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Groen (political party)

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Green
Groen
PresidentNadia Najiand
Jeremie Vaneeckhout
Founded1982;42 years ago(1982)
HeadquartersVan Orleystraat 5-11, 1000 Brussel, Belgium
Youth wingYoung Green
Membership(2018)Increase10,000[1]
IdeologyGreen politics[2]
Pacifism
Progressivism
Political positionCentre-left
Regional affiliationSocialists, Greens and Democrats[3]
European affiliationEuropean Green Party
European Parliament groupThe Greens–European Free Alliance
International affiliationGlobal Greens
Francophone counterpartEcolo
ColoursTeal
Chamber of Representatives
8 / 88
(Flemish seats)
Senate
4 / 35
(Flemish seats)
Flemish Parliament
14 / 124
Brussels Parliament
4 / 17
(Flemish seats)
European Parliament
1 / 12
(Flemish seats)
Flemish Provincial Councils
21 / 175
Mayors
1 / 300
Website
www.groen.be
Part ofa serieson
Green politics
Sunflower symbol
Core topics
Four pillars
Perspectives
Organizations
Related topics

Groen(lit. 'Green',[ɣruːn]ⓘ), founded asAgalev,is agreen[2][4]Flemishpolitical party in Belgium.The main pillars of the party are social justice, human rights, and ecologism.[5]Its French-speaking equivalent isEcolo;the two parties maintain close relations with each other.

Political views[edit]

Groen is aprogressiveFlemish party that, as the name itself suggests, considersenvironmentalandclimate policyvery important. The party wants to combine this with attention tosocial justice,equal opportunities,human rightsandquality of life.In other words, the party wants to protect the planet, but wants to do so by paying attention to the weakest in society. The party therefore wants good and affordablehealth careand to tacklepoverty.In order to afford these initiatives, the party expect the richest people and the biggest polluters in society to contribute more.[5]

History[edit]

Agalev[edit]

In 1979, the green party was founded by name of "Agalev", an acronym of "AndersGaanLeven "("Towards Different Living").[6]During the eighties, the party was known for beingagainst nuclear weapons,and for being pro-Europe.[5][7]

In 1992 Agalev was asked to support a constitutional change called theSint-Michiels agreement,which would make Belgium a federation. This change required a two-third majority, so the majority needed to convince some parties of the opposition to proceed. Both Agalev andEcoloagreed, in exchange for a tax on bottles, the firstecotaxin Belgium. However, after the constitutional change was voted in, the ecotax was cancelled and replaced by a watered-down concept.[8][9]

In theelections of 1999,Agalev scored 7% federally and 11% regionally (in Flanders). TheDioxin affair,a scandal surroundingdioxinein for-consumption chickens just before the elections, played an important role in the Greens' performance.[10]The Greens joined the firstVerhofstadt governmentas part of the "purple-green "federal coalition from 12 July 1999 until 18 May 2003. Representing Agalev in this federal government,Magda Aelvoetwas Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Public Health and the Environment. She tabled legislation ongay marriage,making Belgium the second country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage.[11] Within the same legislature, Magda Aelvoet left her position due to her opposition of a Belgian arms delivery to Nepal, and was succeeded by fellow party memberJef Tavernier.[12]

Also following theelections of 1999,the party joined theFlemish Government,which was composed of the same parties. Agalev supplied two ministers:Mieke Vogelsbecame responsible for Wellbeing, Health and Equal opportunities, andVera Duafor Agriculture and Environment.

Renaming to Groen! (2003)[edit]

In the federal elections of 2003, Agalev scored less than 5% and lost all their seats (on the federal level). The next day,Jos Geyselsresigned as party leader.[13][14]The sitting ministers in the Flemish government Mieke Vogels and Vera Dua stepped down, and were replaced byAdelheid Byttebier[nl]andLudo Sannen[nl]respectively.

Vera Duagot elected as chairperson, and on the same day, the party's name was changed to Groen! (Green!).[15]The party got between 5 and 10% of the votes through the elections of the early 00's. They did not participate in a governmental coalition (on any level higher than local).

Groen (2012 - current)[edit]

In 2012 the party decided to drop de exclamation mark of their name.

