Elections 24: what do the Flemish ecologists of Groen stand for?

Groen emerged from a movement that wanted to put pressure on the government to change things, but what do the Flemish greens stand for today? Groen is a progressive, left-leaning Flemish party that, as the name itself suggests, considers environmental and climate policy to be very important. The Greens want to combine this with attention for social justice, equal opportunities, human rights and good quality of life.

In other words, Groen wants to protect the planet, but is eager to do so by paying attention to the weakest in society. The party favours good and affordable health care and is eager to tackle poverty.

To pay for all that, the greens expect the richest people and the biggest polluters in society to contribute more.

The party's three main positions

VRT News asked the party what its three main positions are ahead of the June 9 poll:

A fair climate policy is a policy that takes account of everybody. Groen wants to phase out fossil fuel subsidies for big polluters and invest in locally generated affordable green energy, energy-efficient housing for all and provide more nature in your neighbourhood. Young people, the elderly and people struggling to make ends meet should be able to use public transport for as little as 1 euro a month.

All income - whether from wages or assets - should be taxed equally. Thanks to a millionaires' tax, Groen wants to ensure that even the 1 percent richest people in society contribute fairly.

Groen wants equal opportunities for all: in education, on the job market, on the housing market and in society at large. The party also fights against racism and discrimination.

Groen is a relatively young, Flemish political party. It was founded in 1979 under the name Agalev, which stood for 'Anders Gaan Leven' or ‘Go and live differently’, ‘Change your lifestyle’. The party grew from the non-political Agalev Movement of Jesuit priest Luc Versteylen. This movement had long advocated nature conservation, but also sober living and living together harmoniously.

Jesuit priest Luc Versteylen pictured in 1975.

During the 1980s, Agalev made its name thanks to support for the large demonstrations against nuclear waste and nuclear weapons. In this way supporters wanted to put pressure on those in power to change things. The party's ideology gradually took clearer shape: Agalev was progressive, on the left and anti-authoritarian.

Still, we have to wait until the end of the 1990s for the party’s first big impact on government policy. After substantial gains in the 1999 elections, Agalev entered the Verhofstadt I coalition government, a coalition of Flemish and Francophone liberals, socialists and greens headed by PM Guy Verhofstadt. The greens also formed part of the Flemish coalition government at this time.  

Agalev leader Jos Geysels in 2002.

Agalev campaigns on symbolic dossiers including legislation on the phasing out of nuclear power, the regularisation of undocumented migrants and anti-discrimination laws. The party hopes to be endorsed for what it has achieved in government, but voters leave it in droves: in 2003 Agalev drops below the electoral threshold that guarantees representation in parliament.

This means: no longer a Flemish green voice in the federal chamber of representatives and no more state subsidies. As a result, Agalev has to lay off a large part of its staff. 

After its 2003 election defeat Agalev becomes Groen!

It's time for renewal: the greens want to get rid of their woolly image. Changes will be made at the top of the party, a new substantive program is drawn up and a new name: Groen! (Green! with an exclamation mark! That will only disappear in 2012). The changes signify a turnaround for the party. Groen! attains the electoral threshold in the following years and again has elected representatives in Flanders, Brussels, Europe and the federal parliament.

In 2019, Groen hopes to cash in on this steady growth and the renewed focus on the climate, but the elections result in only modest gains. Still, the party ventures back into the federal government for the first time since the drubbing of 2003. Groen forms part of Alexander De Croo’s seven-party federal coalition of Flemish and Francophone liberals, socialists and greens and Flemish Christian democrats.  It’s termed the ‘Vivaldi Coalition’ with a colour for every season. In the Brussels region, Groen too is part of the government and holds ministerial rank.

Left to right: federal minister De Sutter, Brussels minister Van den Brandt, co-leader Naji, federal minister Van der Straeten en co-leader Vaneeckhout.

Sara Matthieu is Groen’s lead candidate for the European elections.  She is 42 years old and an outgoing Euro MP. She studied moral sciences and has an MA in comparative cultural sciences from Ghent University.