The N-VA is the first Flemish party ever to join the International Democracy Union (IDU)

MEP Johan Van Overtveldt and MP Theo Francken were guests of the International Democracy Union (IDU) in Washington recently as delegates on behalf of the N-VA. The visit was part of the N-VA’s accession to this large international umbrella organisation, which had just been formally approved. This makes the N-VA the first Flemish (and Belgian) party ever to join the “Global Alliance of the Centre Right”.

The IDU is an international umbrella organisation of centre-right political parties around the world.  It was founded 40 years ago by world leaders such as Margaret Thatcher, Helmut Kohl and Jacques Chirac, partly at the instigation of Vice President George H. W. Bush and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Today, the organisation has 84 full and associate members. It provides a forum where parties with the same convictions can come together and exchange views on matters of political and organisational importance.

An honour

The N-VA delegation is pleased with the accession. Johan Van Overtveldt: “It is an honour for us to be the first Flemish party to be accepted as a member of the eminent IDU network. My plea for a strong but differently organised European Union was much appreciated. The internal market urgently needs to be further strengthened. In addition, the EU really must concentrate more on the future, for example, by focusing more on research, development and a more efficient energy supply.”

We are stronger together

Theo Francken: “We are facing difficult times. The resilience of the Western model of society is being tested. Democracy and the rule of law are under increasing pressure. Democratic forces must fortify themselves. We are stronger together. The accession of the N-VA to the IDU reinforces our belief in multilateralism. Our centre-right narrative is the strongest response to the new global challenges.”