Sendas

2025-07-27T17:40:31Z

217.129.165.138:

{{Infobox Portuguese subdivision
|type = parish
|official_name = Sendas
|image_skyline =
|image_caption =
|image_flag =
|image_shield =
|image_location =
|region = [[Norte Region, Portugal|Norte]]
|CIM = [[Terras de Trás-os-Montes]]
|district = [[Bragança District|Bragança]]
|municipality = [[Bragança, Portugal|Bragança]]
|coordinates = {{coord|41.604|-6.837|type:adm1st_region:PT_dim:50000|display=inline,title}}
|elevation =
|area_total = 19.17
|population_as_of = 2021
|population_total = 150
|patron =
|area_code =
|postal_code =
|website =
}}
'''Sendas''' is a [[Freguesia (Portugal)|civil parish]] in the municipality of [[Bragança Municipality|Bragança]], Portugal. The population in 2021 was 150,<ref>[http://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xlang=en&xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_indicadores&indOcorrCod=0005889&contexto=pi&selTab=tab0 Instituto Nacional de Estatística]</ref> in an area of 19.17 km².<ref>[http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/nuts_nomenclature/documents/PT-LAU.xls Eurostat]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Bragança}}

[[Category:Parishes of Bragança, Portugal]]

{{Bragança-geo-stub}}

Jean-Marie Dedecker

2025-02-05T02:59:03Z

217.129.165.138:

{{Short description|Belgian politician, judo coach}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Jean-Marie Dedecker
| image = LDD - Jean-Marie Dedecker (1).jpg
| caption = Dedecker in 2008
| office = Member of the [[Belgian Chamber of Representatives|Chamber of Representatives]]
| term_start = 10 June 2019
| term_end =
| office2 = [[Senate (Belgium)|Member of the Belgian Senate]]
| term_start2 = 14 July 1999
| term_end2 = 12 July 2007
| term_start3 =
| term_end3 =
| office4 = Mayor of [[Middelkerke]]
| term_start4 = 1 January 2019
| term_end4 =
| office5 = [[Flemish Parliament|Member of the Flemish Parliament]]
| term_start5 = 1 January 2004
| term_end5 = 12 July 2007
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1952|6|13}}
| birth_place = [[Nieuwpoort, Belgium|Nieuwpoort]], [[Belgium]]
| nationality = Belgian
| party = [[New Flemish Alliance|N-VA]] (2006; 2019–2025)<br>[[Libertarian, Direct, Democratic|LDD]] (2007–present)
| website = {{URL|http://www.jmdedecker.com/|Personal Website}}
| otherparty = [[Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten|Open Vld]] (1999–2006)
| children = 2
| office6 =
| term_start6 =
| term_end6 =
| predecessor4 = Janna Rommel-Opstaele
| birth_name = Jean-Marie Louis Dedecker
| spouse = {{marriage|Christine Dehaemers|2015}}
| termstart1 = 12 July 2007
| term_start1 = 12 July 2007
| term_end1 = 30 June 2014
}}

'''Jean-Marie Louis Dedecker''' (born 13 June 1952) is a [[Belgium|Belgian]] [[politician]].

In 1999 and 2003, Dedecker was directly elected to the [[Belgian Senate]] for the [[Flemish Liberals and Democrats]] (VLD). In 2004, he ran for a seat in the [[Flemish Parliament]], and after taking his seat in the Flemish Parliament, he was elected by his colleagues as a community senator as well. He was expelled from the VLD, and eventually sided with the N-VA party for a brief time in November–December 2006.<ref>{{cite news|title=Right wing Dedecker joins Nats|url=http://www.vrtnieuws.net/nieuwsnet_master/versie2/english/details/061130_dedecker/index.shtml|publisher=VRT Nieuws|date=30 November 2006}}</ref> In January 2007, Dedecker presented his own political party— [[List Dedecker|Lijst Dedecker]]—that participated in the [[2007 Belgian general election|2007 general election]]. Against all expectations, [[Lijst Dedecker]] got 5 elected in Parliament, and 1 in Senate.

