May 12, 2020
07:53
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Journalist Ivan De Vadder (VRT) and his political marketing sidekick Jan Callebaut are releasing a book. “The DNA of Flanders” or the ten-year study of concerns in the north of the country and the image sent by political parties.
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Ivan De Vadder, political journalist at VRT, and Jan Callebaut, renowned marketing specialist whose principles he adapted to the political offer, have condensed into a book three studies on the main concerns of the Flemish. The first date the day before the regional elections in 2009, the second in 2014 and the third was conducted just before the 2019 elections. All of them were used in their time as material for VRT broadcasts. Today they are gathered. The result? An idea from “The DNA of Flanders”. It’s the title.
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Concerns that have evolved
First observation, these concerns have diversified over the past decade. “In 2009, mostly banal fears came out, explains Ivan De Vadder, such as the fear of being struck by an incurable illness or of having an insufficient level of well-being at his pension. There were also many faults in the world Politics…”
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The CD&V emerges from the study carried out among 3,000 people, with an image of an “outdated” party.
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In 2014, to the classic economic concerns, was added “the fear of an uncontrollable migration”. “And in 2019, the important thing for the Flemish was identity and migration, but there was also the fear of irreparable damage to the climate. “
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So much for the “societal” context. The three studies also looked at the perceptions expressed by the Flemish population vis-à-vis political parties. The image returned by the Flemish parties allows them to be classified into three categories, analyzes Ivan Devadder.
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“Outdated” CD&V, Open Vld not credible enough
The first brings together the three traditional pillars: the socialists, the liberals and the social Christians. “They still display important values in the eyes of the Flemish, but the problem is that they no longer believe in them“says Ivan De Vadder.
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Thus, the CD&V emerges from the study carried out among 3,000 people, with an image of an “outdated” party. It only emerges as a conservative and moderate party. The Open Vld does little better, we find it a lack of sincerity and credibility. “Sp.a is still associated with the principle of solidarity, but it no longer leaves the fray with competition from Groen and the PTB-PVDA. It is no longer associated with protecting the most vulnerable”, explains Ivan De Vadder.
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The parties of the second group, that of the “utopians” are doing better. There are Groen, Vlaams Belang and PTB. “People appreciate the fact that they are trying to reach an ideal world,” continues the journalist. the Flemish realize that they cannot realize their utopia themselves, which explains why Groen remains a modest party “. For Ivan Devadder, it is in particular the regulatory side of the green party which does not like much in Flanders.
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“The N-VA is associated with values such as responsibility, charisma, success, it has become the party which manages Flanders like the CVP before it, the party which should take the lead.”
Ivan De Vadder
Political journalist at VRT
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N-VA replaces CVP as “managing” party
Suddenly, there remains only one party in the third category: the N-VA, perceived today as the managerial party. “N-VA is associated with values like responsibility, charisma, success, it became the party that manages Flanders like the CVP before it, the party that should take the lead. “
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It is in particular because of this that nationalists lost feathers after leaving the Michel government on the Marrakech pact, says Ivan De Vadder. Today, the N-VA has made the right choice of federal power. “She realizes that it would be worse not to be there than to be there”. The N-VA missed the boat in 2014, still believes the observer, while dominating the political scene, it should have launched Bart De Wever at 16.
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This mission explains, still according to Ivan De Vadder, the almost schizophrenic insistence with which the tenors of the N-VA invite the PS to rule with it.
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