When I interviewed N-VA president Bart De Wever for a totally different project I asked him why he chose to run in Antwerp (regional elections) and not to run for a place in Europe. He answered me that if you could speak of one simplistic story that it would be that of Europe. “Some politicians say that they are going to solve everything via Europe and that while you can’t even take initiative in the European Parliament”, he said. “You can’t draw up bills there”, he specified later. After that answer I feared a bit for the answers I was going to get from N-VA on my questions because I felt a bit of negative vibe when talking about the European Institutions. So it was a bit surprising for me when I opened my email from Frieda Brepoels, the head candidate for Europe, I found that N-VA had given me the most complete answers thus far. Their slogan ‘A stronger Flanders in a stronger Europe’ immediately gives away the ideology of this party that is considered as Flemish nationalistic. I present to you and probably for the last time a person heading the list for Europe of a Belgian party. Unless Guy Verhofstadt or Jean-Luc Dehaene surprise me with an e-mail this honour is for N-VA member Frieda Brepoels.
Bio
Age: 54
Studies: Architecture
Former parties: Volksunie
What are the most important reasons why people must vote for you?
Brepoels: “N-VA is the only party that aims for an own Flemish voice in Europe. Today Europe represents only the Belgian compromise. Due to the often widely differing views on European issues in French Belgium and Flemish Belgium, federal ministers often have to withhold their vote and as a consequence they have no influence on the decision-making in Europe. So the Flemish interests aren’t being defended. In worst case scenarios the federal minister even vote against our interests. The lack of the Flemish voice in Europe hollows out our acquired autonomy. N-VA wants to change that by introducing Flanders as a Member State. In the meantime, Europe needs to develop a proposal (for example: split vote) through which ministers of sovereign independent states can vote in the Council of Minister on topics that fall directly under their jurisdiction.”
Is this your first time Europe?
Brepoels: “I got elected for the N-VA in 2004. I’m working hard to ensure that I can actively continue my work in Europe the next five years.”
Is your programme for the regional elections very different from that for the European elections?
Brepoels: “As Flemish-European party N-VA chooses for a stronger Flanders in a stronger Europe. In addition to the local level, N-VA thinks only 2 levels provide added value for our citizens: the Flemish and the European. While Flanders should be responsible for issues close to the citizens (such as: education, childcare, …), Europe needs to tackle the global challenges such as the economic crisis, migration, energy and climate. In order to realise all of that Europe needs to be equipped with the required tools. Further more a strong Flanders would make Belgium an unnecessary administrative level in Europe.
The differences between our national and European programme should be viewed from the perspective that Flanders is our micro-level, which should provide answers for issues close to the citizens and Europe is our macro-level that handles problems that need an European approach.
A Flemish investment plan to combat the crisis, a driven by integration policy, a strong family and healthcare policy (eg additional Flemish childcare benefits and a Flemish hospitalization policy) and a Flemish energy policy are at the heart of our Flemish programme. Europe is our macro level so asylum, migration, an European approach of the crises, climate change and energy are prominent issues in our European programme.”
Is the possible entry of Turkey high on your party’s topic list?
Brepoels: “Yes, the further enlargement of the EU is a major issue in the campaign of N-VA. We are not in favour of the entry of Turkey. Some immediate problems such as Cyprus, the Armenian issue, the situation of the Kurds, respect for human rights, … make the accession impossible.
Second, and more essential, is the question of what kind of Europe we would like: a strong political union or a loose economic grouping? It is not coincidental that the U.S. and the UK, the two countries that disfavour a strong political union and see and want the EU just as an interesting free trade zone, are the biggest advocates of Turkish accession.
N-VA wants an effective political union based on European values. The Turkish entry would mortgage that idea institutionally (as largest country they would probably have the most votes) and financially (even more farm subsidies). Also culturally speaking we have our doubts whether Turkey should enter the EU. We ask that the debate on the borders of European Union is conducted in all openness.”
What are your 3 main goals as a Member of Parliament?
Brepoels: “If I get the mandate of the voters, I would primarily like to ensure that the Flemish point of view is heard and interpreted in and by Europe. In order to realise that we need a structural information flow not only from Flanders to Europe but also from Europe to Flanders. The ‘Vlaams-Europees Verbindingsagentschap’ (VLEVA) or in English, the Liaison Agency Flanders-Europe, which is an agency that was founded by my party member Geert Bourgeois (while he was Flemish minister of Media, Administrative Affairs, Foreign Policy and Tourism) can play a huge role in this process. As a member of the Board of Directors of VLEVA I follow all developments closely.
I also think it’s essential that the Flemish Parliament and the colleagues in the Senate and the Chamber of Representatives should be actively involved in all European debates that have an influence on Flanders so that we could play more quickly on the ball because the European legislation can be influenced. If you announce your point of view in time and through the proper channels, you would be able to that if you could also find supporters of your idea. With the upcoming Belgian presidency it also seems crucial to me that the Flemish interests are taken into account.
