After an intervention from a sympathetic cleric attached to the German Foreign Ministry, Papal nuncio Eugenio Pacelli (who later became pope as Pius XII) intervened in support of Borms, writing a letter to the Belgian authorities that presented the Flemish leader as an idealist and argued that his frequent visits to Germany during the war had been to see Flemish prisoners rather than to discuss collaboration.

Despite his imprisonment Borms continued to be active in Flemish politics and was instrumental in establishing the Front Movement and Frontpartij.

Along with his close ally Cyriel Verschaeve he was the leader of a tendency within this group that saw future collaboration with Germany as the best way to fulfil Flemish ambitions.

[7] The margin of his victory in the election, which was held on 9 December 1928, caused a stir as he won 83,053 votes to 44,410 for the Liberals' Paul Baelde and 58,052 spoiled ballots (as the Catholics and Labour had told their supporters to do).

The Nazi military governor Alexander von Falkenhausen established a "Reparations Committee" to investigate alleged atrocities against First World War collaborators by the Belgian government and distribute compensation to them.