Politics of Flanders
This article needs to be updated.(July 2022) |
Flanders is both a cultural community and an economic region within the Belgian state, and has significant autonomy.
Historically, the contemporary
Today, the Flemish community has a significant amount of political autonomy. Its institutions include the
Since 25 July 2014, the
Political system
Flanders is a part of the
Institutional framework
Flemish Government
The executive branch of government consists of a limited number of
Provincial and local government
Flanders is divided into 5 provinces, plus the local Flemish institutions in Brussels (the 'Vlaamse Gemeenschaps-Commissie' (VGC), and around 300 municipalities. Provincial and local government are an exclusive competency of the regions. The provincial governments are primarily administrative units, and are politically weak. A governor is appointed by Flemish government, and approved by the Flemish parliament. One governor presides over each province. The governor is supported by an elected Provincial Council of 47 to 84 members.
Municipal governments, on the other hand, are important political entities with significant powers, and a history of independence dating from medieval times. Many national politicians have a political base in a municipality, often doubling as mayor or alderman in their own hometowns.
Electoral system
Several months before an election, each party forms a list of candidates for each district. Parties are allowed to place as many candidates on their "ticket" as there are seats available. The formation of the list is an internal process that varies with each party. The place on the list influences the election of a candidate, but its influence has diminished since the last electoral reform. Individual votes will get priority.
Political campaigns are relatively short, and there are restrictions on the use of
Voting is compulsory; more than 90% of the population participates. Elections for the Flemish Parliament are normally held every five years. The elections coincide with those for the European Parliament. Elections for municipal and provincial councils are held every six years. The next federal election will be held in 2024, the next community and regional elections are expected in 2024 as well and the next municipal and provincial elections in 2024.
Political parties in Flanders
From the creation of the Belgian state in 1830, and throughout most of the 19th century, two unified political parties dominated Belgian politics: the Catholic Party (Church-oriented and conservative) and the Liberal Party (anti-clerical and progressive). In the late 19th century the Socialist Party arose to represent the emerging industrial working class.
These three groups still dominate Belgian politics, but they have evolved substantially in character. In addition, several other parties were founded, notably the
Catholics/Christian Democrats
After World War II, the Catholic (now Christian Democratic) Party severed its formal ties with the Church. It became a mass party of the centre.
In 1968, the
The CVP is the larger of the two, getting more than twice as many votes as the PSC. Following the
Socialists/Social Democrats
The
It was formerly known as the Socialistische Partij (SP), which in turn had branched off from the Belgische Socialistische Partij (BSP), formed by former members of the Belgische Werklieden Partij (BWP). The Socialists split along linguistic lines in 1978. The Flemish Socialists changed their party's name to SP.a (Socialistische Partij Anders) in 2002. Bruno Tobback is the current head of the Flemish Socialist Party.
As a reaction to the more centrist course of the SP.a, two former SP.a-representatives, Jef Sleeckx and Lode Van Outrive, formed, together with communist and Trotskyist activists, a new socialist movement in 2006, the Committee for Another Policy.
Liberals/Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Party chiefly appeals to business-people, property owners, shopkeepers, and the self-employed, in general. In American terms the Liberals' economic positions would be considered to reflect a moderate conservative ideology.
The Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (OpenVLD, Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten), who opened up their ranks to Volksunie defectors some years ago, were the largest political force in Flanders during the 1990s, but lost more than one third of their support after 7 years of liberal control of the post of prime minister by Guy Verhofstadt. The Open VLD is currently headed by Alexander De Croo.
Over the last decade, a number of parties originated, as break away parties from the VLD. These were
Communists
The
The most successful
Other minor communist parties are the
Linguistic parties
A specific phenomenon was the emergence of one-issue parties whose only reason for existence was the defense of the cultural, political, and economic interests of one of the linguistic groups or regions of Belgian society. See
The most militant Flemish regional party in Parliament in the 1950s and 1960s, the Volksunie (
The Vlaams Blok was another party created out of the Volksunie in 1978. In 2004 it disbanded and reformed as Vlaams Belang after a conviction for violating the Anti-Racism Law. It strongly advocated Flemish independence and the cultural assimilation of migrants. (see Nationalists/Conservatives below)
Ecologists/Greens
The Flemish ecologist party Agalev (Anders GAan LEVen - To Start Living Differently) made its parliamentary breakthrough in 1981. As a traditional
Nationalists/Conservatives
Another nationalist party is the rightwing nationalist Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest), the successor of the Vlaams Blok (Flemish Block) which broke away from the Volksunie in 1976. Originally a mainly Flemish regionalist and republican party, the Vlaams Blok soon concentrated on anti-immigration themes, and was often accused of xenophobia and racism. Its viewpoints on ethical and moral issues is very conservative. Party chairperson was MEP Frank Vanhecke, but Filip Dewinter is considered by many to have been the party's real leader. Long dismissed as a "fringe" party by mainstream politicians, the Flemish Block shocked observers when in the 1991 elections it posted a relatively high percentage of votes in much of Flanders, especially in Antwerp. The party scored even better in later local, regional and federal elections and still seemed to be winning support in November 2006, but the party lost a seat in the federal elections in 2007.
The Vlaams Blok was found to be operating contrary to the Belgian constitution for racism. In 2004, the Belgian Supreme Court upheld a decision of the Appeal Court of Ghent ruling that three organizations associated with the Vlaams Blok were in contempt of the 1981 Belgian law on racism and xenophobia, and that the party pursued permanent incitement to discrimination and racial segregation. The party was denied state funding and was therefore disbanded. Vlaams Blok supporters saw the conviction as a politically motivated action, and point out that the constitution had to be changed to allow for the conviction. A new party (basically the same in organization, membership, initials, and party programme, excluding anything that could be seen as racist) was founded and labelled Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest).
Linguistic minority
The
The party currently has one representative in the Flemish Parliament, six in the provincial council of Flemish Brabant and dozens in several municipal councils.
Alliances
After the installation of a 5%
The VLD / Vivant / Liberaal Appel alliance did not perform well in the polls. The alliance was renamed Open VLD as of February 2007. The proposed SP.a / Spirit / Groen! alliance did not happen, instead the SP.a / Spirit alliance went alone to the polls. Vlaams Belang formed an alliance with VLOTT, a break away party from the VLD, which advocates capitalist and rightwing liberal economic policies. The VB / VLOTT alliance is negotiating with Lijst Dedecker to include them in the alliance, but the outcome is in the balance and is unlikely to happen.
The parties
Representative political parties
Following parties have consistent presence in the Flemish parliament:
- Christian-Democratic and Flemish(Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams)
- Flemish Interest (Vlaams Belang)
- Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats(Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten)
- Green (Groen)
- List Dedecker(Lijst Dedecker)
- New-Flemish Alliance(Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie)
- Forward (Vooruit)
- Union of Francophones (Union des Francophones)
Parties without representation in the Flemish Parliament
- Belgische Unie/Union Belge(Belgian Union)
- Committee for Another Policy (Comité voor een Andere Politiek)
- Left Socialist Party (Linkse Socialistische Partij)
- Liberaal Appèl(Liberal Appeal)
- Vivant—part of the alliance VLD/VIVANT
- VLOTT—part of the alliance VB/VLOTT
- Workers Party of Belgium(Partij van de Arbeid van België)
See also
- Politics of Brussels, Politics of Wallonia
- Flemish Movement
- Greater Netherlands
- Science and technology in Flanders
External links
- Media related to Politics of Flanders at Wikimedia Commons