List of political parties in Flanders
Encyclopedia
Flemish
political parties
all operate all over Flanders
, covering the Flemish region
and the Brussels-Capital Region. In the latter, the compete with Francophone parties that all also operate in Wallonia.
Flanders has a diverse multi-party system
of politics. Many parties are active, and since end of the 20th century, none succeeds in obtaining more than one third of the votes, let alone a majority. Therefore, parties must work with each other to form coalition government
s.
Most current Flemish parties grew from the main political parties that for long dominated Belgian politics: the Catholic
Party (Church-oriented and conservative
), the Liberal Party (anti-clerical
and progressive
) and the Socialist Party. These three groups still dominate Flemish politics, but they have evolved substantially in character.
After World War II
, the Catholic (now Christian Democratic) Party severed its formal ties with the Church. It became a mass party of the center, somewhat like a big tent
political party in the United States.
In 1978, the Christian Democratic Party, responding to linguistic tensions in the country, divided into two independent parties: the Parti Social Chrétien (PSC) in French-speaking Belgium and the Christelijke Volkspartij (CVP) in Flanders. The two parties pursue the same basic policies but maintain separate organizations. The CVP was the larger of the two, getting more than twice as many votes as the PSC. The chairman of the Flemish Catholic party is now Yves Leterme
. Following the 1999 general elections, the CVP and PSC were ousted from office, bringing an end to a 40-year term on the government benches. In 2001, the CVP changed its name to CD&V (Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams).
ideology. They are now social-democratic
parties similar to those also affiliated to the pan-European Party of European Socialists
. The Socialists have been part of many postwar governments and have produced some of the country's most distinguished statesmen. As with the Belgian Christian Democrats, the Belgian Socialist Party
also split along linguistic lines in 1978.
Caroline Gennez
is the current head of the Flemish Socialist Party. In the eighties, the Flemish Socialists focused heavily on international issues, and on security in Europe in particular, where they frequently opposed U.S. policies. However, first with Willy Claes
, then Frank Vandenbroucke and with Erik Derycke
as Foreign Minister
, the party made a significant shift to the center adopting less controversial stances on foreign policy issues.
In 2001, the Flemish Socialist Party (Socialistische Partij, SP) changed its name to Socialist Party Different (Socialistische Partij anders) and is most commonly known by the acronym SP.a.
(Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten, VLD) who opened up their ranks to Volksunie
defectors during the nineties, are currently (anno 2006) the fourth largest political force. The VLD is currently headed by Bart Somers
.
The Liberals chiefly appeal 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.
Over the last decade, a number of parties originated, as break away parties from the VLD. These were Liberaal Appèl
, founded by Ward Beysen
, VLOTT
, founded by Hugo Coveliers
and Lijst Dedecker, founded by Jean-Marie Dedecker
. These parties advocated classical liberal economics and a more rightwing approach to society, and accused the VLD of shifting fundamentally to the left.
(KP) is the successor in Flanders of the Kommunistische Partij van België
(KPB), the first communist
party in Belgium. This party was founded in 1921, but disappeared out of the Belgian Parliament
after the elections of 1985
.
The most successful Maoist
movement to emerge in Flanders was Alle Macht Aan De Arbeiders (AMADA - All Power To The Workers) at the end of the 1960s
during a time of students protests at the University of Leuven
. In 1979 this movement evolved into the Partij van de Arbeid van België
(PVDA), which is at the moment the biggest communist party in Flanders and is represented in some municipal councils in Flanders, but not in the Flemish Parliament
.
Other minor communist parties are the Trotskyist
Socialistische Arbeiderspartij (SAP) and the Linkse Socialistische Partij
(LSP).
.
The most militant Flemish regional party in Parliament in the 1950s and 1960s, the Volksunie
(VU), once drew nearly one-quarter of Belgium's Dutch-speaking electorate away from the traditional parties. The Volksunie was in the forefront of a successful campaign by the country's Flemish population for cultural and political parity with the nation's long dominant French-speaking population. However, in recent elections the party has suffered severe setbacks. In October 2001 the party disintegrated. The social-liberal
wing founded Spirit, later called the Social Liberal Party, while the more traditional Flemish nationalist wing continued under the banner New Flemish Alliance (NV-A). After a disappointing result in the regional elections of 2009
, the Social Liberal Party decided to fuse with the Flemish ecologists of Groen!
