Formation | 1976 (Flanders) 1978 (Netherlands) |
---|---|
Chairman | Bart Vanpachtenbeke [1] |
Action leader Flanders | Nick Van Mieghem [2] |
Action leader Netherlands | Florens van der Kooi |
Website | voorpost.org |
Voorpost (" outpost, picket") is an ethno-nationalist ( volksnationalist) group founded in Flanders, Belgium, by Karel Dillen in 1976 as a splinter from the Volksunie. [3] Voorpost pursues the irredentist ideal of a Greater Netherlands, a nation state that would unite all Dutch-speaking territories in Europe. It is active in Belgium, the Netherlands and South Africa.
The organisation has staged rallies on various topics, against Islam, leftist organizations, drugs, and socialism. [4]
Members include Vlaams Blok ideologue Roeland Raes and Vlaams Belang politician Luc Vermeulen. [5] [6] Bart Vanpachtenbeke is the leader of Voorpost [1] (succeeding Johan Vanslamsbrouck). As of 2013 Nick van Mieghem is action leader for Flanders, replacing Luc Vermeulen. [2] Florens van der Kooi (formerly of the NNP) is action leader for the Netherlands. [6] [7] [8] Several members of the organisation were also members of the VMO ( Vlaamse Militanten Orde), which was banned in 1983 due to several violent attacks against immigrants, Belgian French-speakers, and left-leaning organisations. [3]
The Dutch AIVD classified the group as far-right. It also concluded it does not have anti-democratic goals nor uses anti-democratic means. [9]
In 1986 the Dutch labour union FNV and the Anne Frank Foundation made a list of groups it considered racist and fascist which included Voorpost. Because of this members of Voorpost were barred from joining the FNV. A Dutch court ruled in 2012 this ban on Voorpost members was against the law as discrimination based on political opinion is illegal in the Netherlands. [10]