Party for Freedom and Progress

The Party for Freedom and Progress (Dutch: "Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang"; French: "Parti de la Liberté et du Progrès"; German: Partei für Freiheit und Fortschritt) was a liberal party in Belgium which existed from 1961 until 1992 and was the successor of the Liberal Party, which had roots dating back to 1846. It was succeeded in Flanders by the VLD and in Wallonia by the Parti Réformateur Libéral, Parti des Réformes et des Libertés de Wallonie and the Mouvement Reformateur.

History

Foundation of a new party

Omer Vanaudenhove in 1961, changed the Belgian Liberal Party into the PVV/PLP (Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang/Parti de la Liberté et du Progrès). In 1965 the party obtained a victory in the general elections with 21.6% of the votes. In 1966, the PVV joined the government of Paul Vanden Boeynants. The liberal ministers during this period were Willy De Clercq, Jacques Van Offelen, Frans Grootjans, Herman Vanderpoorten, Charles Poswick and August De Winter

eparation between PVV and PLP

On 27 June 1971 the party was split up in a Flemish (PVV) and Walloon party (Parti Réformateur Libéral). Only a few months later, on 24 September 1971, the parliament was dissolved. In the elections which followed The Flemish PVV gained votes, but the Walloon PRL lost in the elections.

In this period (1971-1992) the PVV ministers in the government were: Willy De Clercq, Herman Vanderpoorten, Herman De Croo, Karel Poma, Alfred Vreven, André Kempinaire, Guy Verhofstadt, Louis Waltniel, Jean Pede, Patrick Dewael, Ward Beysen, and Jacky Buchmann.

The PRL ministers in the government were: André Damseaux, François-Xavier de Donnea, Jean Gol, Louis Olivier, Charles Poswick, and Michel Toussaint.

Flanders: VLD

In Flanders, the PVV ceased to exist in 1992. On 15 November 1992 the VLD was founded, the Flemish Liberals and Democrats.

Wallonia: MR

In 1976, the name of the party was changed into PRLW (Parti de Réformes et de la Liberté en Wallonie). In 1979, the name was changed to Parti Réformateur Libéral (PRL) after the merger with the Liberal Party of Brussels. In March 2002 the PRL merged with the PFF (Partei für Freiheit und Fortschritt) of the East Cantons, the FDF (Front Démocratique des Francophones) and the MCC (Mouvement des Citoyens pour le Changement) into the Mouvement Réformateur (MR).

Presidents

Presidents PVV-PLP

* 1961 - 1968 : Omer Vanaudenhove
* 1968 - 1969 : Norbert Hougardy and Milou Jeunehomme (co-presidency)
* 1969 - 1972 : Pierre Descamps

Presidents PVV

* 1972 - 1973 : Willy De Clercq
* 1973 - 1977 : Frans Grootjans
* 1977 - 1982 : Willy De Clercq
* 1982 - 1985 : Guy Verhofstadt
* 1985 - 1989 : Annemie Neyts
* 1989 - 1992 : Guy Verhofstadt

Presidents PLP, PRLW and MR

* 1972 - 1973 : Milou Jeunehomme
* 1973 - 1979 : André Damseaux
* 1979 - 1982 : Jean Gol
* 1982 - 1990 : Louis Michel
* 1990 - 1992 : Antoine Duquesne and Daniel Ducarme (co-presidency)
* 1992 - 1995 : Jean Gol
* 1995 - 1999 : Louis Michel
* 1999 - 2003 : Daniel Ducarme
* 2003 - 2004 : Antoine Duquesne
* 2004 - : Didier Reynders

Notable members

* Lucienne Herman-Michielsens (1926-1995)
* Jean Rey (1902-1983), President of the European Commission

ee also

* Liberalism in Belgium
* Liberal Archive

ource

* [http://www.liberaalarchief.be/ Liberal Archive] (Dutch)
* [http://www.mr.be/Le-Mouvement/Notre-Histoire/Le-Liberalisme.php History of liberalism in Belgium] (French)
* Th. Luykx, M. Platel, "Politieke geschiedenis van België", 2 vol., Kluwer, 1985
* E. Witte, J. Craeybeckx, A. Meynen, "Politieke geschiedenis van België", Standaard, 1997