Reuniting Europe

Europe to be blamed for Belgium crisis

Posted by Georgi Gotev on 08/07/11

Belgium is descending into new chaos. In a nutshell, Flemish separatist N-VA leader Bart De Wever has given Waloon Socialist leader Elio di Rupo the middle finger, as Het Nieuwsblat described it. He was able to do so, because CD&V, the Flemish centre-right party, is siding with N-VA. The resulty is political paralysis which can lead the country to death.

These are the developments as from today. But who is to be blamed for the crisis? The story started in April 2010, when Alexander De Croo, the new leader of Flemish liberal party Open VLD, decided to leave the government, triggering early elections. Here is a photo of him:

Alexander De Croo, son of well known politician Herman De Croo, is basically unexperienced. He became leader of the Flemish liberal Open VLD party just because Guy Verhofstadt abandoned the post of Open VLD leader for a European career. Had Verhofstadt remained in national politics, Belgium would have avoided early elections.

And what happens now is that CD&V, until now a respected centre-right party which has put forward as Prime ministers such skilled politicians as Jean-Luc Dehaene and Herman Van Rompuy. But both of them went into European affairs. Had Van Rompuy be in charge, many would expect a better management of the national political crisis.

So who is to blame for Belgium’s crisis? Isn’t it the attraction of the European career, which depletes poor Belgium of its wisest leaders?

English, Enlargement & Neighbours
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7 Responses to Europe to be blamed for Belgium crisis »»

Mikam

Comment by Mikam | 2011/07/08 at 09:38:36

Dear,

I have read your article with great interest.
I wish it were as simple. Belgium is a very complex country with unites 2 different cultures and languages. Blaming the attraction of the European career, which depletes poor Belgium of its wisest leaders is not the cause of the current crisis. The cause in unfortunately much more complex than that.
I agree, we urgently need a political solution and strong government to solve the Belgian crisis.
Georgi Gotev

Comment by Georgi Gotev | 2011/07/08 at 09:45:08

Dear Mikam,
I was joking of course. The problem is very complex indeed. I live in Belgium and I see many of its facets every day.
Kind regards,
Georgi
jobloggs1000

Comment by jobloggs1000 | 2011/07/08 at 10:20:50

Surely it’s simple. Rename the country burgendy split it in two and give the relevent regions back to France and the Netherlands. Putting it in the hands of two nations capable of governing it. The lack of governance is not a joke, given the finanical position of Belgium. Limiting soverenty seems to be a patch for Greece, when domestically, authorities are unabale to govern, why not belgium.
Adam

Comment by Adam | 2011/07/08 at 14:39:40

I follow with interest the Belgium situation. Realignments and sovereignty definitions became too opaque lately under New World Order of Davos. All made-up countries eventually disintegrate and I see Belgium as no exception — except for warehousing the EU Bureaucracy. Wishing the United Nations also move to Belgium.
david

Comment by david | 2011/07/11 at 23:17:45

I’d like to see how another population would react if the Frenchmen came and divided them as the Dutch were, wrote them a constitution, denied them the right to vote, changed the official language into French without recognising the language of 95 percent of the population, and so on.
And the Walloons still don’t want state reforms. They prefer a constitution and justice that dates Napoleon. (giving them colonial privileges of course)
mathew

Comment by mathew | 2011/07/27 at 12:19:50

@david, what “colonial privileges” are you referring to?

If you can, please provide some facts. I’m curious.