Regulering tegen politiek activisme van banken nodig
![Foto: iStock. Regulering tegen politiek activisme van banken nodig](/sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w28/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=NRTgdy5z 28w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w33/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=_zUI-0BO 33w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w39/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=VWWYcbts 39w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w47/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=bTJM65fA 47w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w56/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=MPBf52s0 56w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w66/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=fgOviw4p 66w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w67/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=lJU_HNMa 67w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w78/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=tWxx4ytr 78w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w79/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=LTb6595o 79w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w94/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=nJq3gU20 94w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w111/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=t4cpXkN5 111w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w112/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=7_qFkT2H 112w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w131/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=293Efe-m 131w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w134/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=tOL2_2QK 134w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w155/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=AB4bcvTY 155w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w158/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=fETeXeMH 158w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w183/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=6SuPX9rq 183w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w188/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=Fvm4WGgc 188w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w216/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=XYQGqlsP 216w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w222/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=bI1kZ7ma 222w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w255/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=UcEAvWw6 255w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w262/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=_ilggCc2 262w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w300/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=gCDvH1y6 300w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w310/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=XMErr2Ys 310w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w353/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=eBM6kydi 353w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w366/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=XU_MwW1m 366w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w416/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=9xM64KmU 416w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w432/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=G3NsfZ7H 432w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w490/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=R4IbJ7hX 490w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w510/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=fOgeEg90 510w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w577/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=xNZT2u2P 577w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w600/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=4uNqm2wp 600w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w679/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=himCYZIT 679w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w706/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=4ar2zj90 706w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w799/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=yWnHtTme 799w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w832/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=c4aFnWzY 832w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w941/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=lsfEaoew 941w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w980/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=dhOhQyt8 980w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1108/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=3xkE_oDe 1108w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1154/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=ORv0yDAP 1154w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1304/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=mioebcLi 1304w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1358/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=KdSOTKkh 1358w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1535/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=JB-31JqM 1535w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1598/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=stwULyJ_ 1598w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1806/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=EYMvkUXA 1806w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w1882/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=vbOMlo-k 1882w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w2125/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=glzBz5jh 2125w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w2216/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=MQXLc1Km 2216w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w2500/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=LaXZvJQC 2500w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w2608/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=qHZMHt5S 2608w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w3070/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=7Vub2gG7 3070w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w3612/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=LTWQ0t5E 3612w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w4250/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=FSIQHGtJ 4250w, /sites/default/files/styles/snov_news_header_novs_w5000/public/2023-07/iStock-181296935%20%281%29.jpg?h=4ad8bcba&itok=fzlaA_W0 5000w)
De voormalig UKIP-leider Nigel Farage zag deze maand zijn bankrekening bij de private bank Coutts gesloten worden. De bank zou de Britse politicus als racistisch en xenofobisch beschouwen. “Dit is een gevaarlijk precedent”, zegt Europees Parlementslid voor Vlaams Belang Tom Vandendriessche. “De toegang tot bankieren en het hebben van een bankrekening moet een universeel recht zijn. Banken die klanten weigeren omwille van politieke redenen zijn activistisch en gevaarlijk.”
Oorspronkelijk stelde Coutts-bank dat de rekening werd gesloten wegens een gebrek aan fondsen. Maar volgens Nigel Farage bestaat er een rapport tegen hem dat hem uitsluit op grond van “persoonlijke en politieke redenen”. In dat rapport worden zijn meningen rond Brexit, zijn vriendschap met tennisster Novak Djokovic en zijn ‘racistische en xenofobe’ meningen vermeld. “Iemands politieke overtuiging zou nooit mogen meespelen bij het verlenen van een bankrekening”, aldus Vandendriessche. “Dit is strafbare discriminatie.”
“Moeten rechtse burgers gaan vrezen dat hun rekeningen bevroren gaan worden?”
Volgens de minuten van de meeting van Coutts omtrent Farage besliste de bank dat de politicus als cliënt hebben niet langer zou stroken met de positie van de bank als inclusieve organisatie. Farage was bijna 10 jaar klant van de bank. Coutts voegde er aan toe: “Dit is geen politieke beslissing, maar een beslissing rond inclusiviteit en doelstellingen.”
Volgens het Vlaams Belang moet dit soort van banken onmiddellijk beteugeld worden. “Het is ondenkbaar dat een aantal totalitaire bankiers de breedte van het publieke debat gaan bepalen”, besluit Vandendriessche. “Moeten rechtse burgers nu vrezen dat hun bankrekening zal bevroren worden? Een verbod op deze praktijken moet sterker worden uitgewerkt, inclusief een regelgevend kader voor banken die zichzelf arbiters van de waarheid achtten.”