Groen (political party)

Template:Infobox political party Template:Green politics sidebar Groen ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}; Template:Literal translation), founded as Agalev, is a green<ref name="Nordsieck" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Flemish political party in Belgium. The main pillars of the party are social justice, human rights, and ecologism.<ref name="GreenVRT">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Its French-speaking equivalent is Ecolo; the two parties maintain close relations with each other.

History

Agalev

In 1979, the green party was founded by name of "Agalev", an acronym of "Anders Gaan Leven" ("Towards Different Living").<ref name="kamer20151029">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the eighties, the party was known for being against nuclear weapons, and for being pro-Europe.<ref name="GreenVRT"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1992 Agalev was asked to support a constitutional change called the Sint-Michiels agreement, which would make Belgium a federation. This change required a two-third majority, so the majority needed to convince some parties of the opposition to proceed. Both Agalev and Ecolo agreed, in exchange for a tax on bottles, the first ecotax in Belgium. However, after the constitutional change was voted in, the ecotax was cancelled and replaced by a watered-down concept.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In the elections of 1999, Agalev scored 7% federally and 11% regionally (in Flanders). The Dioxin affair, a scandal surrounding dioxins in for-consumption chickens just before the elections, played an important role in the Greens' performance.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Greens joined the first Verhofstadt government as part of the "purple-green" federal coalition from 12 July 1999 until 18 May 2003. Representing Agalev in this federal government, Magda Aelvoet was Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Public Health and the Environment. She tabled legislation on gay marriage, making Belgium the second country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Within the same legislature, Magda Aelvoet left her position due to her opposition of a Belgian arms delivery to Nepal, and was succeeded by fellow party member Jef Tavernier.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Also following the elections of 1999, the party joined the Flemish Government, which was composed of the same parties. Agalev supplied two ministers: Mieke Vogels became responsible for Wellbeing, Health and Equal opportunities, and Vera Dua for Agriculture and Environment.

Renaming to Groen! (2003)

In the federal elections of 2003, Agalev scored less than 5% and lost all their seats (on the federal level). The next day, Jos Geysels resigned as party leader.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="vrt20240322">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The sitting ministers in the Flemish government Mieke Vogels and Vera Dua stepped down, and were replaced by Template:Ill and Template:Ill respectively.

Vera Dua got elected as chairperson, and on the same day, the party's name was changed to Groen! (Green!).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The party got between 5 and 10% of the votes through the elections of the early 00's. They did not participate in a governmental coalition (on any level higher than local).

Groen (2012–present)

In 2012 the party decided to drop de exclamation mark of their name.

After the local and provincial elections of 2014, Groen had a mandate for the first time in the province of Flemish-Brabant. In 2018 the province of East-Flanders followed. The results in Flemish-Brabant had improved though Green wasn't part of the coalition anymore after these elections.

In 2019, there were elections on the regional, federal and European level. At this time the school strike for climate movement had dominated the media, so the party Groen was expected to grow substantially. An total victory didn't happen, though the party gained seats on all levels.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On the regional level of Brussels-Capital, Groen participated in a red-green-blue coalition.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Elke Van den Brandt became Minister of Mobility, Public Works, and Road Safety.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On the federal level, a new government wasn't formed until 17 March 2020, when the coronavirus outbreak urged a minority government with extra plenary powers to be formed. After 6 months a 'regular' majority government was formed and the Vivaldi coalition was sworn in with 2 Groen ministers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Petra De Sutter became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Civil Service, Public Enterprises, Telecommunication and Postal Services, as Europe's first transgender deputy prime minister.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Tinne Van der Straeten holds the Ministry of Energy.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2022 the members of Groen elected new party leaders: the duo Nadia Naji and Jeremie Vaneeckhout, and the logo changed from green only to a more colourful background.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Political views

Groen is a progressive Flemish party that, as the name itself suggests, considers environmental and climate policy very important. The party wants to combine this with attention to social justice, equal opportunities, human rights and quality of life. In other words, the party wants to protect the planet, but wants to do so by paying attention to the weakest in society. The party therefore wants good and affordable health care and to tackle poverty. In order to afford these initiatives, the party expect the richest people and the biggest polluters in society to contribute more.<ref name="GreenVRT"/>