After the local and provincial elections of 2014, Groen had a mandate for the first time in the province ofFlemish-Brabant.In 2018 the province ofEast-Flandersfollowed. The results in Flemish-Brabant had improved though Green wasn't part of the coalition anymore after these elections.

In 2019, there were elections on the regional, federal and European level. At this time theschool strike for climatemovement had dominated the media, so the party Groen was expected to grow substantially. An total victory didn't happen, though the party gained seats on all levels.[16]

On the regional level ofBrussels-Capital,Groen participated in ared-green-bluecoalition.[17]Elke Van den Brandtbecame Minister of Mobility, Public Works, and Road Safety.[18]

On the federal level, a new government wasn't formed until 17 March 2020, when thecoronavirus outbreakurged a minority government with extra plenary powers to be formed. After 6 months a 'regular' majority government was formed and theVivaldi coalitionwas sworn in with 2 Groen ministers.[19]Petra De Sutterbecame Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Civil Service, Public Enterprises, Telecommunication and Postal Services, as Europe's first transgender deputy prime minister.[20]Tinne Van der Straetenholds the Ministry of Energy.[21]

In 2012 the members of Groen elected new party leaders: the duoNadia NajiandJeremie Vaneeckhout,and the logo changed from green only to a more colourful background.[22]

Party chairperson[edit]

Co-presidentsNadia NajiandJeremie Vaneeckhout
Name From Until Vice-chairperson Comments
1 Leo Cox 28 March 1982 7 January 1989 not applicable Spokesperson[23]
2 Johan Malcorps 7 January 1989 6 June 1995 not applicable Spokesperson[23]
3 Wilfried Bervoets 6 June 1995 24 July 1998 not applicable Spokesperson.[23]Passed away in function.[24]During his illness, Jos Geysels was acting spokesperson.
4 Jos Geysels 8 June 1998 21 June 2003 not applicable Spokesperson[23]
5 Dirk Holemans 21 June 2003 15 November 2003 not applicable Spokesperson[23]
6 Vera Dua 15 November 2003 10 November 2007 not applicable[23]
7 Mieke Vogels 10 November 2007[25] 25 October 2009 Wouter Van Besien(from 17 May 2008)
8 Wouter Van Besien 25 October 2009[26] 15 November 2014 Björn Rzoska(until 19 January 2013)
Elke Van den Brandt(from 19 January 2013)
9 Meyrem Almaci 15 November 2014[27] 11 June 2022[28] Jeremie Vaneeckhout(until 19 October 2019)
Dany Neudt(from 19 October 2019) 		Re-elected
10 Jeremie VaneeckhoutandNadia Naji 11 June 2022[29] Incumbent not applicable

Current mandates[edit]

European politics[edit]

European Parliament[30]
Name Committees
Sara Matthieu International Trade
Employment and Social Affairs

Federal politics[edit]

Chamber of Representatives[31]
Name Notes
West FlandersWouter De Vriendt Faction leader
Antwerp ProvinceKim Buyst
Antwerp ProvinceKristof Calvo
Limburg (Belgium)Barbara Cremers
Flemish BrabantEva Platteau
Flemish BrabantDieter Van Besien
East FlandersStefaan Van Hecke
East FlandersKathleen Pisman
Senate[32]
Type Name Notes
Co-opted Senator East FlandersFourat Ben Chikha[nl] Second vice president of the Senate
Community Senator BrusselsStijn Bex[nl]
Community Senator BrusselsSoetkin Hoessen[nl]
Community Senator Flemish BrabantChris Steenwegen[nl]
Belgian FederalDe Croo Government[33]
Public Office Name Function
Deputy Prime Minister Petra De Sutter Minister of Civil Service, Public Enterprises, Telecommunication and Postal Services
Minister Tinne Van der Straeten Minister of Energy

Regional politics: Flanders[edit]

Flemish Parliament[34]
Antwerp ProvinceMeyrem Almaci Antwerp ProvinceImade Annouri[nl] BrusselsStijn Bex
Limburg (Belgium)Johan Danen Flemish BrabantAnn De Martelaer BrusselsCelia Groothedde[nl]
East FlandersElisabeth Meuleman[nl] Flemish BrabantAnn Moerenhout Antwerp ProvinceStaf Aerts
East FlandersBjorn Rzoska East FlandersMieke Schauvliege[nl] Limburg (Belgium)Chris Steenwegen
Antwerp ProvinceTine van den Brande West FlandersJeremie Vaneeckhout