, the greens also participated in Flemish governments, but after the electoral defeat in 2004, they did not want to rejoin the current Flemish government.
party in Flanders is the Vlaams Belang
(Flemish Interest), which was founded in 2004, after its predecessor Vlaams Blok
(Flemish Block) was condemned by a High Court for "permanent incitation to discrimination and racism." The Vlaams Belang is most strident in pursuing a nationalist agenda (Flemish independence).
or UF is a Belgian
electoral list
which participates in regional, provincial
and municipal elections
in the Flemish
Province of Flemish Brabant
. As the name suggests, its primary target are the French
-speaking inhabitants of Flemish Brabant and particularly those who live in Halle-Vilvoorde
and the predominantly French-speaking municipalities with linguistic facilities
near the Brussels-Capital Region. The UF is a cooperation between the three most important French
-speaking parties in Belgium
: the Mouvement Réformateur
, the Centre Démocrate Humaniste
and the Parti Socialiste
. The coalition wants an enlargement of the bilingual Brussels Capital Region through the merger of various municipalities with linguistic facilities
with a large percentage of French-speakers, like Sint-Genesius-Rode
, and opposes the splitting of the bilingual Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde
electoral and judicial constituency.
, with private funding close to forbidden and public funding only for parties with at least one representative in parliament, some of the smaller parties have made alliances with a larger, more traditional party. Parties in any alliance remain independent, but they would field candidates on one combined list at elections. In general, the smaller party/parties would be assured of gaining seats, and the larger party would be assured of obtaining a larger overall share of the vote. This was especially true for the CD&V / NV-A alliance, whereby CD&V became the largest party by votes in the Flemish regional elections, so therefore it could initiate coalition talks and the party could appoint the leader of the Flemish regional government. The VLD / Vivant alliance did not perform well in the polls. The proposed SP.a / Spirit / Groen! alliance did not succeed, instead the SP.a / Spirit alliance went to the polls.
Parties not represented in the Flemish Parliament
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
political parties
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
all operate all over Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, covering the Flemish region
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Colloquially, it is usually simply referred to as Flanders, of which it is the institutional iteration within the context of the Belgian political system...
and the Brussels-Capital Region. In the latter, the compete with Francophone parties that all also operate in Wallonia.
Flanders has a diverse multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
of politics. Many parties are active, and since end of the 20th century, none succeeds in obtaining more than one third of the votes, let alone a majority. Therefore, parties must work with each other to form coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
s.
Most current Flemish parties grew from the main political parties that for long dominated Belgian politics: the Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Party (Church-oriented and conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
), the Liberal Party (anti-clerical
Anti-clericalism
Anti-clericalism is a historical movement that opposes religious institutional power and influence, real or alleged, in all aspects of public and political life, and the involvement of religion in the everyday life of the citizen...
and progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
) and the Socialist Party. These three groups still dominate Flemish politics, but they have evolved substantially in character.
Catholics/Christian Democrats
The Christian-democratic party has its origins in the 19th century. in that period, it mainly competed with the liberals. They for long took turns in leading Belgian government. By the end of the 19th century, the then emerging socialist party rapidly took an important place in Belgian politics. This continued in the first half of the 20th century. In the thirties, the Christian-democrats started feeling competition from Flemish nationalists.After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Catholic (now Christian Democratic) Party severed its formal ties with the Church. It became a mass party of the center, somewhat like a big tent
Big tent
In politics, a big tent party or catch-all party is a political party seeking to attract people with diverse viewpoints. The party does not require adherence to some ideology as a criterion for membership...
political party in the United States.
In 1978, the Christian Democratic Party, responding to linguistic tensions in the country, divided into two independent parties: the Parti Social Chrétien (PSC) in French-speaking Belgium and the Christelijke Volkspartij (CVP) in Flanders. The two parties pursue the same basic policies but maintain separate organizations. The CVP was the larger of the two, getting more than twice as many votes as the PSC. The chairman of the Flemish Catholic party is now Yves Leterme
Yves Leterme
Yves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008...
