Vlaamse Volksbeweging
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Vlaamse Volksbeweging (Flemish People's Movement in Dutch) or VVB is a Flemish nationalist thinktank and pressure group located in Berchem, Belgium.
The VVB claims to be completely independent, although several politicians can be found among the members.
In 1956, the VVB was founded by Maurits Coppieters, a notorious politician and anti-fascist Flemish nationalist. In the beginning, the VVB opposed Belgian unitarism by demanding Flemish autonomy and suggesting the introduction of federalism. The conservative politician Wilfried Martens - and later Belgian Prime Minister and EPP Chairman - even announced constitutional reform on a VVB-congress in 1962.
Since 1991, the VVB no longer supports further federalisation of the Belgian state and stands for complete Flemish independence. Within the Flemish movement, the VVB represents the more radical flamingants.
The VVB publishes two monthly magazines, Doorbraak ('Breakthrough') and Binnendoor ('Indoor'), about Flanders as well as the quarterly magazine Gorik about Brussels. The VVB also distributes the two newsletters Kaderblad ('Board Paper') and Nederlands Landstaal ('Dutch Language of the State').
The VVB celebrated his 50th year of existence in 2006 and changed its motto from Vlaanderen staat in Europa ('Flanders stands in Europe') into Wij gaan verder ('We Go Further').
The VVB is composed out of 100 regional committees and its membership again exceeded 6,000 by early 2006.
Since 2007, the VVB is chaired by professor Eric Defoort. He succeeded Rita De Bont after she was elected in the Belgian Parliament for the Vlaams Belang party in June 2007 and resigned as chairwoman of the VVB.