Secondly, I would like to continue working in the field of public healthcare. I have been active in different cases of healthcare over the past five years (eg: I was Reporter for the dossiers on organ donation and organ transplantation and I am also the Chairman of the Parliamentarian group working on kidney health). Public health is at the top of the political agenda thanks to the aging of the population. I am convinced that Europe could offer significant added value for the Belgian/Flemish healthcare, for example through the exchange of information on awareness campaigns, prevention, early diagnose and treatment. We could also achieve much more in the field of research if we would put our hands/heads together.
Finally, I want to bring Europe closer to the Flemish. I have already invested a lot of time and energy in this during my last legislature because I think it’s essential that the Flemish are well informed about Europe and that they don’t underestimate the importance of it.”
If you could change one thing about the working of the European Union or European Parliament what would that be?
Brepoels: “The abolishment of the relocation to Strasbourg every month. N-VA proposes that the European Parliament only meets in Brussels. There needs to come and end to the monthly move to Strasbourg. It costs a lot of money and the exhaust fumes don’t help the environment.
Each month all European parliamentarians (and in their wake thousands of employees, officials, lobbyists and press people) travel to Strasbourg for one week. Although the seat in Strasbourg is defendable from a historical perspective, the monthly move provokes a lot of protest. For starters the budgetary impact is immense. It is estimated that this circus costs the Parliament 200 million euros every year, which represents some 15% of the operating budget of the Parliament. In times of crisis Europe should also be putting words to action and cut down. The monthly move also has environmental repercussions: 20,000 extra tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. That is something that can and should be avoided.
90% of MPs pleads for only one seat, 82% of them want that seat to be in Brussels. The same goes for the more than 1.2 million citizens that have signed the petition on www.oneseat.eu. Sadly the MPs themselves can not resolve this issue. The multiple seats are a principle anchored in a Protocol that was added to the Treaty. Therefore it can only be adapted after the unanimous decision of the 27 Member states. N-VA urges the Belgian government to get this cost saving operation approved during the Belgian Presidency in 2010.
Given the requirement of unanimity we should take the French interests into account. Europe is economically very important for Strasbourg and Alsace. Therefore N-VA suggests that the Committee of the Regions, together with the Economic and Social Committee (EESC), transfer to Strasbourg.
The members of these two advisory committees mostly work in their home countries, either as local or regional representative or as a representative of middle field organisation. Their mandate as a member of these committees makes them have meetings in Brussels or elsewhere in Europe at certain moments, but they don’t have a fixed place. That is one of the main differences with the MP’s who practice their European function as main activity.
It would also result in a better use of the existing infrastructure. The buildings in Strasbourg have a capacity for 785 European parliamentarians. That is enough room for the members of both committees (two times 344). They could use the buildings all year round. If the European Parliament would keep meeting in Strasbourg, the buildings would be vacant at least 40 weeks a year. The buildings of the two comities in Brussels are right in the middle of the European district. They would be of better use to other EU institutions.
With this proposal N-VA acknowledges the historical role of Strasbourg. The clustering of the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights together with the two committees could bring the Alsace region a lot of economic advantages.
But above all this proposition could lead to a better coherence between the different EU institutions. First of all, the relation and cooperation between the Commission, Parliament and the Council would get strengthened. Now members of the Commission or the Council are forced to fly to Strasbourg if they want to catch a plenary debate. This inefficient practise works paralyzing for the Parliament. Secondly - as icing on the cake- the Committee of the Regions could tighten the bonds with the Council of Europe that already has its seat in Strasbourg.”
Which principle of the European Union or European Parliament can’t ever be touched?
Brepoels: “The principle of multilingualism. It is of the essence that people should be better informed about Europe. So that they could make a good assessment of what the European Union has to offer them and in what part they are still lacking effort. That is why N-VA reiterates his plea that all official EU languages (eg: Dutch) must be usable all the time in every EU institution. The Flemish have the right to communicate within the EU in their own language and they have the right to read decisions made at European level in their own language. These are essential democratic rights for N-VA. With 23 official languages in the EU, the cost for translations is very high, but the costs don’t weigh up to the loss of such a crucial democratic principle. The price may seem high in absolute terms, but in reality only 1% of the total budget or 2.28 euro per person per year (2006 figures) is spend on translations.
Moreover, N-VA asks that the VRT (the publicly-funded Flemish Radio and Television Network) participates in the European public broadcaster Euronews. Given the large budgetary impact of that participation they will probably have to work together with the Dutch public broadcasters. This European public broadcaster informs the viewers on the European Union and distributes similar programs in 8 different languages across Europe.