Regional politics: Brussels[edit]

Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region[35]
Name Notes
Juan Benjumea Moreno[nl]
Lotte Stoops[nl]
Soetkin Hoessen[nl]
Arnaud Verstraete[nl] Faction Leader
Brussels Regional GovernmentVervoort II[36]
Public Office Name Function
Minister Elke Van den Brandt Mobility and Public Works

Past electoral results[edit]

Chamber of Representatives[edit]

Election Votes % Seats +/− Government Elected members of parliament
1977 2,435 0.0
0 / 212
 Extra-parliamentary
1978 5,556 0.1
0 / 212
 Steady0 Extra-parliamentary
1981 138,575 2.3
2 / 212
 Increase2 Opposition Ludo Dierickx,Fernand Geyselings
1985 226,758 3.7
4 / 212
 Increase2 Opposition Ludo Dierickx,Mieke Vogels
1987 275,437 4.5
6 / 212
 Increase2 Opposition Jozef Cuyvers,Wilfried De Vlieghere,Jos Geysels,Hugo Van Dienderen,Wilfried Van Durme,Mieke Vogels
1991 299,550 4.9
7 / 212
 Increase1 Opposition Magda Aelvoet(until 20 July 1994)→Lodewijk Steenwegen,Luc Barbé,Wilfried De Vlieghere,Vera Dua,Jos Geysels,Hugo Van Dienderen,Mieke Vogels(until 11 January 1995)→Peter Luyten
1995 269,058 4.4
5 / 150
 Decrease2 Opposition Frans Lozie,Jef Tavernier,Hugo Van Dienderen,Lode Vanoost,Joos Wauters
1999 434,449 7.0
9 / 150
 Increase4 Coalition Eddy Boutmans(until 12 October 1999)→Leen Laenens,Anne-Mie Descheemaeker,Kristien Grauwels,Simonne Leen,Fauzaya Talhaoui,Jef Tavernier(until 28 August 2002)→Liliane De Cock,Peter Vanhoutte,Lode Vanoost,Joos Wauters
2003 162,205 2.5
0 / 150
 Decrease9 Extra-parliamentary
2007 265,828 4.0
4 / 150
 Increase4 Opposition Antwerp ProvinceMeyrem Almaci,West FlandersWouter De Vriendt,BrusselsTinne Van der Straeten,East FlandersStefaan Van Hecke
2010 285,989 4.4
5 / 150
 Increase1 Opposition Antwerp ProvinceMeyrem Almaci,Flemish BrabantEva Brems,Antwerp ProvinceKristof Calvo,West FlandersWouter De Vriendt,East FlandersStefaan Van Hecke
2014 358,947 5.3
6 / 150
 Increase1 Opposition Antwerp ProvinceMeyrem Almaci,Antwerp ProvinceKristof Calvo,East FlandersStefaan Van Hecke,East FlandersEvita Willaert,West FlandersWouter De Vriendt,Flemish BrabantAnne Dedry
2019 413,836 6.1
8 / 150
 Increase2 External support(2020) Antwerp ProvinceKim Buyst,Antwerp ProvinceKristof Calvo,Limburg (Belgium)Barbara Creemers,West FlandersWouter De Vriendt,Flemish BrabantJessica Soors(until 2020)→Flemish BrabantEva Platteau,East FlandersStefaan Van Hecke,Flemish BrabantDieter Van Besien,East FlandersKathleen Pisman
Coalition(2020–)
2024 324,608 4.7
6 / 150
 Decrease2 TBD

Senate[edit]

Election Votes % Seats +/−
1977 3,270 0.1
0 / 106
1978
0 / 106
1981 121,016 2.0
1 / 106
 Increase1
1985 229,206 3.8
2 / 106
 Increase1
1987 299,049 4.9
3 / 105
 Increase1
1991 314,360 5.1
5 / 70
 Increase2
1995 223,355 3.7
1 / 40
 Decrease4
1999 438,931 7.1
3 / 40
 Increase2
2003 161,024 2.5
0 / 40
 Decrease3
2007 241,151 3.6
1 / 40
 Increase1
2010 251,605 3.9
1 / 40
 Steady0

