From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Foundation of a new party 1.2 Separation between PVV and PLP 1.3 Flanders: VLD 1.4 Wallonia: MR 2 Presidents 2.1 Presidents PVV-PLP 2.2 Presidents PVV 2.3 Presidents PLP, PRLW and MR 3 See also 4 Source

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

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.

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

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).

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

• 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

• 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

• Liberalism in Belgium

• Liberal Archive (Dutch)
• 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

v • d • e Political parties in Belgium
Flemish parties	Christian Democratic and Flemish · Flemish Interest · Flemish Liberals and Democrats · Green! · List Dedecker · New-Flemish Alliance · Socialist Party – Different · spirit · VLOTT
Francophone parties	Ecolo · Humanist Democratic Centre · National Front · Reformist Movement (component parties: Citizens' Movement for Change · Democratic Front of Francophones · Liberal Reformist Party) · Socialist Party
German parties	Christian Social Party · Party for Freedom and Progress (component party of the MR) · Party of German-speaking Belgians
Pan-Belgian	Vivant
Portal:Politics - List of political parties - Politics of Belgium