Not in Power but Shaping It: The Ascent of Vlaams Belang

Vlaams Belang (VB) has evolved from a marginalised, racist movement into a major political force in Flanders. Despite being largely excluded from government by a 'cordon sanitaire', VB has successfully shifted the political discourse on immigration and crime, influencing other parties to adopt more right-wing stances. Recent breakthroughs in municipal elections, including an absolute majority in Ninove and a coalition in Ranst, signal a potential erosion of the political isolation that has historically defined the party's relationship with the Belgian state.

• Vlaams Belang achieved significant electoral success in the June 9, 2024 elections, becoming the largest party in three of five Flemish provinces and winning three seats in the EU Parliament.
• The party has achieved a historic breakthrough in local governance, obtaining an absolute majority in the town of Ninove and joining a local coalition in Ranst, marking the first time it has won a mayorship and participated directly in governance.
• Vlaams Belang employs a dual communication strategy: using 'moderate' politicians and polished rhetoric to broaden its appeal to the general public, while maintaining figures who openly promote extremist views and conspiracy theories like the 'Great Replacement' to attract a hardline electorate.
• The party leverages its status as a permanent opposition force to maintain a 'clean sheet' and portray itself as an anti-establishment voice for 'ordinary people' against a corrupt political system.
• VB has used high spending on social media and a dedicated app to bypass traditional media gatekeepers and communicate directly with voters, becoming one of the most popular Belgian parties on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
• The party acts as a 'whip party', successfully shifting the political agenda so that other parties, including Socialists and Christian-Democrats, have adopted its stances on migration and integration.
• The Flemish Green party (Groen) is the only political family that has consistently refused to adopt VB's policies on migration and integration, making them the primary ideological adversary and target of the far right.

APA

Jacobs, L. (2024). Not in Power but Shaping It: The Ascent of Vlaams Belang. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/not-in-power-but-shaping-it-the-ascent-of-vlaams-belang/

Chicago

Jacobs, Laura. Not in Power but Shaping It: The Ascent of Vlaams Belang. Green European Journal, 2024. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/not-in-power-but-shaping-it-the-ascent-of-vlaams-belang/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Jacobs |first1=Laura |title=Not in Power but Shaping It: The Ascent of Vlaams Belang |publisher=Green European Journal |date=5 December 2024 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/not-in-power-but-shaping-it-the-ascent-of-vlaams-belang/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{jacobs2024not, author = {Jacobs, Laura}, title = {{Not in Power but Shaping It: The Ascent of Vlaams Belang}}, institution = {Green European Journal}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/not-in-power-but-shaping-it-the-ascent-of-vlaams-belang/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }