Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈvlaːmz bəˈlɑŋ] ; lit. 'Flemish Interest'; VB) is a Flemish nationalist, Eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels Capital Region of Belgium. It is widely considered by the media and political analysts to be on the political far-right, although it self-describes as right-nationalist and has tried to distance itself from the far-right label in recent years.
Vlaams Belang is a rebrand of Vlaams Blok, which was dissolved after it was condemned for espousing racism during a trial which was held in 2004. After it reorganized itself as Vlaams Belang, it continued to espouse the core philosophy of its predecessor by campaigning on a separatist and Flemish nationalist platform. It also supports the maintenance of Flemish cultural identity, it opposes multiculturalism, and it advocates the imposition of tougher law & order policies. However, the VB toned its rhetoric down and it also implemented some changes in the more controversial portions of the former Vlaams Blok statute and has sought to change its image from a radical to a more conservative party by distancing itself from some of its former programs. Nonetheless, most other parties initially continued the cordon sanitaire which was implemented against the former party, effectively blocking the Vlaams Belang from taking part in government at any level. Additionally, attempts on cutting public subsidies specifically for the party were made through the Belgian draining law.
Like Vlaams Blok, Vlaams Belang was initially popular among the Flemish electorate and it was also one of the most successful nationalist-populist parties in Europe. However, from 2008, the party experienced a downturn in support and membership, a situation which coincided with internal problems which existed within the party and the rise of the more moderate nationalist New Flemish Alliance, which also supports Flemish independence. Under the current leadership of Tom Van Grieken, the VB has begun to regain popular support and as a result, it made a comeback during the 2019 federal elections. Following the election, there has been some media speculation that the cordon sanitaire of the party may be lifted for the first time. By 2021, the VB had again grown into one of the largest parties in the Flemish region.
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