Party chairperson

File:Bart Dhondt.jpg

Chairperson Bart Dhondt

Name		From	Until	Vice-chairperson	Comments
1	Leo Cox	28 March 1982	7 January 1989	not applicable	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2	Johan Malcorps	7 January 1989	6 June 1995	not applicable	Spokesperson<ref name="agelevVRT"/>
3	Wilfried Bervoets	6 June 1995	24 July 1998	not applicable	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> During his illness, Jos Geysels was acting spokesperson.
4	Jos Geysels	8 June 1998	21 June 2003	not applicable	Spokesperson<ref name="agelevVRT"/>
5	Dirk Holemans	21 June 2003	15 November 2003	not applicable	Spokesperson<ref name="agelevVRT"/>
6	Vera Dua	15 November 2003	10 November 2007	not applicable<ref name="agelevVRT"/>
7	Mieke Vogels	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	25 October 2009	Wouter Van Besien (from 17 May 2008)
8	Wouter Van Besien	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	15 November 2014	Björn Rzoska (until 19 January 2013) Elke Van den Brandt (from 19 January 2013)
9	Meyrem Almaci	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Jeremie Vaneeckhout (until 19 October 2019) Dany Neudt (from 19 October 2019)	Re-elected
10	Jeremie Vaneeckhout and Nadia Naji	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	19 December 2024	not applicable
11	Bart Dhondt	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Incumbent	Natacha Waldmann

Current mandates

European politics

European Parliament<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Name	Committees
Sara Matthieu	International Trade Employment and Social Affairs

Federal politics

Chamber of Representatives<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation				CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Name	Notes
Template:Flagicon Wouter De Vriendt	Faction leader
Template:Flagicon Kim Buyst
Template:Flagicon Kristof Calvo
Template:Flagicon Barbara Cremers
Template:Flagicon Eva Platteau
Template:Flagicon Dieter Van Besien
Template:Flagicon Stefaan Van Hecke
Template:Flagicon Kathleen Pisman

Senate<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation			CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Type	Name	Notes
Co-opted Senator	Template:Flagicon Template:Ill	Second vice president of the Senate
Community Senator	Template:Flagicon Template:Ill
Community Senator	Template:Flagicon Template:Ill
Community Senator	Template:Flagicon Template:Ill

Belgian Federal De Croo Government<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation			CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Public Office	Name	Function
Deputy Prime Minister	Petra De Sutter	Minister of Civil Service, Public Enterprises, Telecommunication and Postal Services
Minister	Tinne Van der Straeten	Minister of Energy

Regional politics: Flanders

Flemish Parliament<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation				CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Template:Flagicon Meyrem Almaci	Template:Flagicon Template:Ill	Template:Flagicon Stijn Bex
Template:Flagicon Johan Danen	Template:Flagicon Ann De Martelaer	Template:Flagicon Template:Ill
Template:Flagicon Template:Ill	Template:Flagicon Ann Moerenhout	Template:Flagicon Staf Aerts
Template:Flagicon Bjorn Rzoska	Template:Flagicon Template:Ill	Template:Flagicon Chris Steenwegen
Template:Flagicon Tine van den Brande	Template:Flagicon Jeremie Vaneeckhout

Regional politics: Brussels

Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation				CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Name	Notes
Template:Ill
Template:Ill
Template:Ill
Template:Ill	Faction Leader

Brussels Regional Government Vervoort II<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation			CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Public Office	Name	Function
Minister	Elke Van den Brandt	Mobility and Public Works