Dedecker became well-known first for his long career as a [[judo]] coach, with his judokas winning for Belgium unprecedented number of medals (among them four times [[Olympic Games|Olympian gold]]), and then for his politics. In 2004, as a pure outsider, he won 38% of the votes for the VLD party leadership against the party establishment. He was expelled from the VLD though in October 2006.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dedecker out for good|url=http://www.vrtnieuws.net/nieuwsnet_master/versie2/english/details/061016_dedecker/index.shtml|publisher=[[Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep|VRT Nieuws]]|date=16 October 2006}}</ref>

Within the VLD he was one of the members that favours breaking the [[Cordon sanitaire (politics)|cordon sanitaire]] around the [[Vlaams Belang]].

In 2006, (as VLD member) he published a book, ''Rechts voor de raap'', which became a national best-seller.

In 2015, he was awarded the [[Prize for Liberty]] by the Flemish classical-liberal think tank [[Nova Civitas|Libera!]].

Since 2019, he has been the mayor of [[Middelkerke]]. In the [[2019 Belgian federal election]], he was elected to parliament once again as an independent candidate on the [[N-VA]]'s list.

==VLD exit==
The [[2006 Belgian municipal elections]] were lost by the VLD, also in [[Ostend]], where Dedecker was a candidate. In Ostend, they lost out to the [[Socialist Party – Different|Socialist Party]] (SP.A), for which party president [[Johan Vande Lanotte]] was a candidate in the city. In the run-up to the elections, Vande Lanotte and Dedecker clashed severely, with Dedecker claiming that Vande Lanotte, as councilor and socialist party "strong man," made Ostend the "Palermo of the North Sea."<ref>{{cite news|title=Vande Lanotte wint, Dedecker stapt op|publisher=[[Het Nieuwsblad]]|date=9 October 2006|language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Vande Lanotte is baas ter land, ter zee en in de lucht|url=http://www.vrtnieuws.net/nieuwsnet_master/versie2/v2006/details/060926Terzakestuk/index.shtml|publisher=[[Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep|VRT Nieuws]]|date=26 September 2006|language=nl}}</ref> The local VLD party in Ostend, led by Bart Tommelein, does want to pursue a city coalition with the Socialist though. Dedecker however stated, on election night, that the VLD with this result cannot be part of any coalition.<ref name ="VRT1">{{cite news|title=Liberals join coalition in Ostend|url=http://www.vrtnieuws.net/nieuwsnet_master/versie2/english/details/061011_ostendlibs/index.shtml|publisher=[[Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep|VRT Nieuws]]|date=11 October 2006}}</ref> Two days later, the national head of the VLD, [[Bart Somers]], intervened, by stating that Dedecker will be removed from the VLD.<ref>{{cite news|title=Somers: "Dedecker wordt uit de VLD gezet"|url=http://www.vrtnieuws.net/nieuwsnet_master/versie2/nieuws/details/061011Somers/index.shtml|publisher=[[Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep|VRT Nieuws]]|date=11 October 2006|language=nl}}</ref><ref name="VRT2">{{cite news|title=Flemish liberals to throw Dedecker out|url=http://www.vrtnieuws.net/nieuwsnet_master/versie2/english/details/061011_Dedecker/index.shtml|publisher=[[Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep|VRT Nieuws]]|date=11 October 2006}}</ref> Somers stated that in the last few days Dedecker has showed himself to be a "inveterate trouble maker who keeps on creating damaging battles in his own party."<ref name="VRT2"/> Dedecker responded that "first they use me to attract votes in the local elections, only to put me on the street once the votes have been counted."<ref name="VRT2"/> Bart Tommelein later on accused Dedecker of being "the ''largest'' [[Calimero]] of Flemish politics."<ref>{{cite news|title=Morgen beter|publisher=[[Canvas TV Station|Canvas]]|date=11 October 2006|language=nl}}</ref>

