Flemish liberal party Open VLD chooses new name: 'Anders', meaning 'Different'
The Flemish liberal party Open VLD is changing its name to “Anders”, which can be translated as “Different”. Leader Frédéric De Gucht announced this 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 Flemish liberals gathered on Monday evening in the La Madeleine hall in Brussels for the party's New Year's reception. In front of about 1,300 attendees, leader De Gucht unexpectedly announced a new name for the party. Until now, there had been talk of launching a new name in the spring, but this now happened earlier.
According to De Gucht, the New Year's reception marks a new beginning for the party and it is time to turn the page. “We are in politics to change things. Enough with small dreams. It has to be more,” stated De Gucht. "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. At that time, it won only 8 per cent of the votes, and that percentage was even lower in recent polls. De Gucht's ambition is to achieve “double digits" in the next elections in 2029.
The party's 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, the leader of the Flemish liberals also declared. The party translates this into three pillars, or three Os (in Dutch): “Ontplooien, ontvetten en ondernemen” - which can be translated as “developing, streamlining and entrepreneurship”. De Gucht also proposed a few ideas, such as an alternative tax system.
It was 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” or “Different” – a name that could be used for any political party or association – is a bold one. Since 1992, the party had “liberals” in its name.
#FlandersNewsService | Leader Frédéric De Gucht of the Flemish liberal party Open VLD announces the new name of the party: “Anders” © BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE
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