A new Vlaams Belang Member of Parliament, Dominiek Sneppe-Spinnewyn (45), refused to take back the statements she made in a recent interview, saying adoption and marriage for LGBTQ people is "one step too far".
“LGBTQ people are allowed to marry and have children by law. I am not going to change that, everyone can and must do what they want, but I have my own opinion: I continue to find it strange," Sneppe-Spinnewyn continued to defend her statements on Wednesday morning in a radio interview.
"I am sure that 75% of the more than 10,000 voters who voted for me feel the same way," she added. Her statements complicate the formation discussions of the new Flemish government between N-VA and Vlaams Belang.
“We, at the Vlaams Belang, have nothing against LGBTQ people. The only question is whether they should be able to marry and adopt children. I think that is one step too far," she had said to a newspaper in West-Flanders.
Open VLD party leader Gwendolyn Rutten, among others, reacted to this statement on Twitter. Lorin Parys, N-VA vice-president, said Sneppe-Spinnewyn's statements are "very problematic", and called it a "backward opinion" that is "outdated" and emphasises that his party "will never make any concessions" to Vlaams Belang in that regard.
Vlaams Belang party leader Tom Van Grieken tried to minimise the impact by emphasising that Sneppe-Spinnewyn is new to politics. "Our position is clear: LGBTQ rights have been acquired rights," added Van Grieken, saying he will not change them.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