Election results

Chamber of Representatives

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/−	Government	Elected members of parliament
1977	2,435	0.0	Template:Composition bar		Template:No
1978	5,556	0.1	Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady 0	Template:No
1981	138,575	2.3	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 2	Template:No2	Ludo Dierickx, Fernand Geyselings
1985	226,758	3.7	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 2	Template:No2	Ludo Dierickx, Mieke Vogels
1987	275,437	4.5	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 2	Template:No2	Jozef Cuyvers, Wilfried De Vlieghere, Jos Geysels, Hugo Van Dienderen, Wilfried Van Durme, Mieke Vogels
1991	299,550	4.9	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1	Template:No2	Magda Aelvoet Template:Small → Lodewijk Steenwegen, Luc Barbé, Wilfried De Vlieghere, Vera Dua, Jos Geysels, Hugo Van Dienderen, Mieke Vogels Template:Small → Peter Luyten
1995	269,058	4.4	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 2	Template:No2	Frans Lozie, Jef Tavernier, Hugo Van Dienderen, Lode Vanoost, Joos Wauters
1999	434,449	7.0	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 4	Template:Yes2	Eddy Boutmans Template:Small → Leen Laenens, Anne-Mie Descheemaeker, Kristien Grauwels, Simonne Leen, Fauzaya Talhaoui, Jef Tavernier Template:Small → Liliane De Cock, Peter Vanhoutte, Lode Vanoost, Joos Wauters
2003	162,205	2.5	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 9	Template:No
2007	265,828	4.0	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 4	Template:No2	Template:Flagicon Meyrem Almaci, Template:Flagicon Wouter De Vriendt, Template:Flagicon Tinne Van der Straeten, Template:Flagicon Stefaan Van Hecke
2010	285,989	4.4	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1	Template:No2	Template:Flagicon Meyrem Almaci, Template:Flagicon Eva Brems, Template:Flagicon Kristof Calvo, Template:Flagicon Wouter De Vriendt, Template:Flagicon Stefaan Van Hecke
2014	358,947	5.3	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1	Template:No2	Template:FlagiconMeyrem Almaci, Template:FlagiconKristof Calvo, Template:FlagiconStefaan Van Hecke, Template:Flagicon Evita Willaert, Template:FlagiconWouter De Vriendt, Template:FlagiconAnne Dedry
2019	413,836	6.1	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 2	Template:Partial2	Template:Flagicon Kim Buyst, Template:Flagicon Kristof Calvo, Template:Flagicon Barbara Creemers, Template:Flagicon Wouter De Vriendt, Template:Flagicon Jessica Soors Template:Small → Template:Flagicon Eva Platteau, Template:Flagicon Stefaan Van Hecke, Template:Flagicon Dieter Van Besien, Template:Flagicon Kathleen Pisman
					Template:Yes2
2024	324,608	4.7	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 2	Template:No2

Senate

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/−
1977	3,270	0.1	Template:Composition bar
1978			Template:Composition bar
1981	121,016	2.0	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1
1985	229,206	3.8	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1
1987	299,049	4.9	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1
1991	314,360	5.1	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 2
1995	223,355	3.7	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 4
1999	438,931	7.1	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 2
2003	161,024	2.5	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 3
2007	241,151	3.6	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1
2010	251,605	3.9	Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady 0

Regional: Brussels

Election	Votes	%		Seats	+/−	Government	Elected Members of parliament
		Template:Abbr	Overall
1989	4,821		1.1 (#12)	Template:Composition bar		Template:No2	Dolf Cauwelier
1995	3,906		1.0 (#11)	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 1	Template:No2
1999Template:Efn	13,223	21.8 (#4)	3.1 (#8)	Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady 0	Template:No2	Adelheid Byttebier Template:Small → Anne Van Asbroeck (SP.A)
2004	6,132	9.8 (#5)	1.4 (#10)	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1	Template:No2	Adelheid Byttebier
2009	5,806	11.2 (#5)	1.3 (#10)	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1	Template:Yes2	Bruno De Lille Template:Small → Elke Van den Brandt, Annemie Maes
2014	9,551	17.9 (#5)	2.1 (#9)	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1	Template:No2	Bruno De Lille, Annemie Maes, Arnaud Verstraete
2019	14,425	20.6 (#1)	3.1 (#7)	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1	Template:Yes2	Elke Van den Brandt Template:Small → Soetkin Hoessen, Arnaud Verstraete, Lotte Stoops, Juan Benjumea Moreno
2024	18,345	22.82 (#1)		Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady 0	TBD

