Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie
Leader	Bart De Wever
Founded	2001 (2001)
Preceded by	Volksunie
Headquarters	De Barricade, Liefdadigheidsstraat 39, B-1210 Brussels, Belgium
Ideology	Conservatism, separatism
International affiliation	None
European affiliation	European Free Alliance
European Parliament Group	The Greens–European Free Alliance
Official colours	Yellow, black
Website
www.n-va.be
Politics of Belgium Political parties Elections

The New Flemish Alliance (Dutch: Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (help·info), N-VA) is a Flemish centre-right political party, founded in the autumn of 2001. It is a conservative movement that strives for peaceful^[1] secession of Flanders from Belgium. The party is also known for fighting for laws that force the non-native Dutch speaking inhabitants of Flanders to only use Dutch, Flanders' sole official language, in their communication with the government, and for the promotion of the use of Dutch in Flanders as the language enabling integration.^[2]

Contents 1 People's Union 2 Foundation and ideology 3 Membership 4 Electorate 4.1 2007 elections 4.2 2009 elections 5 Representation 5.1 Members in the European Parliament 5.2 Members in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives 5.3 Members in the Belgian Senate 5.4 Members in the Flemish Government 5.5 Members in the Flemish Parliament 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] People's Union

In 2001, the People's Union (Dutch: Volksunie) split into two parties: Spirit and New Flemish Alliance (N-VA). This was the result of internal struggles between the right-wing base and the left-wing leadership. The chairman of the People's Union, Geert Bourgeois, won a referendum among the members with 47% of the votes. The social-liberal group of Bert Anciaux got 22% of the votes. 31% voted against a split. Since no group got over 50%, the name Volksunie could no longer be used by either faction.

The N-VA entered into an election cartel with the Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V) for the elections in 2004, and did so again for the 2007 elections. The cartel was briefly broken when Jean-Marie Dedecker entered the N-VA on behalf of the party executive. However, the party congress did not put Dedecker on the election list, instead preferring to continue the cartel with CD&V. Dedecker saw this as a vote of no confidence, and left the party after only 10 days, later forming his own party, List Dedecker. Deputy leader Brepoels, who supported Dedecker, stepped down from the party board afterwards. The cartel ended definitely, on 24 September 2008.

[edit] Foundation and ideology

The New Flemish Alliance is a relatively young political party, founded in the autumn of 2001. Being one of the continuators of the Volksunie (1954-2001), it is, however, based on an established political tradition. The N-VA works towards the same goal as its predecessor: to shape a radical Flemish-nationalism in a contemporary way.

In the political sphere, the N-VA pleads for a Flemish republic, member state of a democratic European confederation. The party believes that the challenges of the 21st century can best be answered from strong communities on the one hand and from a well developed international co-operation on the other hand. This is reflected in their baseline: "Necessary in Flanders, useful in Europe." (Dutch: Nodig in Vlaanderen, nuttig in Europa.)

[edit] Membership

The N-VA has members across the political spectrum, but as a whole it is considered centre-right. It is seen as a democratic alternative to the far right Flemish party Vlaams Belang. Its motives for secession are mainly pragmatic and rational.

[edit] Electorate

At the federal elections in 2003 N-VA got 3.1% of the votes, but only one seat in the federal parliament. In February 2004 they formed an electoral alliance (cartel) with Christian Democratic and Flemish. The cartel won the elections for the Flemish parliament. The N-VA received a total of 6 seats. However, on 21 September 2008 the N-VA lost its faith in the federal government and the following day minister Geert Bourgeois resigned. In a press conference he confirmed the end of the cartel CD&V/N-VA.

[edit] 2007 elections

In the 10 June 2007 general elections, the cartel won 30 out of 150 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 9 out of 40 seats in the Senate.

[edit] 2009 elections

In the regional elections of June 11, 2009, N-VA, now on its own after the break of the cartel with CD&V won an unexpected 13% of the votes, making them the winner of the elections together with the old cartel partner. N-VA subsequently joined the government, with De Wever choosing to remain party president and appointing Geert Bourgeois and Philippe Muyters as ministers in the Flemish government and Jan Peumans as speaker of the Flemish parliament.

[edit] Representation

[edit] Members in the European Parliament

• Frieda Brepoels

[edit] Members in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives

• Bart De Wever
• Els De Rammelaere
• Sarah Smeyers
• Flor Van Noppen
• Jan Jambon
• Ben Weyts
• Patrick De Groote

[edit] Members in the Belgian Senate

• Louis Ide
• Helga Stevens

[edit] Members in the Flemish Government

• Philippe Muyters
• Geert Bourgeois

[edit] Members in the Flemish Parliament

• Jan Peumans (speaker of the house)
• Vera Celis
• Lieven Dehandschutter
• Mark Demesmaeker
• Bart De Wever
• Sophie De Wit
• Matthias Diependaele
• Tine Eerlingen
• Danielle Godderis-T'Jonck
• Marc Hendrickx
• Liesbeth Homans
• Lies Jans
• Willy Segers
• Helga Stevens
• Wilfried Vandaele
• Kris Van Dijck

[edit] See also

• Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V)
• Vlaams Belang
• Ethnic nationalism

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie website

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