Regional: Brussels[edit]

Election Votes % Seats +/− Government Elected Members of parliament
D.E.C. Overall
1989 4,821 1.1 (#12)
1 / 75
 Opposition Dolf Cauwelier
1995 3,906 1.0 (#11)
0 / 75
 Decrease1 Opposition
1999[a] 13,223 21.8 (#4) 3.1 (#8)
0 / 75
 Steady0 Opposition Adelheid Byttebier(until 6 June 2003; replaced Mieke Vogels as Flemish minister)→Anne Van Asbroeck(SP.A)
2004 6,132 9.8 (#5) 1.4 (#10)
1 / 89
 Increase1 Opposition Adelheid Byttebier
2009 5,806 11.2 (#5) 1.3 (#10)
2 / 89
 Increase1 Coalition Bruno De Lille(became Brussels-Capital Region state secretary)→Elke Van den Brandt,Annemie Maes
2014 9,551 17.9 (#5) 2.1 (#9)
3 / 89
 Increase1 Opposition Bruno De Lille,Annemie Maes,Arnaud Verstraete
2019 14,425 20.6 (#1) 3.1 (#7)
4 / 89
 Increase1 Coalition Elke Van den Brandt(became minister )→Soetkin Hoessen,Arnaud Verstraete,Lotte Stoops,Juan Benjumea Moreno
2024 18,345 22.82 (#1)
4 / 89
 Steady0 TBD

Regional: Flemish Parliament[edit]

Election Votes % Seats +/− Government Elected representatives
1995 267,155 7.1 (#6)
7 / 124
 Opposition East FlandersVera Dua,Antwerp ProvinceJos Geysels,Antwerp ProvinceJohan Malcorps,Limburg (Belgium)Ludo Sannen,East FlandersJos Stassen,Antwerp ProvinceRia Van Den Heuvel,Flemish BrabantCecile Verwimp
1999 451,361 11.6 (#5)
12 / 124
 Increase5 Coalition Flemish BrabantMagda Aelvoet(until 12 July 1999; became federal minister)→Ann De Martelaer,West FlandersVeerle Declercq,Antwerp ProvinceJos Geysels,Flemish BrabantEloi Glorieux,East FlandersDirk Holemans,Antwerp ProvinceJohan Malcorps,West FlandersFrans Ramon,Limburg (Belgium)Ludo Sannen(until 26 May 2003; replaced Vera Dua as Flemish minister)→Flor Ory(until 17 February 2004)→ Ludo Sannen,East FlandersJos Stassen,Antwerp ProvinceRia Van Den Heuvel,Antwerp ProvinceJo Vermeulen,East FlandersVera Dua(became Flemish minister)→Isabel Vertriest(until 26 May 2003)→ Vera Dua
2004 308,898 7.6 (#5)
6 / 124
 Decrease6 Opposition Antwerp ProvinceRudi Daems,East FlandersVera Dua,Flemish BrabantEloi Glorieux,East FlandersJos Stassen,West FlandersJef Tavernier,Antwerp ProvinceMieke Vogels
2009 278,211 6.8 (#7)
7 / 124
 Increase1 Opposition West FlandersBart Caron,East FlandersElisabeth Meuleman,Antwerp ProvinceDirk Peeters,Flemish BrabantHermes Sanctorum,BrusselsLuckas Vander Taelen,Antwerp ProvinceMieke Vogels,East FlandersFilip Watteeuw(until 31 December 2012)
2014 365,779 8.7 (#5)
10 / 124
 Increase3 Opposition Antwerp ProvinceImade Annouri,West FlandersBart Caron,Limburg (Belgium)Johan Danen,East FlandersElisabeth Meuleman,Flemish BrabantAnn Moerenhout,Antwerp ProvinceIngrid Pira,East FlandersBjorn Rzoska,Flemish BrabantHermes Sanctorum(until 2016; became independent),Antwerp ProvinceWouter Van Besien,BrusselsElke Van den Brandt
2019 428,696 10.1 (#5)
14 / 124
 Increase4 Opposition Antwerp ProvinceMeyrem Almaci,West FlandersJeremie Vaneeckhout,Limburg (Belgium)Johan Danen,East FlandersBjörn Rzoska,Flemish BrabantAn Moerenhout,BrusselsStijn Bex,East FlandersMieke Schauvliege,Flemish BrabantChris Steenwegen,Antwerp ProvinceImade Annouri,BrusselsCelia Groothedde,East FlandersElisabeth Meuleman,Flemish BrabantAnn De Martelaer,Antwerp ProvinceStaf Aerts,Antwerp ProvinceTine Van den Brande
2024 304,688 7.17
9 / 124
 Decrease5 TBD