Unfortunately Dutch is not one of the 8 languages but that is because nor the VRT nor the Dutch public broadcasters are participating in Euronews. The RTBF (the Wallonian version of the VRT) does participate in Euronews, as a partner of the French broadcasters that is why news items on Belgian topics are often viewed through Wallonian collared glasses. This is not good for the image of Flanders in Europe. Euronews is funded by the EU, so it is unfortunate that the Flemish don’t benefit as much of this as the people in Wallonia do. It’s also a missed opportunity for Flanders to promote itself in the EU as a prosperous region with a good and strong image.”
Do you think the Belgian people underestimate the importance of Europe and its Parliament?
Brepoels: Yes, for many Flemish people Europe is a far-from-my-bed show. But that is not always the case. Europe deals with very specific issues such as food safety, protection of the consumer, cheaper mobile phone records, … I notice almost everywhere I come that people have a lack knowledge of the European Union and its precise contribution and impact. I saw the same thing during the many discussions I have had with groups visiting the Parliament, during debates in schools and from letters and emails that I have received over the past 5 years.
Europe has an image problem, but it is striking that people due understand what Europe can do and does for them after a personal interview. It seems to me that it all comes down to clear communication with the public on what the European Union does. I try to do my part by having a website that is daily updated, by newsletters, by visits, by answering questions,… but more structural changes must be made!
The national politicians also have an overwhelming responsibility/part in the image of a distant and unloved Europe. They often use the EU as a scapegoat for non-popular measures (eg the savings at the time of Maastricht) and take credit for the ‘good news’ European initiatives. It’s then that they forget to communicate what Europe can do for the public.
National governments and parliaments need to debate more about Europe! The Lisbon treaty gives the parliaments of sovereign independent states the chance to play a role. But also here is a lack of interest noticeable while 70 to 80 percent of our legislation is the result of the European decision-making. N-VA thinks it is good that the Lisbon Treaty gives more power to Parliament, and is asking for a direct election of the President of the European Commission in time. People clearly need a face that they can put on Europe.”
If you could chose – regardless of the outcome of the elections – who gets to take the place of Barroso as President of the European Commission. Who would it be and why?
Brepoels: “First of all N-VA wants a strong President of the European Commission. He or she needs to meet to the following criteria: he/she must be an independent politician who can detach himself/herself from his/hers national interests and commit himself/herself a 100 percent for the European interest. He / she should have a strong vision for the future of Europe and should focus on the cooperation between the regions and the national and regional parliaments. The President must be a person that communicates well and that dares to take action. It seems essential to me that the President should belong to a Member State that fully participates in the whole programme of the EU. Finally, I would love to see a woman at the head of Europe.”
(4 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
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Blimey.
He wrote you an essay!
His party is for independence for Flanders, I take it? Do you think the N-VA will get a lot of votes?
Yes, N-VA is for an independent Flanders.
It’s actually Frieda Brepoels that answered, I don’t think the party president would have given me such detailed answers.
It’s almost an essay and it was hell to translate it, but as I said in my post. They gave clear and detailed answers, not all the politicians did that. I only hope that readers have the stumic for it to read the whole thing because it does seem very long.
To answer your other questions I do think they will get more votes then in previous elections but I think it has little to do with their party ideology. Bart De Wever the president of N-VA took part in a popular quiz game show called ‘De Slimste Mens’ (= ‘The smartest person’). He became immensely popular after competing 11 times and showed himself to be very funny and witty. He became very popular with the younger crowd and people who don’t interess themselves in politics. But seeing that Bart De Wever is on the list of the regional elections and not on the list of the European elections I think there could be a difference in results for N-VA.
On the other hand there going to have a though time because they used to be in a cartel with CD&V, the Flemish catholic party which is the second largest party in the country. Whithout them they might not make the electeral treshold. There’s also a fairly new player on the right-winged flank and that is Lijst Dedecker (LDD). For LDD it’s their first time European elections. It does makes it hard to say what in the end the result for N-VA would be. Because now there are 3 right-winged players in the Flemish political landscape: N-VA, Vlaams Belang and Lijst Dedecker. With more parties and less seats to distribute with the upcoming European elections it’s going to be a bit of a struggle for all I think.
Eveline!
I’m so sorry - that’s the second time I haven’t read your post carefully enough!
The most interesting thing in the interview (for me) was the part about not needing Belgium any more. Flanders would deal with the local issues, and the EU would represent Flanders at the international level.
Is there any danger of Belgium breaking apart?
I don’t think there is any danger of Belgium spliting up. The traditional parties such as the liberals, the christendemocrats and the socialist don’t want a split, but they do want a reform of the state. They want to give more power to the regions and less to the federal government. The people who want a split are still a minority. So at the moment I think Belgium is safe.
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