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Wed, 27 September 2000 00:00 |
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Flemish Press Selection
FPS
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Volume 4 number 7 - September 2000
Is published in Dutch, French, English, German and
Esperanto.
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This month in FPS
Tension in Diksmuide
Annual Pilgrimage to the Yser asks for more Flemish
authority
Tax reduction welcomed
Government proposes tax reduction
Cordon Sanitaire against Vlaams Blok remains in effect
Five major parties refuse coalition with Vlaams Blok
In short
The communal elections are coming up soon (October 8). Few
political parties mention the "national" relevance of the
election results, but everybody will be watching with keen
interest the results of the Vlaams Blok, especially in
Antwerp. The radical right-wing party has been politically
isolated because of the "cordon sanitaire". The political
parties that constitute the government feel rather confident
about their own score, while all political observers give
the CVP only a small chance of success, isolated as they are
in their hesitant role of opposition. The minister of
finance, Reynders, unfolded an impressive scheme of tax
reductions shortly before the elections.
Tension in Diksmuide
In Diksmuide, over ten thousand people attended the 73th
Pilgrimage to the Yser. During the Pilgrimage, chairman
Lionel Vandenberghe apologised for the abuse during the
second world war of the peace monument.
According to De Standaard, the chairman wasn't very clear
about the Flemish strategy.
Dirk Achten in De Standaard (30/08/00):
In spite of everything, the Pilgrimage To The Yser continues
to be the most prestigious rendezvous for what calls itself
the Flemish Movement. The vagueness (of chairman Lionel
Vandenberghe's standpoints) about the Flemish strategy
remains. What is the goal? Must Flanders be a strong
member-state, together with Wallonia, or does it choose to
be an independent state? The committee follows both courses,
but fails to make a choice.
Remains the fact that the infamous communautary problem is
all but a wound up story for the current government. It
couldn't hardly be, it was far from ripe. In this moment of
euphoria one could think that there was nothing wrong. But
decent government can only exist if the organisation of the
state allows for it. And the current one doesn't, that much
is clear.
The first signs of the usual tension are already noticeable.
The Verhofstadt administration may have won some time, she
will gradually be forced to do more about the organisation
of the state than to just transfer problems to a
parliamentary conference.
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Tax reduction welcomed
Minister of Treasury Didier Reynders launched his plan for a
tax cut. By 2003, taxes should drop by 131 billion Franks
(3.3 billion Euro) each year. This reduction is based on two
principles: a reduction of the taxes on labour and the
abolition of the fiscal discrimination of marriage.
Brilliantly played, at the eve of the elections.
Yves Desmet in De Morgen (2/09/00):
From a structural point of view and in the long term the
plans of minister Reynders are a lost opportunity. The basic
problem of the Belgian tax system is that it is based too
much on one principle: tax on labour.
That doesn't only have a negative effect because of the
resulting labour costs, it also is morally less and less
justifiable that even an average income is cut away by half
or more, while much larger wealth earnings are practically
untouched. Why the Green coalition partner Agalev doesn't
use this opportunity for example to also make a first step
towards an environmental tax system remains unclear.
Politics is also a battle for the voter's favour. From this
viewpoint the tax reform can only be described as brilliant.
In anticipation of the debate after the elections the CVP
was almost de facto a one-issue party around family
fiscality (among other things the abolition of fiscal
discrimination between married couples and unmarried couples
living together).
This makes Didier Reynders' move so brilliant. So you wanted
to get rid of this discrimination? OK, let's just do it! And
what if we put some extras on top of it? And you don't mind
that I do this one month before the elections, do you?
Anything else? No? Well goodbye then. Brilliant.
Cordon Sanitaire against Vlaams Blok remains in effect
The party leaders of five major parties have signed a
"Charter for Democracy", which settles among other things
that the parties will not build coalitions with the Vlaams
Blok.
The Charter contains a political plan in ten points in the
battle against extreme right wing. Who doesn't live by the
Charter is "automatically" expelled from the party.
Some prefer this strategy, others want to go further and
want a ban on the party.
Paul Geudens in Gazet Van Antwerpen (6/09/00):
The Vlaams Blok calls the 'Charter for Democracy' panic
behavior. Perhaps there is a ground of truth in this
analysis. In some regions the fear for a growing Blok is
exceptionally great. The Blok-theory that the five party
leaders are acting undemocratically is incorrect. But one
may doubt whether it is the right way to try to steal a
march on the Vlaams Blok this way.
Maybe such a charter is counterproductive. One may even
assert that this strategy will play into the hands of left
wing. Indeed they will particularly benefit from anti-right
wing coalitions. All of this is true. But a party leader
who, before the elections, clearly states with whom he will
or will not form coalitions, cannot be called undemocratic.
Then the voter is perfectly informed in
Karel Van den Brouck in De Morgen (5/09/00):
The clearness of political Flanders is in sharp contrast
with the exasperating idleness of the Belgian court of
justice. After all it is rather precarious for democrats in
this country to loudly proclaim that the Vlaams Blok is a
racist, anti-democratic party, while the number of
convictions based on the anti-racism law against Vlaams Blok
members are few and far between. That way the Vlaams Blok
has a strong argument to brush aside the accusations of
those democrats.
So why doesn't the Brussels' court of justice put them to
the test? For almost a year now, a bulky, thoroughly founded
suit against the Vlaams Blok is waiting for an initiative of
an examining-magistrate. A conviction based on the
anti-racism law could also put an end to the generous public
funding of the Vlaams Blok and as a result would seriously
impact the power of the party.