It was not unlikely that Dedecker would step over to [[VLOTT]], a party being led by [[Hugo Coveliers]]. Coveliers was also a VLD member, but was ejected when he clashed with then party head [[Karel De Gucht]]. He openly invited Dedecker to start a VLOTT division in West Flanders.<ref>{{cite news|title=Terzake|publisher=[[Canvas TV Station|Canvas]]|date=11 October 2006|language=nl}}</ref> In an opinion article for [[De Standaard]] Coveliers wrote: "...I predicted I would not be the last one. There were still some independent minds running around that had to be tamed...Jean-Marie Dedecker goes out the same way: the party leader of the SP.A decides that the VLD has to bring a sacrifice, which the VLD executive eagerly fulfills.... They thereby relinquish themselves of a tough contender. These corruptible politicians would simply not allow any criticism.... There is no one left to oppose them now Dedecker is liquidated.... With his liquidation, the VLD merges left, soon to turn left, to the left side of society. Far away from the original liberal voters and principles."<ref name="Coveliers">{{cite news|title=Het offer van de macht|author=Hugo Coveliers|publisher=[[De Standaard]]|date=12 October 2006|language=nl}}</ref> Coveliers claims he was ejected from the VLD on command of (then) SP.A leader [[Steve Stevaert]].<ref name="Coveliers"/> Some believe the same thing happened to Dedecker, on command of Socialist Party leader [[Johan Vande Lanotte]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Zwakste schaakstuk|publisher=[[De Standaard]]|date=12 October 2006|language=nl}}</ref>

==N-VA entry and exit==
After being expelled from the VLD Dedecker looked into starting a new liberal party, which might have seen the involvement of [[Hugo Coveliers]] of [[VLOTT]], and law professor [[Boudewijn Bouckaert]].<ref>{{cite news|title= Jean-Marie Dedecker werkt aan een nieuwe rechtse partij, nu hij definitief uit de VLD ligt.|publisher=[[De Standaard]]|date=17 October 2006|language=nl}}</ref> He made it clear that he would not join the [[Vlaams Belang]], the largest right wing party of [[Flanders]]. In November 2006, Dedecker founded the right-liberal thinkthank ''Cassandra''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dedecker probeert het met Cassandra|url=http://www.vrtnieuws.net/nieuwsnet_master/versie2/nieuws/details/061117Dedecker/index.shtml|publisher=VRT Nieuws|date=17 November 2006|language=nl}}</ref> On 30 November 2006 it was announced that Dedecker joined the [[New Flemish Alliance]] (N-VA) on behalf of the N-VA party board, because it proved difficult in Belgium to meet the electoral threshold of 5% with a new party.<ref>{{cite news|title=Niet samenwerken zou dwaas zijn|url=http://www.vrtnieuws.net/nieuwsnet_master/versie2/nieuws/details/061130dedecker/index.shtml|publisher=VRT Nieuws|date=30 November 2006|language=nl}}</ref>

The [[Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams|Christian Democratic and Flemish]] party (CD&V), with whom the N-VA had an electoral cartel agreement, stated they didn't want to be in league with Dedecker and broke off the association. On 9 December 2006, the N-VA party congress decided they preferred the cartel with CD&V over Dedecker; afterwards Dedecker resigned from the party he joined only ten days earlier.

==Belgian cycling doping affair==
In September 2006, Dedecker told the press that he had the names of three Belgian cyclists, who went to Italy for illegal doping treatments. In January 2007, Belgian cyclist [[Johan Museeuw]] admitted that he took stimulants during the last years of his cycling career, and that he confided this earlier to Dedecker. The newspaper ''[[Het Laatste Nieuws]]'' claimed on the basis of various accounts of people close to [[Quick Step-Innergetic]] manager [[Patrick Lefevere]], that Lefevere has pushed cyclists to use illegal stimulants. Lefevere is now suing Dedecker for €75,000 over his earlier allegations about doping use among Belgian cyclists.<ref>{{cite news|title=Patrick Lefevere eist 75.000 euro van Dedecker |url=http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/sport/wielrennen/363877 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070616230704/http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/sport/wielrennen/363877 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 June 2007 |publisher=[[De Morgen]] |date=29 January 2007 |language=nl }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Quick Step-Innergetic team manager launches lawsuit over doping allegations|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/26/sports/EU-SPT-CYC-Quick-Step-Doping.php|publisher=[[International Herald Tribune]]|date=26 January 2007}}</ref>

