This request nevertheless provoked the indignation of many elected officials. Groen, Vooruit and the PTB did not hesitate for a single minute: they left the chamber, preferring to practice the policy of the empty chair rather than bowing their heads in memory of their former colleague.
“At a time when history repeats itself and once again, tens of thousands of people are victims of genocide (in Gaza, Editor’s note)this tribute is simply shocking”, justified Mieke Schauvliege (Groen). As for Egbert Lachaert of the Open VLD, he declared that he did not want to make a scene. The liberal elected officials remained in the hemicycle, but did not stand up.
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Family wish
The minute of silence in the Flemish parliament was apparently a wish of the family of the deceased. Roeland Raes died on November 28 at the age of 90 in Aalter, a town in West Flanders where he lived. He was also the founder (in 1976) of the Voorpost movement, a political entity which claims to unify all Dutch-speaking territories in Europe. This former member of the Volksunie had, with Karel Dillen, founded the Vlaams Blok in 1978.
The former elected official had, once again, created controversy last September when it was discovered that his name appeared on the Vlaams Belang lists for the municipal elections of October 2024. This Flamingant who had also questioned the authenticity of Anne Frank’s diary, remained a member of Vlaams Belang. He ends up giving up appearing on the municipal lists.so as not to harm his party.“
At the end of his life, he tried to turn the page on his controversial past and recognized the reality of the Shoah.
