EU Reign of Terror : Belgium's strongest party forced to disband

Belgium's highest court has ruled that the country's Flemish nationalist party, the Vlaams Blok, is racist.

The decision means that Europe's most successful far-right party will be forced to disband - and re-form under a new name.

The ruling - confirming an appeals court judgment that the party was guilty of racism and discrimination - means that the Vlaams Blok can no longer benefit from state financing, while anyone who continues to work for it will henceforth be committing an offence.

A quarter of voters in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern half of Belgium, support its policies - independence from Belgium and repatriation of immigrants, especially Muslims.

Its popularity has surged relentlessly - from 10.4% in 1991, to 12.3% in 1995, 15.4% in 1999, and 18% in 2003.

This year's 24.1% in the Flemish regional election included 250,000 extra voters compared to the previous year and made it the biggest single party.

Originally posted by MattMarriott
This year's 24.1% in the Flemish regional election included 250,000 extra voters compared to the previous year and made it the biggest single party.

Do they vote on diebold machines?

EU Reign of Terror is a bit too harsh, don't you think?

Personaly, I do not support far-right parties, a lot of them are indeed racist in their views and we do not want such polarisation of society to take over EU.

EU is a multicultural union now, no place for any far right isms like racism, nationalism, extremism.

I can�t imagine any party being forced to disband in the United States. Yet we continually get called fascists here. Amazing.

I distrust the E.U. in the extreme and I think member countries are going to regret being involved in this monstrosity before it�s all over.

uhmmm it was a decision of Belgium court, not the EU court.

Originally posted by MattMarriott
The decision means that Europe's most successful far-right party will be forced to disband - and re-form under a new name.

Seems rather pointless in the end then doesn't it?

You can change the name all you want, you can declare someone a bigot or a racist, but have really changed the sentiment? To me it's like a court of law declaring the KKK a racist organization and telling them to change their name - ok, then what - they are now the ABC and they are still a racist organization.

B.

Originally posted by Bleys
You can change the name all you want, you can declare someone a bigot or a racist, but have really changed the sentiment? To me it's like a court of law declaring the KKK a racist organization and telling them to change their name - ok, then what - they are now the ABC and they are still a racist organization.

B.

sure, but KKK is forced underground and have difficulties spreading their hate.

First of all it was Belgiums own decision, and second of all I cant see the terror in banning a racist party?

[edit on 9-11-2004 by Kollapse]

They will indeed change the name and come back. Though there have been some changes in official policy.
More can be found here:

news.bbc.co.uk...

A quote from the article:

"At the weekend, its members voted to modernise the party's statutes and tone down its views on immigration, saying non-European immigrants wishing to remain in Belgium should adopt Belgian rules and values.

The Blok had once advocated that all non-European immigrants should be returned to their home country."

To me that last statement is racist. We don't need little Hitlers legaly running around Europe, promoting hatred.

Racism and nationalism in the likes of Hitler are not oppinions, they are CRIMES, and should be treated as such.

matt change the name , there is no need to call the EU a reign of terror.
the same could be said about the US or any country. do you see any threads like that?
and if you did do you want to lower yourself to thier level?

EU Reign of Terror?



This is just a ridiculous and highly manipulative lie deliberately speading ignorance.

Try telling the truth.

The EU had nothing to do with this.





[edit on 10-11-2004 by sminkeypinkey]

But supressing the black and hispanic vote here in the US is just good old fashioned americna politics? Too bad this is a Belgian matter, if it had happened in a US court we would have legal precedent for the ousting of the neconservative regime.

As usual the euro-trash is stopping real freedom while being PC. Freedom of speech allows this website to exist. What's next bookburning again?

Originally posted by DrHoracid
As usual the euro-trash is stopping real freedom while being PC. Freedom of speech allows this website to exist. What's next bookburning again?

I guess Europeans learned what fascism/rascism is the hard way.
But hey, you have Banned KKK in the states, right? I guess you consider that a bad thing as well?

Originally posted by Kollapse
But hey, you have Banned KKK in the states, right? I guess you consider that a bad thing as well?

The KKK has not been banned in the States. All speech, even hateful speech, is protected under the first amendment.

Personally, I believe it better to keep vermin like this out in the open where they are subject to disdain and ridicule. The last time I saw an Aryan type group secure a permit to march - the public came out in force to protest. In the end you had a hundred nazis and a thousand hecklers. Quite the beautiful sight.

B.

Originally posted by DrHoracid
As usual the euro-trash is stopping real freedom while being PC. Freedom of speech allows this website to exist. What's next bookburning again?

I have to quote myself from a few posts up:
Racism is not an oppinion, it is a crime.

On a side note, this site has terms and conditions, and I am pretty sure one of them states that blatant racist remarks and inflamatory language are not allowed. So, freedom of speech has limits everywhere. Necessary limits.

The "euro-trash", how you refer to us, is for the most part supportive of actions which limit and punish hate-mongering speech. We have kinda learned our lesson after millions died because of Hitler's "oppinion".

Originally posted by DrHoracid
As usual the euro-trash is stopping real freedom while being PC. Freedom of speech allows this website to exist. What's next bookburning again?

A few years ago, while doing my Masters in sociology, I followed a class on the rise of the extreme-right. So I got to know the German neo-nazis, the Belgian Vlaams Blok, the French Front National and Zhirinovsky's liberal party in Russia. If freedom allows you to create - as happened in Russia - paramilitary brigades to beat up blacks at subways stations, then I really admire the "euro-trash".

I would suggest only a total fool with no actual experience of a real and genuine 'reign of terror' could post something like this up using those terms.

It is such stupid an insulting title to those that actually have.

No doubt he/she thought themselves very clever at the time.

Pathetic and deeply sad.....it's just a shame a little 'perspective' with a genuine 'reign of terror' couldn't be arranged for them.....I bet the words wouldn't trip off the keyboard so easily then.



[edit on 5-12-2004 by sminkeypinkey]