Flemish Liberals and Democrats
Political Party
Belgians urged to boycott Dutch mussels in port row...remains inaccessible. "I can't shake the feeling that there are protectionist ideas at work," said Annick De Ridder, an MP for the Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD). "The Dutch blocked the Westerschelde back in the 16th and 17th century... In this article: Belgium, Antwerp, Scheldt, Netherlands, Tax, and World Cup |
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Description from Wikipedia:
The Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten or OpenVLD (Flemish Liberals and Democrats) is a Flemish liberal party, created in 1992 from the former Party for Freedom and Progress (PVV) and a few other politicians from other parties.
The party has been part of the government continuously since 1999; it led the government for three cabinets under Guy Verhofstadt from 1999 until March 2008. It most recently formed the Federal Government from June 2003 through 2007 with the cartel SP.a-Spirit, the Walloon Socialist Party (PS) and the liberal Reformist Movement (MR). In the Flemish Parliament the VLD formed a coalition government with SP.a-Spirit and Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V) after the 2004 regional election. Currently, VLD is a member of the Leterme I Government formed on 22 March 2008.
Ideologically, the VLD started as a right-wing, somewhat Thatcherite party under its founder, Guy Verhofstadt. On economic issues 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. Party chairman Bart Somers called in November 2006 for a "revolution" within the party, saying that "a liberal party," like the VLD, "can only be progressive and social."
On 19 June 2004 the VLD successfully negotiated a regional coalition government with CD&V/N-VA, the Christian democrats and moderate nationalists, and with the social democratic SP.a-Spirit. In a federal cabinet reshuffle in July 2004, VLD chairman Karel De Gucht replaced Louis Michel (MR) as minister for Foreign Affairs. Former Flemish Minister-President Bart Somers is the new party chairman.
- Headquarters:
- Melsensstraat 34 Brussels
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