In Germany they got the message. Unfortunately, before the
democratic forces took firm steps the racist violence there
had to take murderous proportions. That is ofcourse another
way of putting them to the test.
Trans Crols in Trends (13/07/00):
A Flemish extreme left wing party that would consistently
agitate for the end of Belgium would also find itself faced
with a cordon sanitaire.
In short
De redactie in Knack (30/08/00):
Asylum policy remains a problem
Belgium recorded 8516 asylum requests in the second quarter
of this year. This summer Prime Minister Verhofstadt said he
hoped to reduce the figure to 2000 per month by means of a
sustained policy. So that number is still not met. Meanwhile
the pressure is increased on the Slovakian Roma-gypsies to
voluntarily leave the country. They can't get political
asylum because Slovakia is a democratic country.
Belgium counts 8.9% foreigners. After Luxembourg (34,9%),
Germany (9%) and Austria (9.1%) this is the highest score
within the EU. France counts 6.3% foreigners, the UK 3.8%,
Spain, Italy and Greece 1.5%.
Dirk Achten in De Standaard (6/09/00):
Encampments
If things go on like this, chances are that soon - as in the
Netherlands - encampments will rise to accommodate the
throng of people seeking asylum. At this moment there are
just too many of them. The OCMW's can't handle the influx.
At the eve of the elections this isn't exactly an ideal
scenario.
At a moment like this, the government can do without the
images of hundreds of asylum seekers in a grassland
somewhere. But meanwhile it is becoming impossible to
pretend that everything is under control. The reform of the
asylum legislation must be brought on track again. So it is
becoming a political problem, a government case. Also
because the past has taught us not to let the current
Minister of the Interior handle this kind of crisis
situations on his own.
Some Background...
Agalev: is the Flemish Green Party. It has a left-wing
profile with strong interest in environmental issues, pro-
immigrants, 3rd world development, woman rights,... Agalev
received 12% of the votes in Flanders during the election of
June 99.^^
CVP (Christelijke Volkspartij): This Flemish Christian
Democratic Party used to be the most important political
party in Flanders and has dominated Belgian politics for
more than 40 years. During the elections of June 1999 the
party lost her leading position in Flanders and, with 22% of
the votes, became merely as strong as the Flemish liberal
party (VLD).^^
De Morgen: Is a quality newspaper with a progressive and
pro-Belgium oriented editorial board. It is published by De
Persgroep, that also publishes Het laatste Nieuws and is
printed daily on 41.000 copies.^^
De Standaard: Is the most important Flemish quality
newspaper. De Standaard is published by the same publishing
house that publishes Het Nieuwsblad and De Gentenaar and is
printed on 76.000 copies daily.^^
Didier Reynders: Minister of finance.^^
Dirk Achten: Is the general editor of De Standaard.^^
Editorial Staff: No author has been identified.^^
Frans Crols: Is a director of the financial - business
journal Trends^^
Gazet van Antwerpen: Is an independent newspaper, focused on
the Antwerp region. It is printed daily on 123.000 copies.^^
Guy Verhofstadt: Guy Verhofstadt became prime minister after
the elections of June 99. The VLD, the liberal party in
Flanders, was founded at his initiative as the successor
party of the former PVV^^
Karel Van den Brouck: Is editor of De Morgen^^
Knack: Is the most important weekly general interest
magazine in Flanders. It is published by Roularta, which
also publishes "Trends" and maintains financial interests in
several Flemish TV stations. Knack is printed weekly on
123.000 copies.^^
Lionel Vandenberghe: President of the committee of the
pilgrimage to the Yzer, organizing the annual pilgrimage to
the Yzer.^^
Paul Geudens: is member of the editorial staff of Gazet Van
Antwerpen^^
Pilgrimage to the Yzer: During the annual pilgrimage to the
Yzer, the Flemish remember the many soldiers that died
during World War I in the fields at the Yzer (river in
West-Flanders). It has become a manifestation for peace and
Flemish independence attracting each year 15 to 20,000
participants among which many ministers of the Flemish
government. The speech of the president has an important
influence on Flemish politics.^^
Public center for social welfare: In every community, a
public institution ensures that the basic social needs of
the very poor are met. Especially the poorest come in
contact with the OCMW.^^
Trends: Is the most important financial-economical magazine
in Flanders and is aimed towards the economical executives
and descicion makers. Trends is published by media group
Roularta, which also publishes Knack, and has shares in
several Flemish TV stations.^^
Vlaams Blok: This party was established in 1978 as a
break-away from the Volksunie. This party stresses not only
the need for an independent Flanders but also takes a strong
anti-immigration position. The Vlaams Blok has gained quite
some significance the last couple of years and received more
than 15% of the votes in the June 99 elections.^^
Yves Desmet: Chief editor of De Morgen.^^
Colophon
FPS - Monthly magazine of the Flemish Press Selection for
the international community in Flanders and for the Flemish
living abroad
FPS is distributed free of charge via e-mail in Dutch,
English, French and Esperanto. FPS is also available on
Internet, via http://www.vvb.org/fps.
Passendalestraat 1A, 2600 Berchem
Fax: + (32) (3) 366 60 45 - e-mail: f...@vvb.org
FPS is published by the "Vlaamse Volksbeweging vzw" , in
cooperation with the Flemish Esperanto ligue
Responsible Editor: Dirk Laeremans, Passendalestraat 1A,
2600 Berchem.
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