Ward Beysen
Encyclopedia
Eduard Marie August "Ward" Beysen (Mortsel
, 26 June 1941 – Wilrijk
, 14 January 2005) was a Belgian
politician and well-known freemason. He held a degree in Dutch and history teaching, obtained in 1963 in Lier
and started his political career in the seventies in the Flemish liberal party, the Party for Freedom and Progress
(PVV), which was renamed Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) in 1992. Ward Beysen - suffering a depression - died by drowning himself in the lake of Fort 6 in the south of Antwerp.
in Antwerp by adopting a more "rightist" rhetoric.
In 1991, he chose "the most important land is the innerland" (het belangrijkste land is het binnenland) as his election slogan, which was clearly based on the Vlaams Blok motto "the own people at first" (eigen volk eerst). In 1994, he made security his main election campaign issue, just like the VB already did for many years. Because of this modus operandi - which was not at all successful in Antwerp - he was called "Black Beysen" (Zwartje Beysen) in certain media.
In 2000, he was punished by the party for several years of failing campaigns. Leo Delwaide became the liberal mayor candidate for Antwerp. Beysen ended in second place. In the same year, his party refused to support him candidating for a vacant seat in the board of the largest public institute of higher education in Antwerp. The VLD endorsed the candidate of the other party. Beysen was publicly embarrassed and did not run for the seat which easily went to his opponent.
. Beysen was furious about this and left the party to start his own political party, the Liberaal Appèl
(Liberal Appeal).
His new party was not at all successful. In 2003, it gained 1,21% of the popular vote in the Antwerp province, resulting in zero candidates elected in the parliament. In 2004, the LA did not participate in the regional elections. Beysen hoped to be given a high place on the Vlaams Blok-list for the European elections, but without any success.
After the death of Beysen, its founder, in 2005, the future of the party Liberaal Appèl was in doubt. Newspapers reported that it was being closed down on March 19, 2005, but the party leader had always refuted this. Liberaal Appèl is now known as "Liberaal Appèl Plus" (Liberal Appeal Plus).
For the 2006 municipal elections, the LAP rejoined the motherparty VLD. In 2007, the three Flemish liberal parties VLD, Vivant
and Liberaal Appel decided to merge into one "cartel list" for the 2007 Belgian elections. The list was named Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats.
Mortsel
Mortsel is a city and municipality close to the city of Antwerp located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the city of Mortsel proper. On January 1, 2006 Mortsel had a total population of 24,427 people. The total area is 7.78 km² which gives a population density of...
, 26 June 1941 – Wilrijk
Wilrijk
Wilrijk is a district of the municipality and city of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. Wilrijk had been a separate municipality before January 1, 1983; the enlarged municipality of Antwerp was decentralized in 2000 and Wilrijk became one the city's nine districts.This suburb is also known...
, 14 January 2005) was a Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
politician and well-known freemason. He held a degree in Dutch and history teaching, obtained in 1963 in Lier
Lier, Belgium
Lier is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the city of Lier proper and the village of Koningshooikt. On January 1, 2010 Lier had a total population of 33,930. The total area is 49.70 km² which gives a population density of 669 inhabitants per...
and started his political career in the seventies in the Flemish liberal party, the Party for Freedom and Progress
Party for Freedom and Progress
The Party for Freedom and Progress 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 Flemish Liberals and Democrats and in Wallonia by the Parti Réformateur...
(PVV), which was renamed Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) in 1992. Ward Beysen - suffering a depression - died by drowning himself in the lake of Fort 6 in the south of Antwerp.
Political career
- 1974-1981, member of the Antwerp Province CouncilAntwerp (province)Antwerp is the northernmost province both of the Flemish Region, also called Flanders, and of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and the Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders. Its capital is Antwerp which comprises the Port of Antwerp...
. - 1981-1995, member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives.
- 1985-1995, floor leaderFloor LeaderFloor Leaders are leaders of their political parties in each of the houses of the legislature.- Senate :In the United States Senate, they are elected by their respective party conferences to serve as the chief Senate spokesmen for their parties and to manage and schedule the legislative and...
of the VLD in the Belgian Parliament. - 1988, Minister of the Interior in the Flemish regional governmentFlandersFlanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
. - 1995-1999, member of the Flemish ParliamentFlemish ParliamentThe Flemish Parliament constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural community of Belgium The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: , and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the...
. - 1999-2004, member of the European ParliamentEuropean ParliamentThe European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. - 1989-2000, member of the Antwerp City Council.
Dissatisfaction
In 1992, the PVV was transformed into the moderate-liberal VLD. Beysen accepted this change, in spite of him always insisting on moving more to the right. Beysen wanted to stop the rise of the far-right Vlaams BlokVlaams Blok
The Vlaams Blok was a Belgian far-right and secessionist political party with an anti-immigration platform. Its ideologies embraced Flemish nationalism, calling for the independence of Flanders. From its creation in 1978, it was the most notable militant right wing of the Flemish movement. Vlaams...
in Antwerp by adopting a more "rightist" rhetoric.
