The far right is courting the “good gay”

Flemish pink lion

Since the end of 2023, Flanders also has a gay national organization. It is a subsection of Dutch De Rose Leo Foundation (Not to be confused with the De Roze Leeuwen working group within the Flemish People’s Movement, ed.), which first saw the light of day. Dutch homosexuals.

De Roze Leeuw says she opposes the rainbow community and strives for acceptance of gay people in a “moderate and decent way” or as De Roze Leeuw calls it: “realistic pink”. So it seems there is a “good gay”.

Jules Smetzer (De Rose Liu): “Pride reduces us to sexual beings when our identity encompasses much more than just sexual preference.”

De Roze Leeuw also fears that the safety of gay people is being undermined by “increased immigration, lack of integration, and stifling political correctness.”

The Pink Lion will not be taking part in Antwerp Pride. He says in principle Jules SmetsersSecretary De Rose Liu. “Pride is not something to celebrate. Pride also reduces us to sexual beings, when our identity encompasses much more than our sexual preferences.”

Smetsers doesn’t see sponsored pride as a means of liberation. “On the contrary, the abundance of rainbow symbolism in the West makes people resent us again. We don’t need pride. We’d rather have life affordable, protect our democracy and be able to walk the streets safely.”

Powered by Vlaams Belang

He. She The Pink Lion event starts in Flanders Organized jointly in December 2023 by Vlaams Belang MP Sam Van Roy At the Antwerp Café. The launch concluded with a tour of the City Hall.

Jules Smetsers: “We have a different opinion about gay liberation: we are against the victim and we defend the property”

“We may have been welcomed in Flanders by Sam van Roy, but that does not make us electoral partners of Vlaams Belang,” says Smetsers. “There is a preconception that De Roze Leeuw is a far-right organisation, but that is not true. We have the support of many right-wing parties, they give us a platform and make sure our voice is heard.”

This, according to Smetsers, is in contrast to the progressive left-wing parties. “We have approached left-wing parties like the SP (Socialist Party) in the Netherlands in the past, but they reject us. The left-wing parties say: ‘You are far-right.’ ‘We want nothing to do with you.’ But we are not far-right, we do not discriminate or exclude.”

“We have a different view on gay liberation, we are anti-victim and pro-monarchy. We have conservative influences, so we prioritize national pride.”

The situation has remained calm in Flanders since the start of the match with Van Roy. “We are currently preparing many activities that promote knowledge, self-confidence and social skills, such as networking drinks, sports days, walks in the city and lectures,” says Smetsers.

Fraternity in the Low Countries

In the Netherlands, De Roze Leeuw made a name for itself during a protest in April last year against reading moments for transgender people and drag queens for children. Youth Organization Democracy Forum (gfvd) and settlement outpost Join the protest in Rotterdam. van langenhove dries Other militants from the Shield and Friends organization joined their ranks.

The Dutch-Flemish far-right fraternity between Vlaams Belang and the Rose Leo Foundation is not surprising. The interest group may like to present itself as an independent initiative, but its leading figures undoubtedly have clear links to the far right.

One of the founders of Roze Leeuw is Olaf van de Steeg Democracy Forum. Founding Partner Lenard van Meel He was chairman of the board of directors of Jong Livbaar Rotterdam.

In her own words, De Roze Leeuw can count on ten volunteers in the Netherlands and Flanders under the same chairman, Eric Havenaar. He founded the pro-Russian Working Group in 2014. Free media on, a self-proclaimed news site that aims to provide “more objective reporting” on Russia’s role in Ukraine.

Russian contact

Remy Bonnie It is not excluded that “the Pink Lion has relations with the anti-Russian lobby, which has succeeded brilliantly in I wake up The most polarizing electoral issue.” Bonnie is Director of nonprofit organization Forbidden colors, An organisation committed to LGBTQIA+ rights in Europe.

Remi Boni (Forbidden Colors): “Russia has succeeded in turning LGBTQIA+ into a hot potato to disrupt European society”

“De Roze Leeuw is probably a front organization that receives support from the FvD. This party has many connections to Russia,” says Remy. “For example, the Russian nationalist Alexander Dugin And Thierry Baudet Coexist well. And this does not remain without effect: part of the FvD’s anti-rainbow playbook comes from Russia, which has successfully made LGBTQIA+ a hot topic to disrupt European society.

“Russia is promoting this through Hungary, which is the main sponsor of a broad conservative agenda in Europe: against I wake up“Against abortion, for ‘family values,'” says Bonnie.

In order to destabilize this situation, fake news is being manufactured around the clock on various social media platforms. Check it out European Digital Media Observatory EDMO shows that misinformation and disinformation targeting the LGBTQIA+ community is among the most widespread and persistent in the EU.

Roadmap to the far right

De Roze Leeuw is by no means the only umbrella organisation using the far right. This Sly Marketing – Attempting to make electoral or ideological mobilization appear to come from below. grassroots It comes – and has often proven to be an effective means of pressure. But the foundation is fake, the proverbial artificial turf (Artificial grass). In fact, these organizations are jointly run by political parties or a handful of think tanks.

For example, being conservative and far-right in nature. Heritage Institute And Matthias Corvinus Collegium (My Customer Center)Although the MCC presents itself as a politically neutral organization, it has clear ties to the government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Rémi Boni: “The anti-woke agenda turned out not to be a trump card for Vlaams Belang during the federal and Flemish election campaign”

MCC also liaises with farmer organizations such as: Belgian Farmers’ Defence Force (FDF Belgium) Entity. At the beginning of this year, MCC organized a panel discussion in which the French National Rally also participated. Bart DickensPresident of FDF Belgium.

“The MCC now has about thirty employees in Brussels. They have links with the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025, the republican scheme that Vlaams Belang is eagerly copying,” explains Boni. “Vlaams Belang immediately launched during the elections that women should be encouraged to have children before the age of 30.”

At the same time, Vlaams Belang also made an attempt to appeal to the Muslim vote. They also campaigned against abortion and against I wake up“Perhaps in this way the far-right party will create an opportunity for the conservative Islamic movement that is not yet politically recognized in Flanders.”

Last year, Vlaams Belang organised a conference against him. I wake uptogether with the President of MCC Brussels, Frank FurediContacts between Vlaams Belang and the FDF also remain warm, with varying degrees of appreciation.

On social media, the farmers’ group makes no secret of its messages of support for the far-right party. With the far right V News The FDF gave the front Isabel Hattaf Vlaams Belang’s hidden voting base.

In this way, the FDF and De Roze Leeuw act as electoral guide dogs for the far right on various wings: from farmers’ protests to LGBTQIA+, hot topics serve as a road map to the far right.

“But the anti-woke agenda turned out not to be a trump card for Vlaams Belang during the national election campaign,” says Boni. “It will play a lesser role in the local elections. Although LGBTQ-free zones in Poland and Hungary were already an item in the local elections. Dorpsstraat in Flanders will be a concern.” I wake up?”