Regional: Flemish Parliament

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/−	Government	Elected representatives
1995	267,155	7.1 (#6)	Template:Composition bar		Template:No2	Template:Flagicon Vera Dua, Template:Flagicon Jos Geysels, Template:Flagicon Johan Malcorps, Template:Flagicon Ludo Sannen, Template:Flagicon Jos Stassen, Template:Flagicon Ria Van Den Heuvel, Template:Flagicon Cecile Verwimp
1999	451,361	11.6 (#5)	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 5	Template:Yes2	Template:Flagicon Magda Aelvoet Template:Small → Ann De Martelaer, Template:Flagicon Veerle Declercq, Template:Flagicon Jos Geysels, Template:Flagicon Eloi Glorieux, Template:Flagicon Dirk Holemans, Template:Flagicon Johan Malcorps, Template:Flagicon Frans Ramon, Template:Flagicon Ludo Sannen Template:Small → Flor Ory Template:Small → Ludo Sannen, Template:Flagicon Jos Stassen, Template:Flagicon Ria Van Den Heuvel, Template:Flagicon Jo Vermeulen, Template:Flagicon Vera Dua Template:Small → Isabel Vertriest Template:Small → Vera Dua
2004	308,898	7.6 (#5)	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 6	Template:No2	Template:Flagicon Rudi Daems, Template:Flagicon Vera Dua, Template:Flagicon Eloi Glorieux, Template:Flagicon Jos Stassen, Template:Flagicon Jef Tavernier, Template:Flagicon Mieke Vogels
2009	278,211	6.8 (#7)	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1	Template:No2	Template:Flagicon Bart Caron, Template:Flagicon Elisabeth Meuleman, Template:Flagicon Dirk Peeters, Template:Flagicon Hermes Sanctorum, Template:Flagicon Luckas Vander Taelen, Template:Flagicon Mieke Vogels, Template:Flagicon Filip Watteeuw Template:Small
2014	365,779	8.7 (#5)	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 3	Template:No2	Template:Flagicon Imade Annouri, Template:Flagicon Bart Caron, Template:Flagicon Johan Danen, Template:Flagicon Elisabeth Meuleman, Template:Flagicon Ann Moerenhout, Template:Flagicon Ingrid Pira, Template:Flagicon Bjorn Rzoska, Template:Flagicon Hermes Sanctorum Template:Small, Template:Flagicon Wouter Van Besien, Template:Flagicon Elke Van den Brandt
2019	428,696	10.1 (#5)	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 4	Template:No2	Template:Flagicon Meyrem Almaci, Template:Flagicon Jeremie Vaneeckhout, Template:Flagicon Johan Danen, Template:Flagicon Björn Rzoska, Template:Flagicon An Moerenhout, Template:Flagicon Stijn Bex, Template:Flagicon Mieke Schauvliege, Template:Flagicon Chris Steenwegen, Template:Flagicon Imade Annouri, Template:Flagicon Celia Groothedde, Template:Flagicon Elisabeth Meuleman, Template:Flagicon Ann De Martelaer, Template:Flagicon Staf Aerts, Template:Flagicon Tine Van den Brande
2024	304,688	7.17	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 5	Template:No2

European Parliament

Election	List leader	Votes	%		Seats	+/−	EP Group
			Template:Abbr	Overall
1979	Paul Staes	77,986	2.33 (#5)	1.43	Template:Composition bar	New	−
1984		246,712	7.08 (#5)	4.31	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1	RBW
1989		446,539	12.20 (#4)	7.57	Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady 0	G
1994	Magda Aelvoet	396,198	10.73 (#5)	6.64	Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady 0
1999	Patsy Sörensen	464,042	11.98 (#6)	7.50	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 1	Greens/EFA
2004	Bart Staes	320,874	7.99 (#5)	4.94	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 1
2009		322,149	7.90 (#6)	4.90	Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady 0
2014		447,391	10.62 (#5)	6.69	Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady 0
2019	Petra De Sutter	525,908	12.37 (#5)	7.81	Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady 0
2024	Sara Matthieu	450,781	10.00 (#5)	6.31	Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady 0

See also

• Ecolo the Walloon (Francophone) green party
• Green party
• Green politics
• List of environmental organizations
• European Green Party
• Global Greens

External links

• Template:Official
• Overview of Groen at the VRT in the context of the 2024 elections

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