Chez Nous (Belgian political party)

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For other uses, see Chez nous.
Chez Nous
LeaderJérôme Munier
FoundersJérôme Munier
FoundedOctober 2021 (2021-10)
Split fromReformist Movement
People's Party
Listes Destexhe
IdeologyAnti-immigration
Belgian nationalism
National conservatism
Identitarianism
Right-wing populism
Anti-globalization
Political positionFar-right[1][2][3][4][5]
Colours  Blue
  Gold
Chamber of Representatives
(French-speaking seats)
0 / 61
Senate
(French-speaking seats)
0 / 24
Walloon Parliament
0 / 75
Website
www.cheznous.be

Chez Nous (lit. 'At our place') is a Belgian far-right political party founded by Jérôme Munier in October 2021. It is active within the French-speaking Walloon region of the country.[6][3][7][4][8][9][5]

History[edit]

The party was founded in Herstal by Jérôme Munier and Gregory Vanden Bruel in October 2021, both former members of the People's Party (PP). Chez Nous also brings together former members of the Reformist Movement and the Destexhe Lists.[10][11]

After its founding, French National Rally leader Jordan Bardella gave the party authorization to use the acronym "FN" as well as a copy of the National Rally flame in the Belgian tricolour. This had previously been the logo and name of the Belgian National Front although other parties were not legally permitted to use the acronym FN. However, Chez Nous said they would use their own name and logo.[12]

Other French-speaking parties in Belgium announced they would impose a cordon sanitaire on the party, similar to the policy used against the Vlaams Belang party. Nevertheless, political communications expert Reinout Van Zandycke noted that of all the parties in Wallonia, Chez Nous had become the most active and popular party on social media and digital spaces by 2023.[13]

Supporters[edit]

Chez Nous is supported by the Vlaams Belang and the National Rally. In 2021, the party and Vlaams Belang entered an agreement in which the VB will not field candidates within the French-speaking electorate and endorse Chez Nous in Wallonia.[14][15][16]

Ideology[edit]

Some of the party's ideas include:[17]

  • The introduction of the citizens' initiative referendum;
  • The decrease in the number of ministers;
  • The privatization of RTBF;
  • The ban on ritual slaughter;
  • Tightening of the conditions for granting Belgian citizenship (knowledge of one of the national languages and ten years of residence and work).
  • The ban on minarets;
  • The introduction of a tax for digital giants;
  • The abolition of the Senate.

Political scientist Benjamin Biard has described the party as a Francophone equivalent to Vlaams Belang in certain respects.[18]

Meetings[edit]

When it was created, the political party organized a meeting in Herstal but it was canceled despite the authorizations already given by the mayor.[19][20] According to Chez Nous, 270 people were expected for the event. Several anti-fascist group meetings have taken place in the region in order to cancel the arrival of Chez Nous.

Following this decision, the party still held a press conference in Enghien. Leaders from the Vlaams Belang and the National Rally spoke during the press conference.[21]

On 5 February 2023, a party meeting was to be held in Gilly in the Charleroi region but it was banned by Mayor Paul Magnette one day before it was scheduled to begin.[22]

In March 2023, local left-wing and anti-fascist groups demanded that Namur Mayor Maxime Prévot ban the party from the city and declare Namur an anti-fascist zone. Prévot agreed that Namur should be an anti-fascist city but did not endorse any accompanying motions to censor the party.[23] In June 2023, municipal councilors of the PS, Workers' Party of Belgium, Ecolo and Les Engagés in Mons voted to ban the party from holding events in the city while the Reformist Movement voted against.[24]

On March 30, a party conference was scheduled to again take place in Gilly with guest speakers to include Gerolf Annemans, Virginie Joron and Alice Cordier (co-founder of Collectif Némésis). The event was again banned by Paul Magnette who said it would risk public order. However, co-founder of the party Gregory Vanden Bruel denounced the ban as an attack on democracy. The decision was also attacked by Vlaams Belang who called it "democracy à la PS" and met with some criticism from other Flemish politicians.[25] Chez Nous attempted to hold a new event in Cuesmes, however this was also banned by the Mayor Nicolas Martin after confrontations between police, party members and anti-fascist activists.[26]

On June 9, 2023 the party held a gathering in Liège.[27]

Media presence[edit]

