Flemish liberal party Open VLD chooses new name: 'Anders', meaning 'Different'
The Flemish liberal party Open VLD is changing its name to “Anders”, meaning “Different”. Leader Frédéric De Gucht announced the change on Monday evening at his party's New Year's reception. “We are going to do politics differently,” he said. “It's time to turn the page.”
The party gathered in the La Madeleine hall in Brussels for the New Year's reception. There had previously been talk of launching a new name in the spring, but De Gucht made the announcement unexpectedly early, in front of about 1,300 attendees.
According to De Gucht, the reception marks a new beginning for the party. “We are in politics to change things. Enough with small dreams. It has to be more,” he said. "This is more than a new name: we are going to do politics differently. We are starting from scratch without fear. There are no taboos, no dogmas.”
The party is trying to find a new lease of life after last year's elections. It won only 8 per cent of the votes, and that percentage fell further in recent polls. De Gucht's ambition is to achieve “double digits" in the next elections in 2029.
The ambition must be to believe in people's potential, to opt for a government that does not interfere too much with people's lives and to believe that entrepreneurship makes the world a better place, he said. The party translates this into three pillars, or three Os in Dutch: “Ontplooien, ontvetten en ondernemen” - “developing, streamlining and entrepreneurship”. De Gucht also proposed ideas such as an alternative tax system.
It had been expected that Open VLD would choose a more recognisable name, such as The Liberals, Freedom or Blue. The choice of the rather general and vague “Anders” – a name that could be used for any political party or association – is a bold one. Since 1992, the party has had “liberal” in its name.
#FlandersNewsService | Frédéric De Gucht of Open VLD announces the new name of the party: Anders © BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE
Related news
