Frontpartij | |
|---|---|
| Founder | Adiel de Beuckelaere |
| Founded | 1919; 106 years ago (1919) |
| Dissolved | 1933; 92 years ago (1933) |
| Preceded by | Frontbeweging Vlaamsche Front |
| Succeeded by | Flemish National Union |
| Newspaper | De Schelde |
| Ideology | Flemish nationalism Autonomy Socialism (early) Fascism (later) |
| Political position | InitiallyLeft-wing, laterFar-right |
| Religion | Roman Catholic Church |
TheFrontpartij (Dutch pronunciation:[ˈfrɔntpɑrˌtɛi], "Front Party") was aBelgian political party that campaigned for increasing recognition for theFlemish people and their language. Originating from the earlierFrontbeweging ([ˈfrɔndbəˌʋeːɣɪŋ], "Front Movement"), theFrontpartij was an early attempt to fully politicise theFlemish Movement. In contrast to some of its successor movements the party supporteddemocracy andautonomy rather thanauthoritarianism andindependence.[1]
The group had its origins amongstDutch-speaking soldiers in theBelgian Army during theFirst World War who resented the fact thatFrench was the only language of command. Taking the slogan "All for Flanders - Flanders forChrist," it attempted to organise within the army in support of equal language rights. Whilst the group was not anti-Belgian, it scared the generals, who suppressed it.[2]
By summer 1917, the group had re-emerged in secret and, organised by Corporal Adiel de Beuckelaere, this new version, known as theFrontbeweging, set up a structure of representatives and committees across the army.[3] With de Beuckelaere, aGhent schoolteacher, and other leaders such asJoris Van Severen coming from an intellectual background they attempted to articulate their demands by sending a letter toKing Albert calling for a separate Flemish Army and self-government forFlanders within Belgium. However the response of high command was to repress theFrontbeweging more forcefully than before.[3]
The sudden collapse of theGerman Imperial Army in mid-1918 meant that the Belgian army experienced a rapid advance, leading to confusion and a lack of communication betweenFrontbeweging members.[3] However, whilst the group's aims had not been met, it reconstituted after the Armistice under the nameVlaamsche Front.[3]
The movement was soon formalised as apolitical party, adopting the nameFrontpartij and continuing its campaigns for army segregation and internal self-government, as well as adding policies such as Dutch language teaching in schools andGhent University.[3] The party had a strongRoman Catholic identity and, whilst most of its leaders were from the urban areas ofGhent andLouvain, it developed a strong following amongst small farmers, many of whom resented theFrancophone large landowners.[3] Itsideology was vague although generally identified as left-wing and within its ranks adherents of bothsocialism andcommunism were to be found.[4]
The 6.3% of the vote captured in the1919 election saw theFrontpartij with five members elected to theBelgian Chamber of Representatives, including a youngStaf De Clercq.[3] Support had in part been gained as a reaction to what was seen as the harsh treatment meted out to thoseFlemings that had collaborated withGermany, with the sentence of death passed onAugust Borms (albeit not carried out) and numerous life sentences for lesser collaborators attracting condemnation in Flanders.[5]
The party's vote fell in the1921 election although it was here that Van Severen was first elected to Parliament.[6] The loss of support proved to be a temporary set-back however as they took 25,000 votes and six seats in1925 before following this with 132,000 votes and 11 seats in1929.[6] In between August Borms had even been elected to Parliament for the party in a 1928 by-election.[7]
Van Severen lost his seat in the latter election, however, and removed from the centre of the party and having become a disciple ofCharles Maurras and admirer ofBenito Mussolini, he set up his own journal,Jong Dietschland which argued for the establishment of an independent 'Greater Netherlands' in whichDutch people, Flemings andFrisians would unite in this "Dietsch" state.[6] The plan won support amongst the students of Ghent but the war veterans that made up much of the membership of theFrontpartij were unimpressed and the party organDe Schelde specifically condemnedfascism.[6] The result of this clash was a split in theFrontpartij with the foundation ofVerdinaso in October 1931 as afar right group supporting theDietsch option.[8] Later on the movement shifted toPan-Netherlandism, includingWallonia andLuxembourg into the proposedDietsch state.
TheFrontpartij lost a lot of support and three seats in the1932 election and following this failure and the emergence of Verdinaso the remaining right wingers within theFrontpartij came to exercise more influence.[4] Under the leadership ofStaf de Clerq the party lurched to the right and in 1933 the party was discontinued altogether when de Clerq formed theFlemish National Union (VNV), an authoritarian rightist party.[9] VNV absorbed theFrontpartij entirely as well as a number of smaller nationalist movements and emerged as the leading voice ofFlemish nationalism in the 1930s.[10]