Party for Freedom and Progress
Encyclopedia
The Party for Freedom and Progress was a liberal party in Belgium
which existed from 1961 until 1992 and was the successor of the Liberal Party
, which had roots dating back to 1846. It was succeeded in Flanders
by the Flemish Liberals and Democrats
(VLD) and in Wallonia by the Parti Réformateur Libéral, Parti des Réformes et des Libertés de Wallonie and the Mouvement Reformateur. In the German-speaking Community, it still exists as Partei für Freiheit und Fortschritt
.
in 1961, changed the Belgian
Liberal Party into the Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang/Parti de la Liberté et du Progrès (PVV/PLP). In 1965 the party obtained a victory in the general elections with 21.6% of the votes. In 1966, the PVV joined the government of Paul Vanden Boeynants
. The liberal ministers during this period were Willy De Clercq
, Jacques Van Offelen
, Frans Grootjans
, Herman Vanderpoorten, Charles Poswick
and August De Winter
In this period (1971-1992) the PVV ministers in the government were: Willy De Clercq
, Herman Vanderpoorten, Herman De Croo
, Karel Poma
, Alfred Vreven
, André Kempinaire
, Guy Verhofstadt
, Louis Waltniel
, Jean Pede
, Patrick Dewael
, Ward Beysen
, and Jacky Buchmann.
The PRL ministers in the government were: André Damseaux
, François-Xavier de Donnea
, Jean Gol
, Louis Olivier
, Charles Poswick
, and Michel Toussaint.
(VLD) was founded.
(PFF) of the East Cantons, the Front Démocratique des Francophones (FDF) and the Mouvement des Citoyens pour le Changement (MCC) into the Mouvement Réformateur (MR).
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
which existed from 1961 until 1992 and was the successor of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Belgium)
The Liberal Party was a Belgian political party that existed from 1846 until 1961, when it became the Party for Freedom and Progress, Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang/Parti de la Liberté et du Progrès or PVV-PLP, under the leadership of Omer Vanaudenhove.-History:The Liberal Party was founded...
, which had roots dating back to 1846. It was succeeded in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
by the Flemish Liberals and Democrats
Flemish Liberals and Democrats
' , commonly known as Open VLD and also simply as the VLD, is a Flemish liberal political party in Belgium, created in 1992 from the former Party for Freedom and Progress and a few other politicians from other parties. The party led the government for three cabinets under Guy Verhofstadt from 1999...
(VLD) and in Wallonia by the Parti Réformateur Libéral, Parti des Réformes et des Libertés de Wallonie and the Mouvement Reformateur. In the German-speaking Community, it still exists as Partei für Freiheit und Fortschritt
Partei für Freiheit und Fortschritt
The Party for Freedom and Progress is a regional liberal party in Belgium, only active in the tiny German-speaking Community of Belgium....
.
Foundation of a new party
Omer VanaudenhoveOmer Vanaudenhove
Omer Rudolphe Jean, Viscount Vanaudenhove was a Belgian liberal politician, burgomaster and minister. A businessman, Vanaudenhove was an owner of a shoe factory...
in 1961, changed the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Liberal Party into the Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang/Parti de la Liberté et du Progrès (PVV/PLP). In 1965 the party obtained a victory in the general elections with 21.6% of the votes. In 1966, the PVV joined the government of Paul Vanden Boeynants
Paul Vanden Boeynants
Paul Emile François Henri Vanden Boeynants was a Belgian politician. He served as the 41st Prime Minister of Belgium for two brief periods ....
. The liberal ministers during this period were Willy De Clercq
Willy De Clercq
Willy Clarisse Elvire Hector, Viscount De Clercq was a Belgian liberal politician.De Clercq was born in Ghent...
, Jacques Van Offelen
Jacques Van Offelen
Jacques Louis Gustave Van Offelen was a Belgian liberal politician, burgomaster and minister for the PVV. He graduated from the Institut Supérieur de Commerce de l'Etat in Antwerp, and in 1939 became a licentiate in economy at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles...
