The question of Belgium

[Yugoserb89]

Belgium, the very motto of the EU, a country of three nationalities, united in balance. But beyond the walls of the Berlaymont, lies the true Belgium, one split and divided in haste, and unbalanced to the core.

 

 

 

This brings about the question of Belgium. Belgium is divided among the Flemish in the north, and the Walloons in the South. There's also a small German part of the country. The question becomes difficult when Brussels is considered, which is located in Flanders. I would like your opinions on the question of Belgium, how and if it should split up, and if not?

 

 

 

In my opinion, Belgium should be split by the Flemish declaring independence, and taking Brussels as their capital. As far as Wallonia goes, I don't care too much of its fate. It could join France for all I care, which wouldn't be a problem anyway seeing how downhill France has gone since Chirac and Sarkozy. The tiny German sector can join with Germany. Should an independent Wallonia be a condition of Flemish independence, I'd support it. But an independent Wallonia would fail without its support from Flanders. It would survive but off of a lifeline from the EU. For Flanders, they should bar the EU from using Brussels as its headquarters. I don't see any reason for, or good coming from a merging of Flanders and the Netherlands. The Netherlands would just drag down Flanders, assuming, of course, Vlaams Belang keeps on course as the major Flemish party.

 

 

 

I welcome your opinions, and would love to hear them! :)

[Danqazmlp]

Somebody isn't bias at all?

 

 

 

'As far as Wallonia goes, I don't care too much of its fate. It could join France for all I care, which wouldn't be a problem anyway seeing how downhill France has gone since Chirac and Sarkozy.'

 

 

 

Are you by any chance Flemish/have Flemish blood in you?

 

 

 

I see no problem with belgium to be honest.

[Yugoserb89]

Are you by any chance Flemish/have Flemish blood in you?

 

 

 

I'm not Flemish, nor have any connection to Flanders. But I've kept up with the situation, and picked a side. As I said, I'd love to hear counterarguments.

[Lenticular_J]

I have no real opinion. I'm not Belgian, I do not plan to be Belgian. For all I care, Belgians can be anarchist fascists. Not that I condone fascism. Nor any ism. Isms are not, in my opinion, a good thing.

 

 

 

Seriously though, I know next to nothing about them. I'd reckon the Belgians should stay united. After all, if America was to be split over nationalities and ethnicities and languages, oh [cabbage], we'd be crazier than Europe.

[Kevin_]

Eventhough i hate the Wallonians alot, we shouldn't split up. Although it is a fact that the Wallonians need us more then we need them ;).

[Distracted]

Well, first of all, if Flanders were to be split off of Wallony, it would be one of, if not the, richest countries of the EU. But, simply because Wallony is dragging it down, it would be a bit wrong to just split, leaving Wallony hanging.

 

 

 

Also, joining the German part with German would be wrong, since, IIRC, it was given to Belgium as a punishment for one of the World Wars (I remember hearing this years ago).

[Sumpta]

In my opinion, Belgium should be split by the Flemish declaring independence, and taking Brussels as their capital.

 

 

 

Ahahahahaha. Where's that facepalm-emoticon here? About 90% of the capital Brussels is French-speaking. So, good luck with that. Do you propose we use tanks, are the French just going to move out by their own free will or will we force-feed them courses in Dutch? The Bruxellois are Bruxellois, and they'll gladly found a city-state before joining either half of the country. Seriously, all those people going on about splitting the country don't know what they're in for. Like in any other country, there are difficult economical, social and financial issues to solve in Belgium. And instead of taking these head-on, with the possibility of disgruntling the tax-paying public, quite a few populist politicians whose only concern is the number of votes they get, shout out loud that splitting the country is the only solution to all our problems. The public goes along with it, and before you know it, everybody's mindlessly screaming for a split, when a few years ago, only a fraction of the people had issues with the other part of the country. And when we have an independent Flanders, what's next? Getting rid of the eastern province for an annexation with the Netherlands? The border provinces have strong economical and cultural ties already anyway...

 

 

 

It's true that there are institutional problems and that the federal state isn't perfect yet. Chances are, it never will be. Especially since Belgium is probably the only country where the differences between two groups have not resulted in violence and war, but were solved in a rational, political way. There will always be issues that beg the question if they're a regional or a federal competence, but how is that bad? It's a question that poses itself on every governmental level, community/province/region/state. The only answer in my mind is to go on federalising a united Belgium in a strong united Europe. There's been a wave of anti-politics in Belgium and it's high time our politicians start leading the country again.

 

 

 

By the way, the German part of the country considers itself very Belgian. They don't want to join Germany at all and would probably prefer to stay with Wallonia. It's a running joke in Belgium that the only true Belgians you'll find, live in the German part :.

[i_love_burritos]

I have no real opinion. I'm not Belgian, I do not plan to be Belgian. For all I care, Belgians can be anarchist fascists. Not that I condone fascism. Nor any ism. Isms are not, in my opinion, a good thing.

 

 

 

Seriously though, I know next to nothing about them. I'd reckon the Belgians should stay united. After all, if America was to be split over nationalities and ethnicities and languages, oh [cabbage], we'd be crazier than Europe.

