70-point Plan (Belgium)
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The 70-point plan () was a proposal drafted in 1992 by the Belgian political party
Vlaams Blok Vlaams Blok (, VB; ) was the name of a Belgian far-right and secessionist political party with an anti-immigration platform.Erk, 2005, pp. 493-502. Its ideologies embraced Flemish nationalism, calling for the independence of Flanders. The part ...
as an "answer to the problem of immigrants." The full title of the plan was "Immigration: the solutions. 70 proposals for the solution of the problem of aliens" ('). The first version of the 70 steps plan was presented on 6 June 1992, by
Filip Dewinter Philip Michel Frans "Filip" Dewinter (born 11 September 1962) is a Belgian politician, journalist and commentator. He is one of the leading members of Vlaams Belang, a right-wing Flemish nationalist and secessionist political party. Family back ...
during the colloquium "Immigration: the West has to choose." It wanted to prove that a policy of return of immigrants could be realised. The plan was inspired by Frenchman
Jean-Marie Le Pen Jean Louis Marie Le Pen (20 June 1928 – 7 January 2025), commonly known as Jean-Marie Le Pen (), was a French politician, lawyer and activist. He founded the far-right National Front (now National Rally) party and served as the party's presi ...
's "Fifty Measures to Help Manage the Problem of Immigrants." The plan was heavily criticised because it was considered to be in breach of the
European Convention on Human Rights The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR; formally the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) is a Supranational law, supranational convention to protect human rights and political freedoms in Europe. Draf ...
(ECHR). In October 1996 the Vlaams Blok published a revision of the 70 steps plan, which according to the party was completely in line with the ECHR. The new plan softened the radical stance of the party by opening for the possibility of assimilation of non-European immigrants. The Vlaams Blok discarded the 70 steps plan in 2000, although it did not make any proposals to specifically distance itself from the content of the plan. The Belgian
Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism Unia, or the Interfederal Center for Equal Opportunities () and the Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism () is an independent public institution that fights discrimination and promotes equal opportunities in Belgium. History ...
, in retrospect, has called the 70 steps plan "a strategy of aggressive expulsion in order to create a mono-ethnic state." Despite the cordon sanitaire excluding Vlaams Blok (and its successor
Vlaams Belang Vlaams Belang (; ; VB) is a Flemish nationalist, Eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels Capital Region of Belgium. It is widely considered by the media and political analysts to be on the polit ...
) from participation in governments, critics of the party claim the 70-point plan has been influential on public discourse concerning immigration and multiculturalism in Belgium, and that many of its points are no longer taboo for mainstream parties with the subsequent adoption of certain policies by successive governments.


References


Further reading


70 steps plan, original version (1992)

70 steps plan, revised version (1996)
* *{{cite book , last = D'Hondt , first = Paula , authorlink=Paula D'Hondt, author2= Adriaens, Manu , year = 1991 , title = Mens voor mens , publisher = Kritak , location = Leuven , isbn = 90-6303-355-9, language=nl 1990s in Belgium 1992 in Belgium
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
Anti-immigration politics in Europe Demographics of Belgium Politics of Belgium Society of Belgium Vlaams Belang