The Party for Freedom and Progress (; ; ; PVV-PLP) was a liberal political party in

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 ...

which existed from 1961 until 1992. The party was the successor of the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

, 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 The French Community () was the constitutional organization set up in October 1958 between France and its remaining African colonies, then in the process of decolonization. It replaced the French Union, which had reorganized the colonial em ...

by the Liberal Reformist Party, ''Parti des Réformes et des Libertés de Wallonie'' and the current-day

Reformist Movement The Reformist Movement (, , MR) is a liberal French-speaking political party in Belgium, which includes social-liberal and conservative-liberal factions. Stemming from the Belgian Liberal Party founded in 1846, the MR is one of the oldest par ...

. In the German-speaking Community, it continued to exist as the

Party for Freedom and Progress The Party for Freedom and Progress (; ; ; PVV-PLP) was a liberalism, liberal political party in Belgium which existed from 1961 until 1992. The party was the successor of the Liberal Party (Belgium), Liberal Party, which had roots dating back to ...

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 Anti-clericalism is opposition to clergy, religious authority, typically in social or political matters. Historically, anti-clericalism in Christian traditions has been opposed to the influence of Catholicism. Anti-clericalism is related to secul ...

. 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 Paul Emile François Henri Vanden Boeynants (, ; 22 May 1919 – 9 January 2001) was a Belgian politician.
Rulers. Retrieved 30 August 201 ...

. The liberal ministers during this period were

Willy De Clercq Willy Clarisse Elvire Hector, Viscount De Clercq (8 July 1927 – 28 October 2011) was a Belgian liberal politician. De Clercq was born in Ghent, son of Frans de Clercq.Etat présent de la noblesse belge 2015, p. 62 After his law and notariat ...

, Jacques Van Offelen,

Frans Grootjans Frans Edward Elisabeth Grootjans (24 January 1922 – 20 February 1999), was a Belgian politician and minister for the PVV. Grootjans was born at Wilrijk. He became a licentiate in the trade and consular sciences and was chief editor and dir ...

, 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:

, Herman Vanderpoorten, Herman De Croo,

Karel Poma Karel Emiel Hubert, Baron Poma (14 March 1920 – 27 December 2014) was a Belgium, Belgian liberal and politician for the Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang, PVV. He was a son of Carolus Poma, who was a lieutenant of the Antwerp fire brigade ...

, Alfred Vreven, André Kempinaire,

Guy Verhofstadt Guy Maurice Marie Louise Verhofstadt (; ; born 11 April 1953) is a Belgian politician who served as the prime minister of Belgium from 1999 to 2008. He was a member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Belgium from 2009 until 2024. He was a me ...

, Louis Waltniel, Jean Pede, Patrick Dewael, Ward Beysen, and Jacky Buchmann. The PRL ministers in the government were: André Damseaux,

François-Xavier de Donnea François Xavier Gustave Marie Joseph Corneille Hubert, Knight de Donnea de Hamoir (born 29 April 1941 in Edegem, Antwerp) is a Belgian politician and a former mayor of the City of Brussels and Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region ...

, 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

(PFF) of the East Cantons, the Democratic Front of Francophones (FDF) and the

Citizens' Movement for Change Citizens' Movement for Change (, , MCC) is a Christian-democratic political party in the French Community of Belgium founded by Gérard Deprez in 1998. Deprez was the leader of the Francophone Christian Social Party (PSC) from 1982 to 1995. He l ...

(MCC) into the

(MR).

Presidents

Presidents PVV-PLP

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

Presidents PVV

* 1972 – 1973 :

* 1973 – 1977 :

* 1977 – 1982 :

* 1982 – 1985 :

* 1985 – 1989 : Annemie Neyts * 1989 – 1992 :

Notable members

* Lucienne Herman-Michielsens (1926–1995) * Jean Rey (1902–1983),

President of the European Commission The president of the European Commission, also known as president of the College of Commissioners is the Head of government, head of the European Commission, the Executive (government), executive branch of the European Union (EU). The president ...

* Jules Audent (1834-1910)

Electoral results

Federal Parliament

Chamber

Regional parliaments

Brussels Parliament

European Parliament

Notes

Sources

Liberal Archive

History of liberalism in Belgium
* Th. Luykx, M. Platel, ''Politieke geschiedenis van België'', 2 vol., Kluwer, 1985 * E. Witte, J. Craeybeckx, A. Meynen, ''Politieke geschiedenis van België'', Standaard, 1997 {{Authority control Defunct political parties in Belgium Conservative liberal parties Classical liberal parties Liberal parties in Belgium 1961 establishments in Belgium 1992 disestablishments in Belgium Political parties established in 1961 Political parties disestablished in 1992