, Frans Grootjans
Frans Grootjans
Frans Edward Elisabeth Grootjans , was a Belgian politician and minister for the PVV.Grootjans was born at Wilrijk. He became a licentiate in the trade and consular sciences and was chief editor and director of the newspaper De Nieuwe Gazet...
, Herman Vanderpoorten, Charles Poswick
Charles Poswick
Charles Marie Jean Joseph Elvire Ghislain baron Poswick was a Belgian politician for the PLP. Poswick was doctor in Law and licentiate in commercial and financial sciences.He became para-commando and broker...
and August De Winter
August De Winter
August Maria Christiaan De Winter was a liberal Belgian politician of the PVV. Between 1965 and 1971, he was burgomaster of Grimbergen...
Separation between PVV and PLP
On 27 June 1971 the party was split up in a Flemish (PVV) and Walloon party (Parti Réformateur Libéral). Only a few months later, on 24 September 1971, the parliament was dissolved. In the elections which followed The Flemish PVV gained votes, but the Walloon PRL lost in the elections.In this period (1971-1992) the PVV ministers in the government were: Willy De Clercq
Willy De Clercq
Willy Clarisse Elvire Hector, Viscount De Clercq was a Belgian liberal politician.De Clercq was born in Ghent...
, Herman Vanderpoorten, Herman De Croo
Herman De Croo
Herman Francies Joseph De Croo is a Belgian liberal politician. He is a member of the Open VLD. He is the father of current Open VLD chairman Alexander De Croo....
, Karel Poma
Karel Poma
Karel Emiel Hubert, Baron Poma is a Belgian liberal and politician for the PVV. He is a son of Carolus Poma, who was a lieutenant of the Antwerp fire brigade, and subsequently council member and mayor of the town Wilrijk. He is married to Juliana Walgraeve, and together they have two children; a...
, Alfred Vreven
Alfred Vreven
Alfred Marie Daniel Ghislain Joseph Vreven was a Belgian liberal politician for the PVV....
, André Kempinaire
André Kempinaire
André Marguerite Guillaume Kempinaire was a Belgian liberal politician for the Party for Freedom and Progress .Kempinaire is a doctor in Law and a lawyer...
, Guy Verhofstadt
Guy Verhofstadt
Guy Verhofstadt is a Belgian politician who was the 47th Prime Minister of Belgium from 1999 to 2008. He is currently a Member of the European Parliament and leader of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.- Early career :...
, Louis Waltniel
Louis Waltniel
Louis Gustaaf Waltniel was a Belgian liberal politician and industrialist. He held a master degree in economic sciences....
, Jean Pede
Jean Pede
Jean Pede was a Belgian liberal politician for the PVV.Between 1985 and 1988 he was Flemish minister of internal affairs and spatial planning. Furthermore he was, between 1981 and 1985, and some months in 1988, President of the Flemish Parliament...
, Patrick Dewael
Patrick Dewael
Patrick Yvonne Hugo Dewael, in Lier, Belgium is a liberal Belgian politician. He is a member of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats, or Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten . He is the nephew of the late liberal minister Herman Vanderpoorten and the cousin of Marleen Vanderpoorten, who also served as...
, Ward Beysen
Ward Beysen
Eduard Marie August "Ward" Beysen was a Belgian politician and well-known freemason. He held a degree in Dutch and history teaching, obtained in 1963 in Lier and started his political career in the seventies in the Flemish liberal party, the Party for Freedom and Progress , which was renamed...
, and Jacky Buchmann.
The PRL ministers in the government were: André Damseaux
André Damseaux
André Damseaux was a Belgian politician, Minister-President of the Walloon Region and Member of the European Parliament.- Life :...
, François-Xavier de Donnea
François-Xavier de Donnéa
François Xavier Gustave Marie Joseph Corneille Hubert, Knight de Donnea de Hamoir is a Belgian politician and a former mayor of the City of Brussels and Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region....
