Boudewijn Bouckaert
Boudewijn Bouckaert is a Belgian liberal thinker and politician, adhering to more radical-liberal views than the vast majority of Flemish liberals. He is chairman of the classical liberal thinktank Nova Civitas and member of the N-VA political party, which he joined together with Jean-Marie Dedecker on November 30, 2006.[1]
Boudewijn Bouckaert holds a PhD and works as a University Professor at the Law School of the University of Ghent, the University of Paris and the University of Aix-Marseille. He is director of the Department of Legal Theory and History.
He has been lecturer at the Institute for Humane Studies in Fairfax, Virginia, at the Institute for Economic Studies in Paris, France and also at Harvard University. He is a member of the Belgian High Council for Judicial Matters and chairman of the Land Management Committee.
VLD
Bouckaert was a member of the board of the Flemish liberal party VLD. In 2005 he created a stir though, when he publically called for an "evolution to the formation of a two-party system after the Anglo-Saxon model." With "two homogenous groups," Bouckaert concluded, "a left-wing bloc around the SP.A, ACV and Groen!, and a right wing bloc with the VLD, the right wing of the CD&V, the N-VA and the Vlaams Belang."[2] His opinions were against the party line, and an agreement within the VLD to not criticize the party line. A conflict ensued between Bouckaert and party chairman Bart Somers, which ended on July 8, 2005, when Bouckaert stepped down from the party board.
After the dismissal of Jean-Marie Dedecker from the VLD, Hugo Coveliers, Dedecker and Boudewijn Bouckaert (and other Nova Civitas members) started negotiations to form a new right wing liberal party. Bouckaert handed in his party resignation on October 27, 2006, stating that the VLD "has become a left-liberal party that leans towards the SP.A."[3] The social democratic SP.A is currently a partner of the VLD in the Verhofstadt II government.
References
- ^ Template:Nl icon"Ook professor Bouckaert maakt overstap". De Standaard. 2006-11-30.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Template:Nl icon "Het hart op de tong van Boudewijn Bouckaert (VLD)". Tertio. 2005-06-29.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Template:Nl icon "Boudewijn Bouckaert stapt uit de VLD". VRT Nieuws. 2006-10-27.
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