European Parliament[edit]

Election Votes % Seats +/− MEP's
D.E.C. Overall
1979 77,986 2.3 (#5)
0 / 24
1984 246,712 7.1 (#5)
1 / 24
 Increase1 Paul Staes
1989 446,539 12.2 (#4)
1 / 24
 Steady0 Paul Staes
1994 396,198 10.7 (#5)
1 / 25
 Steady0 Magda Aelvoet
1999 464,042 12.0 (#6) 7.5
2 / 25
 Increase1 Patsy Sörensen,Bart Staes(leftSpiritforGroen!in July 2002),Luckas Vander Taelen(until 2002)→Jan Dhaene(leftGroen!forSP.Ain January 2004)
2004 320,874 8.0 (#5) 4.9
1 / 24
 Decrease1 Bart Staes
2009 322,149 7.9 (#6) 4.9
1 / 22
 Steady0 Bart Staes
2014 447,391 10.6 (#5) 6.7
1 / 21
 Steady0 Bart Staes
2019 525,908 12.4 (#5) 7.8
1 / 21
 Steady0 Petra De Sutter(until 2020)→Sara Matthieu
2024 450,781 10.0 (#5) 6.3
1 / 21
 Steady0 Sara Matthieu
  1. ^In coalition withSP

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Open VLD heeft de meeste leden en steekt CD&V voorbij".deredactie.be. 30 October 2014.
  2. ^abNordsieck, Wolfram (2019)."Flanders/Belgium".Parties and Elections in Europe.Retrieved2019-05-30.
  3. ^"Politieke fracties".Benelux Parliament(in Dutch).Retrieved8 August2023.
  4. ^Bale, Tim (2021).Riding the populist wave: Europe's mainstream right in crisis.Cristóbal Rovira Kaltwasser. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. p. 36.ISBN978-1-009-00686-6.OCLC1256593260.
  5. ^abc"Elections 24: what do the Flemish ecologists of Groen stand for?".vrtnws.be.2024-04-28.Retrieved2024-06-19.
  6. ^"Integraal verslag van de plenaire vergadering op donderdag 29 okt 2015"(PDF)(in Dutch and French). Belgische Kamer van volksvertegenwoordigers. 2015-10-29. Rouwhulde Wilfried Van Durme (één van de oprichters van Agalev).
  7. ^"Belgium || Bomspotting. 2,000 Protest Against Nuclear Weapons".International Socialist Alternative.2002-10-07.Retrieved2024-06-19.
  8. ^"Groen".Encyclopedie Vlaamse Beweging(in Dutch).Retrieved1 July2024.
  9. ^"Misnoegde brief van de bever aan De Wever"[displeased letter of the beaver to De Wever].MO* Magazine(in Dutch).Retrieved2024-07-01.
  10. ^"Het falen van Agalev bij de verkiezingen van 18 mei 2003"[Agalevs failure in the 18 May 2003 elections].www.sampol.be(in Dutch).Retrieved2024-07-01.
  11. ^"Belgium celebrates 20 years of same-sex marriage".The Brussels Times.Retrieved1 July2024.
  12. ^"Belgium arms sale row deepens".BBC.27 Aug 2002.Retrieved19 June2024.
  13. ^"Jos Geysels neemt ontslag als politiek secretaris Agalev"[Jos Geysels resigns as Agalev political secretary].De Standaard(in Dutch). 19 May 2003.Retrieved19 June2024.
  14. ^"Waar staat Groen voor?"[What does Groen stand for?] (in Dutch). VRT NWS. 2024-04-15.
  15. ^"De terugkeer van Groen!"[The comeback of Groen!].Sampol(in Dutch).Retrieved1 July2024.
  16. ^"Groen boekt winst, maar grote sprong vooruit blijft uit"[Groen makes progress, but falls short of big victory].VRT NWS(in Dutch). 2019-05-26.Retrieved2024-06-19.
  17. ^"Akkoord voor Brusselse regering is rond: mét Open VLD, zonder MR".VRT NWS(in Dutch). 2019-07-17.Retrieved2024-06-19.