. Following the 1999 general elections, the CVP and PSC were ousted from office, bringing an end to a 40-year term on the government benches. In 2001, the CVP changed its name to CD&V (Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams).
Socialists/Social Democrats
The modern Socialist party have lost its original MarxistMarxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
ideology. They are now social-democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
parties similar to those also affiliated to the pan-European Party of European Socialists
Party of European Socialists
The Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...
. The Socialists have been part of many postwar governments and have produced some of the country's most distinguished statesmen. As with the Belgian Christian Democrats, the Belgian Socialist Party
Belgian Socialist Party
The Belgian Socialist Party was a democratic socialist party which existed in Belgium from 1945 to 1978.The BSP was founded by activists from the Belgian Labour Party , which was the first Belgian socialist party. It ceased to function during the Second World War, while Belgium was under Nazi...
also split along linguistic lines in 1978.
Caroline Gennez
Caroline Gennez
Caroline Gennez is a Belgian socialist politician and a former chairwoman of the Socialist Party – Different in Flanders.-Biography:...
is the current head of the Flemish Socialist Party. In the eighties, the Flemish Socialists focused heavily on international issues, and on security in Europe in particular, where they frequently opposed U.S. policies. However, first with Willy Claes
Willy Claes
Willem Werner Hubert "Willy" Claes was the eighth Secretary General of NATO and a Belgian politician. He was a member of the Flemish Socialist Party....
, then Frank Vandenbroucke and with Erik Derycke
Erik Derycke
Erik A.N. Derycke is a Flemish socialist politician, lawyer, former minister and a current judge at the Constitutional Court of Belgium.Derycke was awarded a licence in law by the University of Gent in 1972...
as Foreign Minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
, the party made a significant shift to the center adopting less controversial stances on foreign policy issues.
In 2001, the Flemish Socialist Party (Socialistische Partij, SP) changed its name to Socialist Party Different (Socialistische Partij anders) and is most commonly known by the acronym SP.a.
Liberals/Liberal Democrats
The Flemish Liberals and DemocratsFlemish Liberals and Democrats
' , commonly known as Open VLD and also simply as the VLD, is a Flemish liberal political party in Belgium, created in 1992 from the former Party for Freedom and Progress and a few other politicians from other parties. The party led the government for three cabinets under Guy Verhofstadt from 1999...
(Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten, VLD) who opened up their ranks to Volksunie
People's Union (Belgium)
People's Union was a Belgian political party, formed in 1954 as a successor to the "Christian Flemish People's Union", an electoral alliance of Flemish nationalists....
defectors during the nineties, are currently (anno 2006) the fourth largest political force. The VLD is currently headed by Bart Somers
Bart Somers
Bartolomeus Jozef Lodewijk Rosalia "Bart" Somers is a Belgian, Flemish politician. He is currently the mayor of Mechelen...
.
The Liberals chiefly appeal 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.
Over the last decade, a number of parties originated, as break away parties from the VLD. These were Liberaal Appèl
Liberaal Appèl
The Liberal Appeal is a Flemish right-liberal political party.Founded on March 22, 2002 by the liberal MEP Ward Beysen as a secession of the VLD, mostly in Antwerp. The Liberaal Appèl was first a movement, then became a full-fledged political party on January 20, 2003...
, founded by Ward Beysen
Ward Beysen
Eduard Marie August "Ward" Beysen was a Belgian politician and well-known freemason. He held a degree in Dutch and history teaching, obtained in 1963 in Lier and started his political career in the seventies in the Flemish liberal party, the Party for Freedom and Progress , which was renamed...
, VLOTT
VLOTT
VLOTT is a Belgian right-wing liberal or fortuynist political party. The acronym VLOTT stands for Flemish Liberal Independent Tolerant and Transparent . It was founded on November 23, 2005 by ex-Flemish Liberals and Democrats member Hugo Coveliers...
, founded by Hugo Coveliers
Hugo Coveliers
Hugo F.V. Coveliers is a Belgian politician and lawyer. He was a member of the Belgian Chamber of People's Representatives between 1985 and 1995 and from 1993 to 2003. Since 2003 he has been a member of the Belgian Senate...
and Lijst Dedecker, founded by Jean-Marie Dedecker
Jean-Marie Dedecker
Jean-Marie Louis Dedecker is a Belgian Flemish politician.In 1999 and 2003, Dedecker was directly elected to the Belgian Senate. In 2004 Dedecker ran for a seat in the Flemish Parliament, after taking his seat in the Flemish Parliament, Dedecker was elected by his colleagues as a community senator...
