The Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten or VLD (Flemish Liberals and Democrats) is a Flemish liberal party, created in 1992 from the former PVV and a few other politicians from other parties. The party has been in government since 1999. Since June 2003 it has formed the federal government with the cartel SP.a-Spirit, PS and the liberal MR. In the Flemish parliament the VLD formed a cabinet with SP.a-Spirit and the Christian Democrats.
Ideologically, the VLD started as a right-wing, somewhat Thatcherite party under its founder, Guy Verhofstadt. The VLD rapidly became a more mainstream party, after it reformed itself, endorsing the solidarity principle that is one of the corner-stones of the continental West-European states. 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 lost most of its ideological appeal. Several of its thinkers such as Prof. Boudewijn Bouckaert, president of Nova Civitas, heavily criticised the party. Many others resent the priority it has placed on the 'Belgian compromise', enabling the Walloon socialist PS to gain a dominant position in the formulation of Belgian government policy.
In 2004 the VLD teamed up with the politically marginal social liberal Vivant party for the Flemish and European elections. VLD-Vivant lost the elections to arch rivals CD&V and Vlaams Blok. 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.
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 of 2004, VLD chairman Karel De Gucht replaced Louis Michel (MR) as minister for Foreign Affairs. Former Flemish prime minister Bart Somers is the new party chairman.
Europe
The party is fairly pro-European, and holds three seats in the European Parliament, where it sits as a member of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR) Group. Federal VLD prime minister Guy Verhofstadt was rejected as a candidate for the presidency of the European Commission in June of 2004.
International
The party is a member of the Liberal International, which is co-chaired by Annemie Neyts, member of the VLD.
Presidents
Liberal Party
PVV
PVV (Flemish part)
VLD
reference: www.terra.es
Notable members
- Bart Somers, former minister-president of Flanders and current party leader
- Guy Verhofstadt, former party leader and current prime minister
- Karel De Gucht, former party leader and current Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Patrick Dewael, former minister-president of Flanders and current Minister of Internal Affairs
- Marc Verwilghen, Minister of the Economy, Trade, Science and Energy
- Vincent Van Quickenborne, secretary of state, responsible for the simplicification of the administration
- Fientje Moerman, vice-minister-president of Flanders
- Marino Keulen, Flemish Minister of Integration
- Dirk Van Mechelen, Flemish Minister of Finance
- Guy Van Hengel, Brussels Minister of Finance
- Annemie Neyts, former party leader, chairwoman of the Liberal International and current party leader of the ELDR
- Fons Borginon, VLD floor leader in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives
- Paul Wille, VLD floor leader in the Belgian Senate
- Patricia Ceysens, former Flemish Minister of the Economy and current VLD floor leader in the Flemish Parliament
- Jean-Luc Vanraes, VLD floor leader in the Brussels Parliament
- Jean-Marie Dedecker
Notable Former members
See also
External links
The content of this page is retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flemish_Liberals_and_Democrats under GFDL