  18. ^"De onopvallende minister-president, de brouwer en de vrouw achter paars-groen: dit is de nieuwe Brusselse regering"[The unremarkable minister-president, the brewer and the woman behind purple-green: this is the new Brussels government].vrtnws.be(in Dutch). 2019-07-18.Retrieved2024-06-19.
  19. ^"Why did it take so long to form Belgium's new 'Vivaldi' coalition?".euronews.2020-10-07.Retrieved2024-07-01.
  20. ^"Green MEP Petra De Sutter to be named deputy Belgian PM".POLITICO.2020-10-01.Retrieved2024-07-01.
  21. ^"Wie is Tinne Van der Straeten, de nieuwe minister van Energie?"[Who is Tinne Van der Straeten, the new minister of Energy?].Bruzz(in Dutch).Retrieved2024-07-01.
  22. ^"Groen heeft nieuw voorzittersduo: Jeremie Vaneeckhout en Nadia Naji halen het in de eerste stemronde"[Groen has two new chairpeople: Jeremie Vaneeckhout and Nadia Naji succeed in one voting round].vrtnws.be(in Dutch). 2022-06-11.Retrieved2024-06-19.
  23. ^abcdef"Van Agalev over Groen! naar Groen zonder meer"[From Agalev to Groen! to downright Groen].VRT NWS(in Dutch). 2014-03-10.Retrieved2024-07-01.
  24. ^"Le décès de Wilfried Bervoets endeuille les Verts".Le Soir(in French). 1998-07-27.Retrieved2024-07-01.
  25. ^"Mieke Vogels volgt Vera Dua op als voorzitster Groen!"[Mieke Vogels succeeds Vera Dua as chairperson Groen!].Het Nieuwsblad(in Dutch). 2007-11-10.Retrieved2024-06-19.
  26. ^"Wouter Van Besien verkozen als nieuwe voorzitter van Groen!"[Wouter Van Besien elected as new chairperson Groen!].Het Nieuwsblad(in Dutch). 2009-10-25.Retrieved2024-06-19.
  27. ^"Meyrem Almaci verkozen tot voorzitter van Groen".VRT NWS(in Dutch). 2014-11-15.Retrieved2024-07-01.
  28. ^"Meyrem Almaci stopt als voorzitter van Groen:" Het is nu aan andere mensen, dat zal Groen deugd doen ""[Meyrem Almaci quits as president of Groen: "Up to other people now, which will benefit Groen" ].VRT NWS.2022.Retrieved2022-03-23.
  29. ^"Groen heeft nieuw voorzittersduo: Jeremie Vaneeckhout en Nadia Naji halen het in de eerste stemronde"[Groen has new presidential duo: Jeremie Vaneeckhout and Nadia Naji win already in first round of elections].vrtnws.2022-06-11.Retrieved2022-06-11.
  30. ^"Full list of MEPs".European Parliament (official website).Retrieved2024-07-01.
  31. ^"Kamerleden | Zittingsperiode 55"[Members of the Chamber | Legislation period 55].De Belgische Kamer van volksvertegenwoordigersa.Retrieved2024-07-01.
  32. ^"Lijst van de senatoren"[List of senators].Belgische Senaat.Retrieved2024-07-01.
  33. ^"Composition of the Belgian federal government".belgium.be.Retrieved2024-07-01.
  34. ^"Volksvertegenwoordigers"[Representatives].Vlaams Parlement(in Dutch).Retrieved2024-07-01.
  35. ^"Volksvertegenwoordigers"[Representatives].Parlement Bruxellois Brussels Parlement(in Dutch).Retrieved2024-07-01.
  36. ^"The Government of the Region".Brussels-Capital Region.Retrieved2024-07-01.

External links[edit]

Media related toGroen (party)at Wikimedia Commons

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