, Jean Gol
Jean Gol
Jean Gol was a Belgian politician for the liberal party Parti Réformateur Libéral and a freemason...
, Louis Olivier
Louis Olivier
Louis Olivier was a political figure in Lower Canada.He was born Louis-Marie-Olivier Olivier at Berthier in 1758, the son of a French soldier from Paris. He became a merchant at Berthier and also served as postmaster. Olivier was a member of the local militia, later becoming major, and served...
, Charles Poswick
Charles Poswick
Charles Marie Jean Joseph Elvire Ghislain baron Poswick was a Belgian politician for the PLP. Poswick was doctor in Law and licentiate in commercial and financial sciences.He became para-commando and broker...
, and Michel Toussaint.
Flanders: VLD
In Flanders, the PVV ceased to exist in 1992. On 15 November 1992 the the Flemish Liberals and DemocratsFlemish Liberals and Democrats
' , commonly known as Open VLD and also simply as the VLD, is a Flemish liberal political party in Belgium, created in 1992 from the former Party for Freedom and Progress and a few other politicians from other parties. The party led the government for three cabinets under Guy Verhofstadt from 1999...
(VLD) was founded.
Wallonia: MR
In 1976, the name of the party was changed into Parti de Réformes et de la Liberté en Wallonie (PRLW). In 1979, the name was changed to Parti Réformateur Libéral (PRL) after the merger with the Liberal Party of Brussels. In March 2002 the PRL merged with the Partei für Freiheit und FortschrittPartei für Freiheit und Fortschritt
The Party for Freedom and Progress is a regional liberal party in Belgium, only active in the tiny German-speaking Community of Belgium....
(PFF) of the East Cantons, the Front Démocratique des Francophones (FDF) and the Mouvement des Citoyens pour le Changement (MCC) into the Mouvement Réformateur (MR).
Presidents PVV-PLP
- 1961 - 1968 : Omer VanaudenhoveOmer VanaudenhoveOmer Rudolphe Jean, Viscount Vanaudenhove was a Belgian liberal politician, burgomaster and minister. A businessman, Vanaudenhove was an owner of a shoe factory...
- 1968 - 1969 : Norbert HougardyNorbert HougardyNorbert Isidore Joseph Hougardy was a Belgian liberal politician. Hougardy was a commercial director and municipality Council member in Sint-Genesius-Rode. He became senator for the PVV and also a member of the European Parliament. Together with Milou Jeunehomme he was President of the PVV-PLP...
and Milou JeunehommeMilou JeunehommeEmile-Edgar Jeunehomme was a Belgian liberal politician.On 15 January 1958 he became a member of parliament for the district Liege. He played for a long time an important role in the liberal party under Omer Vanaudenhove but gradually withdrew himself from politics after 1969...
(co-presidency) - 1969 - 1972 : Pierre DescampsPierre DescampsPierre Paul Louis Albert César Descamps was a Belgian politician and burgomaster for the PLP. Descamps was a licentiate in philosophy and literature and an industrialist. He was burgomaster of Aubechies and Belœil and senator for the PLP. Descamps was President of the PVV-PLP in 1969-1972.-Source:*...
Presidents PVV
- 1972 - 1973 : Willy De ClercqWilly De ClercqWilly Clarisse Elvire Hector, Viscount De Clercq was a Belgian liberal politician.De Clercq was born in Ghent...
- 1973 - 1977 : Frans GrootjansFrans GrootjansFrans Edward Elisabeth Grootjans , was a Belgian politician and minister for the PVV.Grootjans was born at Wilrijk. He became a licentiate in the trade and consular sciences and was chief editor and director of the newspaper De Nieuwe Gazet...
- 1977 - 1982 : Willy De ClercqWilly De ClercqWilly Clarisse Elvire Hector, Viscount De Clercq was a Belgian liberal politician.De Clercq was born in Ghent...
