal party is the oldest political party of Belgium. In 1846, Walthère Frère-Orban succeeded in creating a political program which could unite several liberal groups into one party. Before 1960, the Liberal Party of Belgium was barely organised. The school pact of 1958, as a result of which the most important argument for the traditional anti-clericalism was removed, gave the necessary impetus for a thorough renewal. During the liberal party congress of 1961, the Liberal Party was reformed into the bilingual Party for Freedom and Progress (PVV-PLP), and Omer Vanaudenhove became the chairman of the new party. The new liberal party, which struggled with an anti-clerical image, opened its doors for believers, but wasn't too concerned about the situation of workers and primarily defended the interests of employers. It is a central principle of Classical Liberalism that employers and employees do NOT have opposed long term interests.

In the late 1960s and the early 1970s, the tensions between the different communities in Belgium rose and there were disagreements within the liberal movement as well. In 1972, the unitary PVV-PLP was split into separate a Flemish and a Francophone parties. On Flemish side, under the guidance of Frans Grootjans, Herman Vanderpoorten and Willy De Clercq, the PVV was created, on Walloon side Milou Jeunehomme became the head of the PLP and Brussels got its own but totally disintegrated liberal party landscape. Willy De Clercq became the first chairman of the independent Party of Freedom and Progress (Dutch: Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang, PVV). De Clercq, together with Frans Grootjans and Herman Vanderpoorten, set out the lines for the new party. This reform was coupled an Ethical Congress, on which the PVV adopted very progressive and tolerant stances regarding abortion, euthanasia, adultery, homosexuality and gender equality.

In 1982, the 29-year-old reformer

Christian People's Party
(CVP) in 1987.

In 1992, the PVV was reformed into the Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten, VLD) under the impulse of Verhofstadt. Although the VLD was the successor of the PVV, many politicians with democratic nationalist or socialist roots joined the new party. Notable examples are

Minister-President of Flanders. They were both at the head of a coalition of liberals, social democrats and greens
.

2007 elections

Before the

Senate
.

2010 elections

In the

Chamber of Representatives. After the long government formation process, on 6 December 2011 the Di Rupo Government
was formed, with Open VLD one of the six constituent parties.

Ideology and support

Part of a series on
Liberalism
History
Principles
Philosophers
Politicians
Organizations
Regional variants
Related topics
Schools

At its inception, the Open VLD was a

LDD drew some of the party's conservative leaning voters away and contributed to a decline in votes. Ideological disputes also caused some of the party's more conservative and traditionalist libertarian wing such as Boudewijn Bouckaert, Jean-Marie Dedecker and Hugo Coveliers to leave the party. Dedecker later founded the LDD and Coveliers VLOTT while others joined the N-VA.[12]

In 2024, Open VLD (along with MR) blocked Belgium from

State of Palestine.[15]

Representation in EU institutions

The party is fairly pro-European,[16] and sits in the Renew Europe group with two MEPs.[17][18]

Then-Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt (VLD) was rejected as a candidate for the presidency of the European Commission in June 2004.

In the European Committee of the Regions, Open VLD sits in the Renew Europe CoR group, with two alternate members for the 2020-2025 mandate.[19][20] Jean-Luc Vanraes is Coordinator in the CIVEX Commission.[21]

Members holding notable public offices

European politics

European Parliament
Name Committees
Guy Verhofstadt Constitutional Affairs [22]
Hilde Vautmans Foreign Affairs
Women's Rights and Gender Equality [23]

Federal politics

Chamber of Representatives
Name Notes Name Notes
Flemish Brabant Maggie De Block Faction leader Flemish Brabant Goedele Liekens
Flemish Brabant Tim Vandenput Mayor of Hoeilaart Limburg (Belgium) Patrick Dewael Mayor of Tongeren
Antwerp Province Christian Leysen Antwerp Province Marianne Verhaert
East Flanders Egbert Lachaert Party President East Flanders Tania De Jonge
East Flanders Katja Gabriëls Mayor of Berlare East Flanders Robby De Caluwé Mayor of Moerbeke
West Flanders Jasper Pillen West Flanders Kathleen Verhelst
Senate
Type Name Notes
Co-opted Senator Flemish Brabant Rik Daems Faction leader
Community Senator Brussels Els Ampe [nl]
Community Senator Antwerp Province Tom Ongena
Community Senator Limburg (Belgium) Steven Coenegrachts
Community Senator East Flanders Stephanie D'Hose President of the Senate
Belgian Federal De Croo Government
Public Office Name Function
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo
Deputy Prime Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne Justice and the North Sea
Secretary of State Eva de Bleeker [nl] Budget and Consumer Protection

