A New Beginning
On 9 November 2004, the Court of Cassation convicted the Vlaams Blok party for ‘racism’ and inciting discrimination. However, Vlaams Blok has never been a racist party. Certain political viewpoints of the Vlaams Blok party have even been adopted by traditional political parties in countries as the Netherlands and Denmark.
The conviction of Vlaams Blok was in reality a party ban. The foundation of a new political party was an utter necessity for the survival of the party-political Flemish nationalism. On 14 November 2004, Vlaams Belang – a renewed party with a new name, but with the same people and the same programme – was born.
Political Trial
It was as clear as day that the Vlaams Blok trial was inspired by political motives. The Belgian political parties made six (!) amendments of the law in order to convict Vlaams Blok and its leading politicians. They even had to make an amendment of the Constitution.
The actual reason of the Vlaams Blok conviction was put aptly by Stephen Pollard, journalist and former advisor of Tony Blair: “The Vlaams Blok’s racism was merely an excuse. The real reason why the Belgian authorities have been bent on banning the VB for years has nothing to do with racism and the rights of immigrants. It is that the party advocates secession from Belgium and the establishment of a Republic of Flanders” (The Times, 24 April 2004). This also explains why Vlaams Belang, the successor of Vlaams Blok, is being prosecuted by the Belgian establishment.
We Carry On
Vlaams Belang carries on the struggle for Flemish independence, for a strict immigration policy and for real freedom of speech. In a real democracy, opinions can never be punishable. In a real democracy, political disagreements are taken to parliament, not to court.
