Belgian court tipped to ban far-right party

The Age ^ | 07 November 2004 | Angus Roxburgh

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An attempt will be made this week to ban Europe's most successful far-right nationalist party, Belgium's Vlaams Blok.

A quarter of voters in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern half of Belgium, support its policies for independence from Belgium and repatriation of many immigrants, especially Muslim ones.

It is now the biggest party in Flanders, kept out of power only by an agreement among all the mainstream parties to exclude it from any coalition government.

But tomorrow Belgium's highest court is expected to rule that the party is racist. The ruling will mean that the Vlaams Blok will have to disband. But it won't go away. Indeed, many observers believe it will bounce back even stronger under a new name but with the same policies.

The Vlaams Blok has prospered while almost all of Europe's other far-right parties have seen their support drop.

In France, Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the National Front, made a spectacular breakthrough to the final round of the presidential election in 2002. But since then his star has waned.

In Austria, Joerg Haider found himself in the spotlight with his positive remarks about Hitler. His Freedom Party did so well in national elections in 1999 that it became a member of the coalition government.

But that experience tamed the party. Mr Haider himself is much reduced in stature and his ministers have become part of Austria's political mainstream.

The party founded in the Netherlands by anti-immigration Pim Fortuyn, collapsed after his murder and survived only a few months in government.

Political analyst Stefaan Walgraeve, of Antwerp University, says it is precisely the Vlaams Blok pariah status, kept out of government, that increases its popularity. The difference, compared with other countries, is that this party is seen as fighting the establishment. By always being kept in opposition it can claim to be the only party fighting for ordinary people against the political elite.

But the party has also moved to soften its image and become respectable. Party leader Filip Dewinter says the Vlaams Blok's ultimate goal is to defend the Flemish identity - by securing independence from Belgium, and by keeping out immigrants. He is unashamed about singling out Muslim immigrants and denies that this leaves him open to accusations of racism.

"Not at all. I think we should recognise that cultures are different and not all cultures are equal. When I see Muslim culture I think that our culture is superior. Our values, our way of life are superior and we have to say so," Mr Dewinter says.

Last month in Schoten, a suburb of Antwerp, 100 party activists gathered. Among the cheese-and-wine tables was Marie-Rose Morel who, with her beauty queen looks, epitomises the new-look Vlaams Blok. At 32, she is the party's youngest MP.

The expected court ruling will oblige the Vlaams Blok to disband and reconstitute itself under a new name, perhaps the Flemish People Party. Analysts here believe the move will increase its status as the underdog of Belgian politics and persuade even more to vote for it.

[MegaSilver]

Where's the vice and virtue police when you need them? The song ebony and ivory says "We all know that people are the same wherever you go." What's the matter with this guy? Doesn't he know that cultures like these are America's strength? We would crash and fall if we didn't bring people like this to America to replenish, enliven and "spice up" our drab, depressing, violent, unstable country.

LOL! Thanks for the laugh. Merry Christmas.