The Boerenbond (; ; ) is a professional association of farmers active in the Flemish and German-speaking communities of Belgium. Founded in 1890 and based in Leuven, the Boerenbond as an organisation promotes the interests of farmers working within its regions of activity and has historically been closely associated with Catholic political parties.
In the 1920s, it had 100,000 members divided into 1,050 guilds, and it was "intimately connected with the Catholic church". In politics, it was "an important part of the strong Catholic party"."Belgian Peasants Increased Savings During Occupation", The Wall Street Journal, 22 December 1922, p. 13. (Newspapers.com)
The organisation is politically right-wing and has historically been influential within national Christian Democratic politics. Today it has particular prominence within the Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) and Christlich Soziale Partei (CSP) parties.
The Boerenbond competes with the rival Algemeen Boerensyndicaat (ABS) organisation.
List of presidents 1890-1925: Joris Helleputte 1925-36: Victor Parein 1936-40: Gilbert Mullie 1940-49: Alfons Conix 1949-61: Gilbert Mullie 1961-64: Maurits Van Hemelrijck 1964-77: Constant Boon 1977-81: André Dequae 1981-92: Jan Hinnekens 1992-95: Robert Eeckloo 1995-2008: Noël Devisch 2008-15: Piet Vanthemsche 2015–22: Sonja De Becker 2022-present: Lode Ceyssens
References
Further reading
External links
Official website The Rural Movement in Flanders, 1960-1990 at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven The Flemish rural movement on the move (1960's – 1970's)