In 1991, he chose "the most important land is the innerland" (het belangrijkste land is het binnenland) as his election slogan, which was clearly based on the Vlaams Blok motto "the own people at first" (eigen volk eerst). In 1994, he made security his main election campaign issue, just like the VB already did for many years. Because of this modus operandi - which was not at all successful in Antwerp - he was called "Black Beysen" (Zwartje Beysen) in certain media.
In 2000, he was punished by the party for several years of failing campaigns. Leo Delwaide became the liberal mayor candidate for Antwerp. Beysen ended in second place. In the same year, his party refused to support him candidating for a vacant seat in the board of the largest public institute of higher education in Antwerp. The VLD endorsed the candidate of the other party. Beysen was publicly embarrassed and did not run for the seat which easily went to his opponent.
Liberal Appeal
Ward Beysen was dissatisfied with the increasingly leftist policies of the VLD. In 2003, the party made it clear that Ward Beysen - the incumbent - would no longer be their candidate for the European elections of 2004European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
. Beysen was furious about this and left the party to start his own political party, the Liberaal Appèl
Liberaal Appèl
The Liberal Appeal is a Flemish right-liberal political party.Founded on March 22, 2002 by the liberal MEP Ward Beysen as a secession of the VLD, mostly in Antwerp. The Liberaal Appèl was first a movement, then became a full-fledged political party on January 20, 2003...
(Liberal Appeal).
His new party was not at all successful. In 2003, it gained 1,21% of the popular vote in the Antwerp province, resulting in zero candidates elected in the parliament. In 2004, the LA did not participate in the regional elections. Beysen hoped to be given a high place on the Vlaams Blok-list for the European elections, but without any success.
After the death of Beysen, its founder, in 2005, the future of the party Liberaal Appèl was in doubt. Newspapers reported that it was being closed down on March 19, 2005, but the party leader had always refuted this. Liberaal Appèl is now known as "Liberaal Appèl Plus" (Liberal Appeal Plus).
For the 2006 municipal elections, the LAP rejoined the motherparty VLD. In 2007, the three Flemish liberal parties VLD, Vivant
Vivant
Vivant is a small Belgian social liberal party founded by millionaire Roland Duchâtelet. In the regional elections in June 2004, the party formed a strategic alliance with the Flemish Liberals and Democrats . Both parties are founded on the principle of individualism and can be called liberal...
and Liberaal Appel decided to merge into one "cartel list" for the 2007 Belgian elections. The list was named Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats.
See also
- Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten, the liberal VLD party.
- Liberaal AppèlLiberaal AppèlThe Liberal Appeal is a Flemish right-liberal political party.Founded on March 22, 2002 by the liberal MEP Ward Beysen as a secession of the VLD, mostly in Antwerp. The Liberaal Appèl was first a movement, then became a full-fledged political party on January 20, 2003...
, the right-liberal party of ex-VLD floor leader Ward Beysen. - VLOTTVLOTTVLOTT is a Belgian right-wing liberal or fortuynist political party. The acronym VLOTT stands for Flemish Liberal Independent Tolerant and Transparent . It was founded on November 23, 2005 by ex-Flemish Liberals and Democrats member Hugo Coveliers...
, the right-liberal party of ex-VLD senator Hugo CoveliersHugo CoveliersHugo F.V. Coveliers is a Belgian politician and lawyer. He was a member of the Belgian Chamber of People's Representatives between 1985 and 1995 and from 1993 to 2003. Since 2003 he has been a member of the Belgian Senate...
. - Veilig Blauw, the right-liberal party of ex-VLD senator Leo Govaerts.
- Nova CivitasNova CivitasNova Civitas was a Flemish think tank based on the principles of classic liberalism in combination with Anglo-Saxon conservatism. Nova Civitas claimed at its founding to be completely independent, although it was recognized and supported by the Flemish Liberal Party...
, the classical-liberal thinktank of ex-VLD board member Boudewijn BouckaertBoudewijn BouckaertBoudewijn Bouckaert is a Belgian law professor, a member of the Flemish Movement, and a libertarian conservative thinker and politician. He chairs the academic board of the LIB-ERA! think tank and serves as Member of the Flemish Parliament for the liberal party List Dedecker...
. - List Dedecker, the right-liberal party of ex-VLD senator Jean-Marie DedeckerJean-Marie DedeckerJean-Marie Louis Dedecker is a Belgian Flemish politician.In 1999 and 2003, Dedecker was directly elected to the Belgian Senate. In 2004 Dedecker ran for a seat in the Flemish Parliament, after taking his seat in the Flemish Parliament, Dedecker was elected by his colleagues as a community senator...
. - Cassandra vzw, the liberal thinktank behind the party platform of List Dedecker.
External links
- Personal Website of the late Ward Beysen, available in Dutch.
- Official Website of the Liberal Appeal Plus, available in Dutch.
- General Information on Belgian Politicians and Political Parties, available in Dutch.