“Vlaams Belang, the only alternative”

14 February 2007

BRUSSELS – The campaign for the elections on 10 June should not focus on who will become prime minister, but rather on actual issues like Flemish independence and the problems surrounding crime and immigration.

This was the message of the preliminary campaign of Vlaams Belang which kicked off in Brussels on Wednesday. The slogan for this preliminary campaign is “Vlaams Belang, the only alternative.”

Vlaams Belang is setting its sights on the traditional parties. It feels they are too fixated on who will be the next prime minister. This is just “shadow boxing,” and doesn’t make much of a difference after all, says the Vlaams Belang.

 The party is urging for focus on the issues and is concentrating its preliminary campaign on the usual topics: Flemish independence, security and immigration problems and attention to the freedom of expression.

The party has chosen an image of three monkeys representing deafness, blindness and muteness for its campaign poster. Each of the monkeys has a sign round its neck – each naming one of the other parties: the Christian democrats, the Liberals and the Socialists.

The message is “playful and assertive,” says the party. Vlaams Belang will hold its conference in Ghent on 4 March.

[Copyright Expatica 2007]

Subject: Belgian news