The information Dedecker gave in September 2006 led to house searches throughout Belgium in June 2007 of persons related to cycling. The judiciary found various illegal substances during the search.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www2.vrtnieuws.net/cm/vrtnieuws.net/sporza/wielrennen/070607_doping |title=Het parket vindt doping in het wielermilieu |publisher=VRT Nieuws |accessdate=2007-06-07 |date=7 June 2007 |language=nl |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609141104/http://www.vrtnieuws.net/cm/vrtnieuws.net/sporza/wielrennen/070607_doping |archivedate= 9 June 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.france24.com/france24Public/en/news/sports/20070607-doping-cycling-quick-step-banned-products-belgium-inquiry-politician.html |title=Police seize banned products in Quick Step raids |publisher=[[France 24]] |accessdate=2007-06-07 |date=7 June 2007 }}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==LDD==
On 3 January 2007, Dedecker announced that he would set up a new political party. On 4 January 2007, Dedecker explained his plans by stating that he wanted to be the Flemish party political equivalent of [[Geert Wilders]] and [[Pim Fortuyn]]. He called his project a healthy right-wing political formation.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927012029/http://www.bndestem.nl/buitenland/article976628.ece Dedecker wil Belgische Geert Wilders worden], ''[[BN DeStem]]'', 4 januari 2007</ref>

On 6 January, a preparatory meeting was held in Ostend with some sympathizers, including [[Boudewijn Bouckaert]] (ex-VLD), former mayor of Ledegem [[Paul Vanhie]], Walter Govaert, former alderman of Keerbergen John Lambrechts (also ex-VLD) and Saïd Bouharrak, a consultant of Belgian- Moroccan descent. Dedecker officially presented his new party on 19 January 2007. In the [[2007 Belgian federal election]], he was elected to the House of Representatives for his new party. In October 2009 he published the book ''Headscarf or Blindfold'' in which he criticized mass migration and advance of Islam in Europe. Following the [[2010 Belgian federal election]], Dedecker resigned as leader of the LDD and stepped down from national politics.

==Return to politics==
On 14 October 2018, Dedecker was elected as mayor of [[Middelkerke]]. In the [[2019 Belgian federal election]], he stood for the [[West Flanders]] constituency as an independent candidate affiliated to the [[N-VA]]'s list. He was elected with 40,781 preferential votes and sat as an independent in the Chamber of Representatives. In October 2020, Dedecker stated in an interview that he will resign from parliament as he wanted to give priority to his mayorship.<ref>[https://www.knack.be/nieuws/belgie/jean-marie-dedecker-vertrekt-uit-de-kamer-maar-nog-niet-meteen/article-news-1656747.html Jean-Marie Dedecker vertrekt uit de Kamer, maar nog niet meteen], [[Knack (tijdschrift)|Knack]], 23 oktober 2020.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.jmdedecker.com/ Official site (in Dutch)]
* [http://www.jellejoseph.be/ Artsite of his son (in Dutch)]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dedecker, Jean-Marie}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Members of the 52nd Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)]]
[[Category:Members of the 55th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)]]
[[Category:Members of the 56th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)]]
[[Category:Members of the 53rd Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)]]
[[Category:Belgian libertarians]]
[[Category:Belgian male judoka]]
[[Category:Belgian sports coaches]]
[[Category:Flemish politicians]]
[[Category:Libertair, Direct, Democratisch MEPs]]
[[Category:Libertair, Direct, Democratisch politicians]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:MEPs for Belgium 2009–2014]]
[[Category:New Flemish Alliance politicians]]
[[Category:Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats politicians]]
[[Category:People from Nieuwpoort, Belgium]]
[[Category:20th-century Belgian sportsmen]]

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Jean-Marie Dedecker