People's Union (Belgium)
|
People's Union
Volksunie |
|
|---|---|
| Founded | 1954 |
| Dissolved | 2001 |
| Preceded by | Christian Flemish People's Union |
| Succeeded by | New Flemish Alliance (right-wing faction) and Spirit (centre-left faction) |
| Ideology |
Flemish nationalism Federalism |
| Political position | Big tent |
| European affiliation | European Free Alliance |
People's Union (Dutch: Volksunie, VU) was a Flemish nationalistpolitical party in Belgium, formed in 1954 as a successor to the Christian Flemish People's Union.
The party initially proved successful and had members elected to the Chamber of Representatives (five) and the Senate (two) of the Belgian Federal Parliament in 1961. The party continued to grow in stature and reached the 11.0% at the national level in 1978 elections, gaining 21 representatives. Generally, however, the Volksunie preferred to position itself around the centre and saw itself as a coalition of various shades of Flemish thought.
The acceptance of federalism in place of separatism by the VU in the 1970s did not sit well with the party's right-wing and a split became inevitable, particularly after the party entered the coalition government of Leo Tindemans (CVP, Christian-Democrat). The right wing organized itself in the Vlaams Blok, becoming a much stronger political force and surpassing Volksunie at the beginning of the 1990s (6.6% against VU's 5.9% in 1991 elections).
The Volksunie was a member of the European Free Alliance.
Volksunie continued its decline (5.6% in 1999 elections against the 9.9% of the Blok), while the left-right struggle re-emerged in 2001, and finally the party split into the New-Flemish Alliance (the right-wing) and Spirit (the left-wing). Both parties were participating in federal and regional elections as part of a cartel, the New-Flemish Alliance forming an alliance with CD&V, and Spirit with the SP.a, but in the meantime these cartels split up.
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