Regional politics

Flemish Parliament
Name Notes Name Notes
Antwerp Province Willem-Frederik Schiltz Fraction Leader Antwerp Province Tom Ongena Community Senator
Flemish Brabant Gwendolyn Rutten Former Party President
mayor of Aarschot 		Flemish Brabant Gwenny De Vroe
Flemish Brabant Maurits Vande Reyde [nl] Brussels Els Ampe Community Senator
Limburg (Belgium) Steven Coenegrachts Community Senator Limburg (Belgium) Marino Keulen Mayor of Lanaken
East Flanders Stephanie D'Hose President of the Senate East Flanders Jean-Jacques De Gucht Son of Karel De Gucht
East Flanders Freya Saeys East Flanders Bart Van Hulle
West Flanders Bart Tommelein Former Flemish minister
mayor of Ostend 		West Flanders Emmily Talpe Mayor of Ypres
Flemish Government Jambon
Public Office Name Function
Vice Minister-President Bart Somers Internal Affairs, Administrative Affairs, Integration, and Equal Opportunities
Minister Lydia Peeters Mobility and Public Works
Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region
Name Notes
Carla Dejonghe Faction Leader
Guy Vanhengel Former federal minister
Khadija Zamouri
Vervoort II
Public Office Name Function
Minister Sven Gatz Finance, Budget, Civil Service, Promotion of Multilingualism, Tourism, Statistics, Urbanism, Heritage, the image of Brussels and bicultural issues of regional importance

Provincial politics

Provincial Council
Province Percentage Seats
Antwerp
 4.7%
0 / 36
Limburg Limburg 12.7%
3 / 31
East Flanders East Flanders 11.3%
4 / 36
Flemish Brabant Flemish Brabant 10.7%
4 / 36
West Flanders West Flanders 8%
2 / 36

Election results

Chamber of Representatives

The main six Flemish political parties and their results for the Chamber of Representatives. From 1978 to 2014, in percentages for the complete 'Kingdom'.
Election Votes % Seats +/- Government
1971 392,130 7.4
19 / 212
 Opposition (1971-1973)
Coalition (1973-1974)
1974[a] 798,818 15.2
21 / 212
 Increase 2 Coalition
1977 475,917 8.5
17 / 212
 Decrease 4 Opposition
1978 573,387 10.4
22 / 212
 Increase 5 Opposition (1978-1980)
Coalition (1980)
Opposition (1980-1981)
1981 776,871 12.9
28 / 212
 Increase 6 Coalition
1985 651,806 10.7
22 / 212
 Decrease 6 Coalition
1987 709,758 11.5
25 / 212
 Increase 3 Opposition
1991 738,016 12.0
26 / 212
 Increase 1 Opposition
1995 798,363 13.1
21 / 150
 Decrease 5 Opposition
1999 888,973 14.3
23 / 150
 Increase 2 Coalition
2003 1,009,223 15.4
25 / 150
 Increase 2 Coalition
2007 789,445 11.8
18 / 150
 Decrease 7 Coalition
2010 563,873 8.6
13 / 150
 Decrease 5 Coalition
2014 659,582 9.8
14 / 150
 Increase 1 Coalition
2019 579,334 8.5
12 / 150
 Decrease 2 Coalition
2024 380,659 5.5
8 / 150
 Decrease 4 Opposition

Senate

Election Votes % Seats +/-
1971[a] 776,514 14.9
6 / 106
1974[a] 755,694 14.6
10 / 106
 Increase 4
1977 472,645 8.5
9 / 106
 Decrease 1
1978 572,535 10.4
11 / 106
 Increase 2
1981 781,137 13.1
14 / 106
 Increase 3
1985 637,776 10.5
11 / 106
 Decrease 3
1987 686,440 11.3
11 / 106
 Steady 0
1991 713,542 11.7
13 / 106
 Increase 2
1995 796,154 13.3
6 / 40
 Decrease 7
1999 952,116 15.4
6 / 40
 Steady 0
2003 1,007,868 15.4
7 / 40
 Increase 1
2007 821,980 12.4
5 / 40
 Decrease 2
2010 533,124 8.24
4 / 40
 Decrease 1
2014 N/A N/A
5 / 60
 Increase 1

Regional

Brussels Parliament

Election Votes % Seats +/- Government
D.E.C. Overall
1989
 12,143 2.8 (#8)
2 / 75
 Opposition
1995 11,034 2.7 (#8)
2 / 75
 Steady 0 Opposition
1999[b] 13,729 22.7 (#3) 3.2 (#7)
2 / 75
 Steady 0 Coalition
2004[c] 12,433 19.9 (#2) 2.7 (#7)
4 / 89
 Increase 2 Coalition
2009 11,957 23.1 (#1) 2.6 (#5)
4 / 89
 Steady 0 Coalition
2014 14,296 26.7 (#1) 3.1 (#7)
5 / 89
 Increase 1 Coalition
2019 11,051 15.8 (#3) 2.4 (#9)
3 / 89
 Decrease 2 Coalition
2024 8,537 10.6 (#4) 1.7 (#10)
2 / 89
 Decrease 1 TBA

