Belgian Holocaust Denial Law - Legislative History

Legislative History

The Holocaust denial bill, drafted by Claude Eerdekens and Yvan Mayeur of the Parti Socialiste, was introduced in the Chamber of Representatives by Eerdekens (PS), Marcel Cheron (Ecolo), Marcel Colla (SP), Yvan Mayeur (PS), Luc Dhoore (CVP), Raymond Langendries (CDH), Louis Michel (MR) and Mieke Vogels (Agalev) on June 30, 1992.

The bill passed the Chamber of Representatives on February 2, 1995, with 194 votes in favour, 0 against and 0 abstentions.

The bill passed the Senate on March 14, 1995.

The Vlaams Blok, the predecessor of the Vlaams Belang, voted for the law, "out of a desire for respectability and to break out of its political isolation", even though its leadership "contained Holocaust deniers".

King Albert II signed and promulgated the bill on March 23, 1995. The Act was published in the Belgian Official Journal on March 30, 1995 and entered into force on the same day.

Read more about this topic:  Belgian Holocaust Denial Law

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