. These parties advocated classical liberal economics and a more rightwing approach to society, and accused the VLD of shifting fundamentally to the left.
Communists
The Kommunistische PartijCommunist Party (Flanders)
The Communist Party is a political party in Flanders, Belgium. It was founded in 1989 in the aftermath of the split of the Communist Party of Belgium along linguistic lines. The political secretary of the KP is Jaak Perquy.The KP publishes a newspaper, Agora...
(KP) is the successor in Flanders of the Kommunistische Partij van België
Communist Party of Belgium
Communist Party of Belgium was a political party in Belgium. The youth wing of KPB/PCB was known as the Communist Youth of Belgium. The party published Le Drapeau Rouge in French and De Roode Vaan in Dutch.- History :It was formed at a congress in Anderlecht on September 3-4 1921...
(KPB), the first communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
party in Belgium. This party was founded in 1921, but disappeared out of the Belgian Parliament
Belgian Federal Parliament
The Belgian Federal Parliament is a bicameral parliament. It consists of the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate . It sits in the Palace of the Nation .- Chamber of Representatives :...
after the elections of 1985
Belgian general election, 1985
The 13 October 1985 Belgian general elections was a Belgian election for the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and Belgian Senate....
.
The most successful Maoist
Maoism
Maoism, also known as the Mao Zedong Thought , is claimed by Maoists as an anti-Revisionist form of Marxist communist theory, derived from the teachings of the Chinese political leader Mao Zedong . Developed during the 1950s and 1960s, it was widely applied as the political and military guiding...
movement to emerge in Flanders was Alle Macht Aan De Arbeiders (AMADA - All Power To The Workers) at the end of the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
during a time of students protests at the University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
. In 1979 this movement evolved into the Partij van de Arbeid van België
Workers Party of Belgium
The Workers' Party of Belgium is a Marxist political party in Belgium. It is one of the few parties that operates as a single Belgian party...
(PVDA), which is at the moment the biggest communist party in Flanders and is represented in some municipal councils in Flanders, but not in the Flemish Parliament
Flemish Parliament
The Flemish Parliament constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural community of Belgium The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: , and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the...
.
Other minor communist parties are the Trotskyist
Trotskyism
Trotskyism is the theory of Marxism as advocated by Leon Trotsky. Trotsky considered himself an orthodox Marxist and Bolshevik-Leninist, arguing for the establishment of a vanguard party of the working-class...
Socialistische Arbeiderspartij (SAP) and the Linkse Socialistische Partij
Left Socialist Party (Belgium)
The Left Socialist Party is a political party in Belgium without parliamentary representation. It is the Belgian section of the Committee for a Workers' International, a Trotskyist International.It was formed in 1992 as 'Militant Links' and fights for the right of the workers and the people in...
(LSP).
Linguistic parties
A specific phenomenon are one-issue parties whose only reason for existence is the defense of the cultural, political, and economic interests of one of the communities, see Flemish movementFlemish movement
The Flemish Movement is a popular term used to describe the political movement for emancipation and greater autonomy of the Belgian region of Flanders, for protection of the Dutch language, and for the over-all protection of Flemish culture and history....
.
The most militant Flemish regional party in Parliament in the 1950s and 1960s, the Volksunie
People's Union (Belgium)
People's Union was a Belgian political party, formed in 1954 as a successor to the "Christian Flemish People's Union", an electoral alliance of Flemish nationalists....
(VU), once drew nearly one-quarter of Belgium's Dutch-speaking electorate away from the traditional parties. The Volksunie was in the forefront of a successful campaign by the country's Flemish population for cultural and political parity with the nation's long dominant French-speaking population. However, in recent elections the party has suffered severe setbacks. In October 2001 the party disintegrated. The social-liberal
Social liberalism
Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
wing founded Spirit, later called the Social Liberal Party, while the more traditional Flemish nationalist wing continued under the banner New Flemish Alliance (NV-A). After a disappointing result in the regional elections of 2009
Belgian regional elections, 2009
Regional elections were held in Belgium on 7 June 2009 to choose representatives in the regional councils of Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels and the German-speaking Community of Belgium...
