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Flanders Doesn't Get What It Votes For
10/02/2009 :: The regional elections of June 2009 resulted in a clear victory for parties striving for the independence of Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. These parties, the Vlaams Belang (VB), the New-Flemish Alliance (N-VA) and the Dedecker List (LDD) obtained over 36% of the vote in Flanders, while the Flemish Christian-Democrat Party (CD&V), which also has a large pro-Flemish wing, got 23%.
Unfortunately, however, despite Flanders having voted for the centre-right, once again it got a centre-left government. Indeed, the leftist trade union wing of CD&V teamed up with N-VA and the Socialist Party (SP.a), the loser of the elections. Moreover, the Socialist leadership defenestrated one of their most popular politicians, Frank Van den Broucke, who is pro-Flemish, by vetoing his return as a minister. Mr. Van den Broucke was replaced as Minister of Education by Pascal Smet, a pro-Belgian politician, who, soon after becoming a cabinet minister, also outed himself as a homosexual.
Filip Dewinter, the group leader of the Vlaams Belang in the Flemish Parliament, regrets that Flanders has been saddled with a leftist government, while it voted for the right. He also criticised the N-VA for teaming up with the Socialists, especially because Mr. Smet explicitly opposes more autonomy for Flanders. “The N-VA cheated its voters by advocating Flemish independence before the elections, but teaming up with pro-Belgian forces afterwards,” Mr. Dewinter said.
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