- 1982 - 1985 : Guy VerhofstadtGuy VerhofstadtGuy Verhofstadt is a Belgian politician who was the 47th Prime Minister of Belgium from 1999 to 2008. He is currently a Member of the European Parliament and leader of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.- Early career :...
- 1985 - 1989 : Annemie Neyts
- 1989 - 1992 : Guy VerhofstadtGuy VerhofstadtGuy Verhofstadt is a Belgian politician who was the 47th Prime Minister of Belgium from 1999 to 2008. He is currently a Member of the European Parliament and leader of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.- Early career :...
Presidents PLP, PRLW and MR
- 1972 - 1973 : Milou JeunehommeMilou JeunehommeEmile-Edgar Jeunehomme was a Belgian liberal politician.On 15 January 1958 he became a member of parliament for the district Liege. He played for a long time an important role in the liberal party under Omer Vanaudenhove but gradually withdrew himself from politics after 1969...
- 1973 - 1979 : André DamseauxAndré DamseauxAndré Damseaux was a Belgian politician, Minister-President of the Walloon Region and Member of the European Parliament.- Life :...
- 1979 - 1982 : Jean GolJean GolJean Gol was a Belgian politician for the liberal party Parti Réformateur Libéral and a freemason...
- 1982 - 1990 : Louis MichelLouis MichelLouis H. O. Ch. Michel is a Belgian politician. He served in the government of Belgium as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2004 and was European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid from 2004 to 2009. Since 2009, he has been a Member of the European Parliament...
- 1990 - 1992 : Antoine DuquesneAntoine DuquesneAntoine Duquesne was a Belgian politician and Member of the European Parliament for the French Community of Belgium with the MR/MCC/PRL, Member of the Bureau of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home...
and Daniel DucarmeDaniel DucarmeDaniel Ducarme was a Belgian politician and former Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region.-Background and political affiliation:...
(co-presidency) - 1992 - 1995 : Jean GolJean GolJean Gol was a Belgian politician for the liberal party Parti Réformateur Libéral and a freemason...
- 1995 - 1999 : Louis MichelLouis MichelLouis H. O. Ch. Michel is a Belgian politician. He served in the government of Belgium as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2004 and was European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid from 2004 to 2009. Since 2009, he has been a Member of the European Parliament...
- 1999 - 2003 : Daniel DucarmeDaniel DucarmeDaniel Ducarme was a Belgian politician and former Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region.-Background and political affiliation:...
- 2003 - 2004 : Antoine DuquesneAntoine DuquesneAntoine Duquesne was a Belgian politician and Member of the European Parliament for the French Community of Belgium with the MR/MCC/PRL, Member of the Bureau of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home...
- 2004 - : Didier ReyndersDidier ReyndersDidier J.L. Reynders is a Belgian politician and a member of the Mouvement Réformateur . He is Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Institutional Reforms in the Van Rompuy I Government, which took office on 30 December 2008.He was born in Liège as the youngest in a family of...
Notable members
- Lucienne Herman-MichielsensLucienne Herman-MichielsensLucienne Adeline Jeanne Ida Herman-Michielsens was a Belgian liberal politician and a member of the Party for Freedom and Progress...
(1926-1995) - Jean ReyJean Rey (politician)Jean Rey was a Belgian lawyer and Liberal politician who became the second President of the European Commission.-Early life:...
(1902-1983), President of the European CommissionPresident of the European CommissionThe President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission ― the executive branch of the :European Union ― the most powerful officeholder in the EU. The President is responsible for allocating portfolios to members of the Commission and can reshuffle or dismiss them if needed...
Sources
- Liberal Archive
- History of liberalism in Belgium
- Th. Luykx, M. Platel, Politieke geschiedenis van België, 2 vol., Kluwer, 1985
- E. Witte, J. Craeybeckx, A. Meynen, Politieke geschiedenis van België, Standaard, 1997