, the Social Liberal Party decided to fuse with the Flemish ecologists of Groen!
Ecologists/Greens
The Flemish (Agalev) ecologists made their parliamentary breakthrough in 1981. They focus heavily on environmental issues and are the most consistent critics of U.S. policy. Following significant gains made in the 1999 general elections, the greens joined a federal coalition cabinet for the first time in their history, but were ousted after the next elections. Agalev subsequently changed its name to Groen!. Under vera DuaVera Dua
Vera Agnes Roger Dua was the Party Chair of the Flemish green party Groen! between 2003 and 2007. She graduated in 1975 as agricultural engineer and attained a PhD in agricultural science 11 years later....
, the greens also participated in Flemish governments, but after the electoral defeat in 2004, they did not want to rejoin the current Flemish government.
Nationalists/Conservatives
The foremost nationalistNationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
party in Flanders is the Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang is a Belgian far-right political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels that advocates the independence of Flanders and strict limits on immigration, whereby immigrants would be obliged to adopt Flemish culture and language...
(Flemish Interest), which was founded in 2004, after its predecessor Vlaams Blok
Vlaams Blok
The Vlaams Blok was a Belgian far-right and secessionist political party with an anti-immigration platform. Its ideologies embraced Flemish nationalism, calling for the independence of Flanders. From its creation in 1978, it was the most notable militant right wing of the Flemish movement. Vlaams...
(Flemish Block) was condemned by a High Court for "permanent incitation to discrimination and racism." The Vlaams Belang is most strident in pursuing a nationalist agenda (Flemish independence).
Linguistic minority
The Union des FrancophonesUnion des Francophones
The Union of Francophones is a Belgian electoral list which participates in regional, provincial and municipal elections in the Flemish Province of Flemish Brabant...
or UF is a Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
electoral list
Party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation systems are a family of voting systems emphasizing proportional representation in elections in which multiple candidates are elected...
which participates in regional, provincial
Provinces of Belgium
Belgium is divided into three regions, two of them are subdivided into five provinces each.The division into provinces is fixed by Article 5 of the Belgian Constitution...
and municipal elections
Elections in Belgium
Elections in Belgium gives information on election and election results in Belgium.Belgium elects its bicameral federal legislature, the Federal Parliament Elections in Belgium gives information on election and election results in Belgium.Belgium elects its bicameral federal legislature, the...
in the Flemish
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Colloquially, it is usually simply referred to as Flanders, of which it is the institutional iteration within the context of the Belgian political system...
Province of Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven...
. As the name suggests, its primary target are the French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
-speaking inhabitants of Flemish Brabant and particularly those who live in Halle-Vilvoorde
Halle-Vilvoorde administrative Arrondissement
The Halle-Vilvoorde Arrondissement is one of the two administrative arrondissements in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. It almost completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region and lies to the west of the other arrondissement in the province, the Leuven Arrondissement...
and the predominantly French-speaking municipalities with linguistic facilities
Municipalities with linguistic facilities
The municipalities with language facilities, occasionally called municipalities with linguistic facilities or shortly municipalities with facilities , are municipalities in Belgium with legal provisions to protect rights of their linguistic minorities...
near the Brussels-Capital Region. The UF is a cooperation between the three most important French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
-speaking parties in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
: the Mouvement Réformateur
Reformist Movement
The Reformist Movement is a French-speaking liberal political party in Belgium. The party was in coalition as part of the Leterme II Government, and was also part of the governing coalition in the Walloon Region and Brussels-Capital Region until the 2004 regional elections...
, the Centre Démocrate Humaniste
Humanist Democratic Centre
The Humanist Democratic Centre is a Francophone Christian democratic political party in Belgium. The cdH currently participates in the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, the Government of the French Community and the Walloon Government.- History :...
and the Parti Socialiste
Socialist Party (francophone Belgium)
The Socialist Party is a Francophone social-democratic political party in Belgium. As of the 2010 elections, it is the second largest party in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives and the largest Francophone party...
