Frank Vanhecke (born May 30, 1959, in Bruges) is a [[Belgian politician]]. He is primarily known for his long-standing involvement with the [[Vlaams Blok]] and its successor party, [[Vlaams Belang]], both [[far-right politics|far-right]] and [[Flemish nationalism|Flemish nationalist]] political parties in [[Belgium]].
Vanhecke served as a [[Member of the European Parliament]] (MEP) for the Vlaams Blok from 1994 to 2003. Following the dissolution of the Vlaams Blok and its reformation as Vlaams Belang in 2004, he became the new party's first president, holding the position until 2008. He returned to the European Parliament in 2007 and served a second term until 2014, representing Vlaams Belang.
Throughout his political career, Vanhecke was a prominent advocate for [[Flemish independence]] and a more restrictive immigration policy. He was also involved in various European-level alliances of right-wing and nationalist parties.
In 2011, Vanhecke announced his departure from Vlaams Belang, citing disagreements with the party's strategic direction. He subsequently co-founded a new Flemish nationalist party, "Vlaamse Toekomst" (Flemish Future).