“It is extremely important that our story is also heard in Flanders,” said Dutch politician Thierry Baudet on Saturday evening in Genk. For a mixed Flemish-Dutch audience he launched the Flemish branch of the far-right Forum for Democracy (FvD). The goal: to also go to the European parliamentary elections with FvD Flanders in June.
“We are part of the same nation, we started the same movement six hundred years ago. It is strange that Flanders is part of Belgium,” said the party leader, who referred several times to the Northern and Southern Netherlands on Saturday evening. “If we have to work together in some kind of European context, it is strange that the ‘Dutch’ do not do that.”
Alternative for right-wing parties
With the FvD, Baudet also wants to offer an alternative to the other parties (on the right) in Flanders. It sounds like both Vlaams Belang and Geert Wilders’ PVV are made of the same cloth. “Vlaams Belang considers Israel more important than Europe, has not lifted a finger during the corona crisis and supports Ukraine instead of our great European ally, Russia.”
Yet Baudet promises not to get in the way of Vlaams Belang, at least during the national elections. “Hopefully they do the best they can and can achieve independence. And then we will ensure that Flanders can leave the EU.”
Vlaams Belang does not fear competition
Earlier, Chris Janssens, resident of Genk and faction leader of Vlaams Belang in the Flemish Parliament, said he did not fear competition in his own backyard. “There is no breeding ground in Flanders for someone who is not guided by facts.”
In the coming month, FvD will be looking for new members in Flanders. “If the elections in June are a success, we will think about other levels in the next election round,” said Baudet.
FvD currently has one representative in the European Parliament, Marcel de Graaff. He was first part of Identity & Democracy, the far-right faction that also includes Vlaams Belang, the French Rassemblement National and the Italian Lega Italy. But due to a dispute over Ukraine, De Graaff – who is known for his pro-Russian attitude – left the faction in 2022.
During the recent Dutch parliamentary elections, FvD won three seats.
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