. The coalition wants an enlargement of the bilingual Brussels Capital Region through the merger of various municipalities with linguistic facilities
Municipalities with linguistic facilities
The municipalities with language facilities, occasionally called municipalities with linguistic facilities or shortly municipalities with facilities , are municipalities in Belgium with legal provisions to protect rights of their linguistic minorities...
with a large percentage of French-speakers, like Sint-Genesius-Rode
Sint-Genesius-Rode
Sint-Genesius-Rode is a municipality located in Flanders, one of three regions of Belgium, in the province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the town of Sint-Genesius-Rode only. On January 1, 2008, the town had a total population of 18,021...
, and opposes the splitting of the bilingual Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde
Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde
Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde is a Belgian electoral and judicial arrondissement in the center of the country, encompassing:* the officially bilingual Brussels-Capital Region, which coincides...
electoral and judicial constituency.
Alliances
After the installation of a 5% electoral thresholdElection threshold
In party-list proportional representation systems, an election threshold is a clause that stipulates that a party must receive a minimum percentage of votes, either nationally or within a particular district, to obtain any seats in the parliament...
, with private funding close to forbidden and public funding only for parties with at least one representative in parliament, some of the smaller parties have made alliances with a larger, more traditional party. Parties in any alliance remain independent, but they would field candidates on one combined list at elections. In general, the smaller party/parties would be assured of gaining seats, and the larger party would be assured of obtaining a larger overall share of the vote. This was especially true for the CD&V / NV-A alliance, whereby CD&V became the largest party by votes in the Flemish regional elections, so therefore it could initiate coalition talks and the party could appoint the leader of the Flemish regional government. The VLD / Vivant alliance did not perform well in the polls. The proposed SP.a / Spirit / Groen! alliance did not succeed, instead the SP.a / Spirit alliance went to the polls.
Representative parties
- Christian-Democratic and Flemish (Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams)
- Flemish InterestVlaams BelangVlaams Belang is a Belgian far-right political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels that advocates the independence of Flanders and strict limits on immigration, whereby immigrants would be obliged to adopt Flemish culture and language...
(Vlaams Belang) - Green! (Groen!)
- List Dedecker (Lijst Dedecker)
- New Flemish Alliance (Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie)
- Open Flemish Liberals and DemocratsFlemish Liberals and Democrats' , commonly known as Open VLD and also simply as the VLD, is a Flemish liberal political party in Belgium, created in 1992 from the former Party for Freedom and Progress and a few other politicians from other parties. The party led the government for three cabinets under Guy Verhofstadt from 1999...
(Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten) - Socialist Party - Differently (Socialistische Partij Anders)
- Union of FrancophonesUnion des FrancophonesThe Union of Francophones is a Belgian electoral list which participates in regional, provincial and municipal elections in the Flemish Province of Flemish Brabant...
(Union des Francophones)
Parties not represented in the Flemish ParliamentFlemish ParliamentThe Flemish Parliament constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural community of Belgium The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: , and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the...
- Belgian UnionBelgian UnionBelgische Unie – Union Belge , known by the acronym BUB, is a small political party in Belgium. As one of the only political parties organised across the entire country, it wishes to abolish the federal system in Belgium and re-establish a unitary state based on the original nine provinces...
(Belgische Unie) - Left Socialist PartyLeft Socialist Party (Belgium)The Left Socialist Party is a political party in Belgium without parliamentary representation. It is the Belgian section of the Committee for a Workers' International, a Trotskyist International.It was formed in 1992 as 'Militant Links' and fights for the right of the workers and the people in...
(Linkse Socialistische Partij) - Socialist Workers' PartyRevolutionary Communist League (Belgium)The Revolutionary Communist League or Socialist Workers' Party is a Belgian Trotskyist political party...
(Socialistische Arbeiders Partij) - VivantVivantVivant is a small Belgian social liberal party founded by millionaire Roland Duchâtelet. In the regional elections in June 2004, the party formed a strategic alliance with the Flemish Liberals and Democrats . Both parties are founded on the principle of individualism and can be called liberal...
- Workers Party of BelgiumWorkers Party of BelgiumThe Workers' Party of Belgium is a Marxist political party in Belgium. It is one of the few parties that operates as a single Belgian party...
(Partij van de Arbeid van België)