Let us face it: in the world today, money and economic strength remain more powerful arguments than the number of people you represent.

Verhofstadt I

Partly because of a food scandal that broke out just before the 1999 elections the VLD became the largest party in the country obtaining over 22% of the vote in Flanders. Yet certain policy matters became politically urgent. This new party attracted many politicians from other parties notably from the Volksunie (VU) and the Christian People's Party (CVP).

Guy Verhofstadt (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɣiː vərˈɦɔfstɑt] ([Image] listen); born Guy Maurice Marie Louise Verhofstadt; April 11 1953) is a Belgian politician who served as the 47th Prime Minister of Belgium from 1999 to 2008. Since 2009 he has served as a Member of the European Parliament where he is the leader of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and founded the inter-parliamentarian federalist Spinelli Group.