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Party for Freedom and Progress

{{Distinguish|text=the Belarusian Party of Freedom and Progress and the Dutch Party for Freedom}}

{{Short description|Defunct Belgian political party}}

{{Infobox political party

| name = Party for Freedom and Progress

| lang1 = French

| name_lang1 = Parti de la Liberté et du Progrès

| lang2 = Dutch

| name_lang2 = Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang

| logo =

| colorcode = #0073CF

| leader =

| chairman =

| president =

| spokesperson =

| foundation = {{Start date|1961}}

| predecessor = Liberal Party

| dissolution = 1992

| successor = Flemish Liberals and Democrats,
Liberal Reformist Party

| ideology = {{nowrap|Liberalism
Classical liberalism}}

| position = Centre-right

| headquarters =

| international = Liberal International

| european = European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party

| europarl = Liberal Democrat and Reform

| country = Belgium

}}

The Party for Freedom and Progress ({{langx|nl|Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang}};{{Efn|{{IPA|nl|pɑrˈtɛi voːr ˈvrɛiɦɛit ɛɱ voːrˈœytxɑŋ|small=no}}.}} {{langx|fr|Parti de la Liberté et du Progrès}};{{Efn|{{IPA|fr|paʁti d(ə) la libɛʁte e dy pʁɔɡʁɛ|small=no}}.}} {{langx|de|Partei für Freiheit und Fortschritt}};{{Efn|{{IPA|de|paʁˈtaɪ fyːɐ̯ ˈfʁaɪhaɪt ʔʊnt ˈfɔʁt.ʃʁɪt|small=no}}.}} PVV-PLP) was a liberal political party in Belgium which existed from 1961 until 1992. The party was the successor of the Liberal Party, which had roots dating back to 1846. It was succeeded in the Flemish Community of Belgium by the Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) and in the French Community by the Liberal Reformist Party, Parti des Réformes et des Libertés de Wallonie and the current-day Reformist Movement. In the German-speaking Community, it continued to exist as the Party for Freedom and Progress up to 2023.

History

= Foundation of a new party=

In 1961, Omer Vanaudenhove, leader of the Liberal Party, reorganised it into the Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang/Parti de la Liberté et du Progrès (PVV/PLP). The new party, among other things, jettisoned the Liberals' traditional anti-clericalism. 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.

= Separation between PVV and PRL =

On 27 June 1971, the party was split up in a Flemish (PVV) and Walloon party (the Liberal Reformist Party, PRL). 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 Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) was founded.

= French-speaking Community: MR =

In 1976, the name of the party was changed into Parti des Réformes et des Libertés de Wallonie|Parti de Réformes et de la Liberté en Wallonie (PRLW). In 1979, the name was changed to Liberal Reformist Party (PRL) after the merger with the Liberal Party of Brussels. In March 2002, the PRL merged with the German-speaking Party for Freedom and Progress (PFF) of the East Cantons, the Democratic Front of Francophones (FDF) and the Citizens' Movement for Change (MCC) into the Reformist Movement (MR).

Presidents

= Presidents PVV-PLP =

= Presidents PVV =

Notable members

Electoral results

= Federal Parliament =

Chamber

class=wikitable
Election year

! # of overall votes

! % of overall vote

! % of language
group vote

! # of overall seats won

! # of language
group seats won

! +/-

! Notes

1987

| 709,758

| colspan=2|11.5 (#4)

| colspan=2|{{Composition bar|25|212|hex=Blue}}

| {{increase}} 3

|

1991

| 738,016

| colspan=2|12.0 (#3)

| colspan=2|{{Composition bar|26|212|hex=Blue}}

| {{increase}} 1

|

= Regional parliaments =

== Brussels Parliament ==

class=wikitable
Election year

! # of overall votes

! % of overall vote

! % of language
group vote

! # of overall seats won

! # of language
group seats won

! +/-

! Notes

1989

| 12,143

| colspan=2|2.8 (#8)

| colspan=2|{{Composition bar|2|75|hex=Blue}}

|

|

=European Parliament=

class="wikitable"
Election year

! # of overall votes

! % of overall vote

! % of electoral
college vote

! # of overall seats won

! # of electoral
college seats won

! +/-

! Notes

1979

| 512,363

| 9.4

| 15.3

| {{Composition bar|2|24|hex=Blue}}

| {{Composition bar|2|13|hex=Lightgrey}}

|

|

1984

| 494,277

|

| 14.2

| {{Composition bar|2|24|hex=Blue}}

| {{Composition bar|2|13|hex=Lightgrey}}

| {{steady}} 0

|

1989

| 625,561

|

| 17.1

| {{Composition bar|2|24|hex=Blue}}

| {{Composition bar|2|13|hex=Lightgrey}}

| {{steady}} 0

|

See also

Notes

{{notelist}}

Sources

  • [http://www.liberaalarchief.be/ Liberal Archive] {{in lang|nl}}
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20070415115516/http://www.mr.be/Le-Mouvement/Notre-Histoire/Le-Liberalisme.php History of liberalism in Belgium] {{in lang|fr}}
  • Th. Luykx, M. Platel, Politieke geschiedenis van België, 2 vol., Kluwer, 1985
  • E. Witte, J. Craeybeckx, A. Meynen, Politieke geschiedenis van België, Standaard, 1997

{{Belgian political parties}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Defunct political parties in Belgium

Category:Conservative liberal parties

Category:Classical liberal parties

Category:Liberal parties in Belgium

Category:1961 establishments in Belgium

Category:1992 disestablishments in Belgium

Category:Political parties established in 1961

Category:Political parties disestablished in 1992