The Statists initially tried to bring about a revocation of the reforms of the Habsburg Emperor Joseph II which they perceived as an attack on regional freedom.

[3] The Statists supported Belgian independence but their main area of concern was protecting the local privileges and the Catholic Church.

[3] After the proclamation of the United States of Belgium, the Statists managed to exclude the Vonckists from government and forced them into exile.

Furthermore, they actively defended many elements of the ancien régime, championed regional autonomy, and the status of the Belgian Catholic Church.

Many Statists, including Van der Noot himself, also advocated for Pan-Netherlandism, ultimately aiming for a reunification of the Low Countries.