Despite restrictions against the party, French media channel TV Libertés has held interviews with Jérome Munier.[28] The party has also established a large online presence and has moved to form university campus groups.[29]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Qu'est-ce que le groupe d'extrême droite Chez Nous venait faire chez nous? Ils ont quitté Cuesmes «non sans mal, mais sans incident», commente Nicolas Martin". sudinfo.be (in French). 31 March 2023.
  2. ^ Tassin, Stéphane (27 October 2021). "Avec "Chez nous", l'extrême droite francophone se trouve un nouveau parti". La Libre (in French).
  3. ^ a b "Nouveau parti d'extrême droite en Wallonie : « le terrain est prêt »". Moustique (in French). 25 October 2021.
  4. ^ a b Escalona, Fabien (9 October 2022). "Chez nos voisins wallons, l'extrême droite n'a jamais décollé". Mediapart (in French).
  5. ^ a b Barkhuysen, Guillaume (11 October 2021). "Le RN de Le Pen et le Vlaams Belang parrainent un parti d'extrême droite en Wallonie". sudinfo.be (in French).
  6. ^ "Met 'Chez Nous' hoopt uiterst rechts op doorbraak in Wallonië: is zoveelste poging de goede?". Het Nieuwsblad (in Flemish). 7 November 2021. Retrieved 2023-01-30.
  7. ^ "Belgique. Cette fois, l'extrême droite pourrait-elle prendre en Wallonie ?". Courrier international (in French). 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  8. ^ "'Chez Nous': le nouveau parti d'extrême droite francophone sera présenté demain". 7sur7.be (in French). 26 October 2021. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  9. ^ "« Chez Nous » : le nouveau parti belge d'extrême droite qui s'inspire du RN". La Croix (in French). 2021-10-27. ISSN 0242-6056. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  10. ^ Sarah Moran Garcia. "Herstal interdit le meeting du parti d'extrême droite "Chez Nous"". 7sur7.be. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  11. ^ Tassin, Stéphane. "Avec "Chez nous", l'extrême droite francophone se trouve un nouveau parti". La Libre (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  12. ^ Chardon, Frédéric (2023-06-14). "Chez Nous a l'exclusivité de l'usage en Belgique de la flamme tricolore du FN : "Cela renvoie ce parti aux anciens démons de l'extrême droite"". La Libre (in French). Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  13. ^ "Chez Nous, de Waalse versie van Vlaams Belang, werd ondanks veel sterker cordon sanitaire in geen tijd populairste partij op sociale media". Het Nieuwsblad (in Flemish). 2023-05-22. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
  14. ^ "Le RN de Le Pen et le Vlaams Belang parrainent un parti d'extrême droite en Wallonie". sudinfo.be (in French). 12 October 2021. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  15. ^ AFP (2021-10-27). "Wallonie: la justice interdit la réunion de lancement du parti d'extrême droite «Chez nous»". La Voix du Nord (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  16. ^ "Met 'Chez Nous' hoopt uiterst rechts op doorbraak in Wallonië: is zoveelste poging de goede?". Het Nieuwsblad (in Flemish). 7 November 2021. Retrieved 2023-01-30.
  17. ^ "Le programme". Chez Nous (in French). Retrieved 2023-01-30.
  18. ^ ""On ne dit pas congé de détente, mais vacances de carnaval" : l'extrême droite récupère l'image du Gille dans une campagne sur les réseaux sociaux". sudinfo.be. 2023-02-24. Retrieved 2023-03-04.
  19. ^ "Liège: le meeting pour le lancement du parti d'extrême droite «Chez Nous» annulé". Le Soir (in French). 2021-10-27. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  20. ^ Nottet, Par Harold (2021-10-11). "C'est quoi ce mystérieux meeting politique aux relents nauséabonds?". Moustique (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  21. ^ "Politique belge – La justice interdit la réunion d'un parti d'extrême droite". 24 heures (in French). 27 October 2021. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  22. ^ Kasteel, Jean van. "Un rassemblement d'extrême droite interdit à Charleroi". DHnet (in French). Retrieved 2023-02-03.
  23. ^ "«Nous voulons que Namur soit une ville lumière parmi les ténèbres des extrêmes»:un citoyen alerte sur les dangers de l'extrême droite". sudinfo.be (in French). 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  24. ^ "Mons, ville antifasciste: une motion approuvée par le PS, Ecolo, le PTB, les Engagés mais pas par Mons en Mieux". sudinfo.be (in French). 2023-06-21. Retrieved 2023-07-09.
  25. ^ Michaël Bouche (2023-03-30). "Un rassemblement du parti d'extrême droite Chez Nous interdit à Gilly". 7sur7.be. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  26. ^ "Le groupe d'extrême droite Chez Nous tente de tenir un meeting à Cuesmes: manifestation et intervention de la police". sudinfo.be (in French). 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  27. ^ "Liège : La Grand Poste accueille à son insu une réunion d'un parti d'extrême droite". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  28. ^ "Ne laissons pas la Wallonie s'enliser ! - Le Zoom - Jerôme Munier - TVL". YouTube (in French). Retrieved 2022-12-09.
  29. ^ "Liège : La Grand Poste accueille à son insu une réunion d'un parti d'extrême droite". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2023-07-14.
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