Flemish Parliament

Election Votes % Seats +/- Government
1995 761,262 20.2 (#2)
26 / 124
 Opposition
1999 855,867 21.7 (#2)
27 / 124
 Increase 1 Coalition
2004[c] 804,578 19.8 (#3)
25 / 124
 Decrease 2 Coalition
2009 616,610 15.0 (#4)
21 / 124
 Decrease 4 Opposition
2014 594,469 14.2 (#3)
19 / 124
 Decrease 2 Coalition
2019 556,630 13.1 (#4)
16 / 124
 Decrease 3 Coalition
2024 364,609 8.3 (#5)
9 / 124
 Decrease 7 Opposition

Provincial councils

Election Votes % Councilors +/-
1994 708,769
84 / 401
2000 909,428
106 / 411
 Increase 22
2006 745,952 18.9
80 / 411
 Decrease 26
2012 595,932 14.6
54 / 351
 Decrease 26
2018 570,601 13.7
23 / 175
 Decrease 31

European Parliament

Election List leader Votes % Seats +/- EP Group
D.E.C. Overall
1994 Willy De Clercq 678,421 18.36 (#2) 11.37
3 / 25
 New ELDR
1999 Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck 847,099 21.88 (#2) 13.61
3 / 25
 Steady 0
2004[c] Guy Verhofstadt 880,279 21.91 (#2) 13.56
3 / 24
 Steady 0 ALDE
2009 837,834 20.56 (#2) 12.75
3 / 22
 Steady 0
2014 858,872 20.40 (#2) 12.84
3 / 21
 Steady 0
2019 678,051 15.95 (#3) 10.07
2 / 21
 Decrease 1 RE
2024 Hilde Vautmans 410,743 9.11 (#4) 5.76
1 / 22
 Decrease 1
  1. ^ a b c In coalition with Liberal Reformist Party
  2. ^ In coalition with VU
  3. ^ a b c In coalition with Vivant

International

The party is a member of the

Annemie Neyts
, member of Open VLD.

Presidents

Notable members

Notable former members

  • Boudewijn Bouckaert, a former VLD board member who left the party subsequently to Dedecker's exclusion, believing the party turned "left-liberal". He and Dedecker are founders of a new political party, List Dedecker, later renamed Libertarian, Direct, Democratic.
  • Hugo Coveliers, left the VLD to found his own political party VLOTT.
  • Jean-Marie Dedecker, was excluded from the VLD after several conflicts with the top of the party. He asked for an economic policy more in favour of free markets and limited government and believed that the party was too closely aligned with the Socialists. He founded the List Dedecker party, later Libertarian, Direct, Democratic.
  • Leo Govaerts [nl], left the VLD to found his own political party Veilig Blauw (Safe Blue).
  • Ward Beysen, left the VLD to found his own political party Liberal Appeal.
  • Sihame El Kaouakibi, left the VLD after claims of embezzlement.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Open VLD heeft de meeste leden en steekt CD&V voorbij". deredactie.be. 30 October 2014.
  2. ^ Gijs, Camille; Moens, Barbara (30 September 2020). "Flemish liberal Alexander De Croo to be appointed Belgium's prime minister". Politico. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  3. ^ Bock, Pauline (7 October 2020). "Why did it take so long to form Belgium's new 'Vivaldi' coalition?". Euronews. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  4. ^ Barbiroglio, Emanuela (8 May 2020). "Masks Will Be Next Challenge For Belgium In COVID-19 Second Phase". Forbes. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  5. ^ Terry, Chris (6 February 2014). "Flemish Liberals and Democrats". The Democratic Society. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  6. ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2019). "Flanders/Belgium". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  7. ^
    ISBN 978-0-313-39182-8
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-1-137-31484-0
    .
  9. ISBN 978-0-203-12362-1
    .
  10. ISBN 9780429812699
    .
  11. ^ "Politieke fracties". Benelux Parliament (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  12. ^
    ISBN 978-0-415-18188-4
    .
  13. ^ "Somers wil revolutie binnen de VLD" (in Dutch). Belga. 4 November 2006.
  14. ^ "Gelijke kansen". www2.openvld.be (in Dutch).
  15. ^ Times, The Brussels. "Belgium fails to reach agreement on recognising Palestinian state". www.brusselstimes.com. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  16. ISBN 9781136340390
    .
  17. ^ "Home | Hilde VAUTMANS | MEPs | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Home | Guy VERHOFSTADT | MEPs | European Parliament". www.europarl.europa.eu. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  19. ^ "Members Page CoR".
  20. ^ "Members Page CoR".
  21. ^ "Coordinators". Renew Europe CoR. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Home | Guy VERHOFSTADT | MEPs | European Parliament".
  23. ^ "Home | Hilde VAUTMANS | MEPs | European Parliament".

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