Groen (English: Green ; Dutch: Groen (help·info); founded as Agalev (see name-section below)) is a Belgian green political party. Groen is the smallest Flemish party with a representation in the federal, regional or European parliament.
Many of the founders of political party Agalev came from or were inspired by the social movement Agalev. This movement was founded by the Jesuit Luc Versteylen, who had founded the environmental movement Agalev in the 1970s. Core values of this social movement were quiet, solidarity and soberness. This movement combined progressive Catholicism with environmentalism. It sought to spread environmental consciousness first on a small scale, but since 1973 it took action to protect the environment and promote environmental consciousness. In the 1974 and 1976 elections Agalev supported several candidates from traditional parties, these however soon forgot the promises they made. In 1977 the movement entered the elections in several municipalities not to gain seats, but to promote its ideals.
Vera Agnes Roger Dua (Ghent, 25 October 1952) was the Party Chair of the Flemish green party Groen! between 2003 and 2007. She graduated in 1975 as agricultural engineer and attained a PhD in agricultural science 11 years later.
She has been a member of Agalev since 1984 and appeared in the local assembly of Ghent in 1989. Two years later she was elected to the Belgian Chamber. In 1995 she switched to the Flemish Parliament. After a few years of fierce opposition she became the minister of agriculture and environment. As minister she focused on expanding nature reserves and protecting people's health. After her party suffered a heavy blow in the 2003 federal election she resigned as minister.
On 15 November 2003 Agalev changed its name to Groen! and Vera Dua was elected chairman. In 2007 Mieke Vogels was elected as her successor. She was elected as a member of the Belgian Senate in 2007.