The party surprised commentators by winning five seats in the Chamber and one seat in the Senatein 2007, and eight seats in the 2009 Flemish Parliament election.[7] The party remained with only one federal seat after the 2010 election. Previously known as List Dedecker, the party adopted its current name on 22 January 2011.
The 2007 federal election was the first ever election contested by Lijst Dedecker. They met the 5% threshold for parliamentary representation, in spite of all pre-election polls dismissing the chances for the party.
In the 2014 federal election, the LDD received of the 0.4% of the vote, returning no representatives.
The party did not run in the 2019 federal election and instead focused its activities at a local level. The party currently maintains a chapter in Middelkerke where Dedecker was elected mayor by a large margin in 2019. Peter Reekmans was also elected as mayor of Glabbeek affiliated to the LDD. Dedecker was also returned for a brief period as an MP to the Chamber of Representatives in 2019, but as an independent candidate.
Ideology
The party's economic program is predominantly based on free marketeconomics, a flat tax system, the reform of unemployment benefits and social security schemes and the fight against waste and corruption.
Furthermore, LDD stands for the introduction of a binding referendum, the abolition of barriers for new political parties in Belgium and a tougher approach towards crime. The party also strives for a more independent Flanders. LDD is widely considered to be liberal on social issues, in spite of having a strong traditional conservative wing as well. The party takes a eurosceptic stance towards the European Union and wants a more strict immigration policy.
LDD opposes the cordon sanitaire that is used to keep the far-right separatist Vlaams Belang from power, claiming that it is unsuccessful and undemocratic. Some critics even argue that the electoral success of LDD has hampered further growth of Vlaams Belang by virtue of attracting right-wing or protest votes that otherwise would have gone to that party.
At a given point in 2008, LDD was also looking for a political joint venture in Wallonia with liberal economist Rudy Aernoudt as their partner in this endeavour. In 2010, talks were undertaken with the People's Party of Mischaël Modrikamen, which Aernoudt had helped co-found, about political cooperation, but with no tangible result.
Representation
The party currently isn't represented in any Belgian parliament, nor in the European Parliament.
Electoral results
Federal Parliament
Chamber of Representatives (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers)
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