 

 

 

Each State a different ethnic minority ?

 

 

 

About the "Isms"

 

Why ?

[Derbo]

To explain in a very, very simplified way

 

[hide=]The Flemish are richer, giving huge dotations to Wallonia each year. We, the Flemish people, have a much more developped economy. The Walloons (love that word) have had a much better economy, but haven't 'upgraded' it in the last century to a level in which it would be ready for the new technical era. Now, Wallonia is depending on the Flemish, as they have a smaller chance of making it through the economic struggle alone, without a big brother. The Flemish would have to pay less taxes when there wouldn't be such a huge amount of money transferred to Wallonia each year. Therefore they want to split.[/hide]

 

 

 

IMO

 

Belgium should take a break and start seeing other countries. It just didn't work.

 

Oh, and down with the monarchy.

[1_man_army]

 

The Flemish are richer, giving huge dotations to Wallonia each year. We, the Flemish people, have a much more developped economy. The Walloons (love that word) have had a much better economy, but haven't 'upgraded' it in the last century to a level in which it would be ready for the new technical era. Now, Wallonia is depending on the Flemish, as they have a smaller chance of making it through the economic struggle alone, without a big brother. The Flemish would have to pay less taxes when there wouldn't be such a huge amount of money transferred to Wallonia each year. Therefore they want to split.

 

 

 

Putting it like that suggests to me that this isn't a question of nationhood or identity at all but mere economic opportunism. I don't know enough about the issue to make any sort of informed point on this eventhough I'm sympathetic to a number of separatist causes in other nations (as well as my own) but going solely by the above quote, I would not support this based on just economic opportunism.

[lordkafei]

What is this infatuation Europe has with microstates?

 

 

 

All these little factions and pocket kingdoms - it's like pre-World War Europe all over again.

[Misterknowitall]

To explain in a very, very simplified way

 

[hide=]The Flemish are richer, giving huge dotations to Wallonia each year. We, the Flemish people, have a much more developped economy. The Walloons (love that word) have had a much better economy, but haven't 'upgraded' it in the last century to a level in which it would be ready for the new technical era. Now, Wallonia is depending on the Flemish, as they have a smaller chance of making it through the economic struggle alone, without a big brother. The Flemish would have to pay less taxes when there wouldn't be such a huge amount of money transferred to Wallonia each year. Therefore they want to split.[/hide]

 

 

 

IMO

 

Belgium should take a break and start seeing other countries. It just didn't work.

 

Oh, and down with the monarchy.

 

 

 

Yeah, I think monarchy is the biggest problem. Too much money is being spent on that "royal" family that keeps breeding like rabbits.

 

Those French-talking people from the south aren't working enough too. I say down with them too!

[Sumpta]

^ *Please* tell me you're being sarcastic #-o.

 

 

 

Not liking the monarchy is one thing, falling for blatant and idiotic stereotypes is quite another.

[Misterknowitall]

^ *Please* tell me you're being sarcastic #-o.

 

 

 

Not liking the monarchy is one thing, falling for blatant and idiotic stereotypes is quite another.

 

 

 

Do you even know how much money the royal family gets in Belgium? It really is a lot.

[Sumpta]

I wasn't talking about the monarchy.

[Misterknowitall]

I wasn't talking about the monarchy.

 

 

 

Those French-talking people from the south aren't working enough too. I say down with them too!

 

 

 

You mean this then?

 

A lot of jokes are made about that around here. But it's a fact that they don't bring in a lot of money.

[Sumpta]

I wasn't talking about the monarchy.

 

 

 

Those French-talking people from the south aren't working enough too. I say down with them too!

 

 

 

You mean this then?

 

A lot of jokes are made about that around here. But it's a fact that they don't bring in a lot of money.

 

 

 

I meant that, yes. Did you know that there are money transfers between Flemish provinces as well? West-Flanders and Limburg don't bring in the kind of money that Brabant or Antwerp do. Brabant-Walloon (Waals-Brabant) is considerably wealthier than either of those two provinces, and coughs up solidarity accordingly. So, once we're free of the Walloons, are you going to cut the western and eastern provinces off to sort things out for themselves as well? One might even argue that the dialects of boths provinces aren't understandable Flemish anyway :D.

 

 

 

Things are seldom black and white as they are in the jokes. While the Flemish may pay a part of the Walloons' health security, the Walloons pay for the retirement pensions of the Flemish. Granted, at this moment in time, the Flemish cough up more money. It has been different in the past, when Wallonia's economy blossomed. Over the last few years, Wallonia's economy has had some serious boosts as well, by the way. There's no reason to assume Flanders will have the economical supremacy for all eternity.

[Misterknowitall]

So, once we're free of the Walloons, are you going to cut the western and eastern provinces off to sort things out for themselves as well?

 

 

 

Yep.

 

 

 

Things are seldom black and white as they are in the jokes. While the Flemish may pay a part of the Walloons' health security, the Walloons pay for the retirement pensions of the Flemish. Granted, at this moment in time, the Flemish cough up more money. It has been different in the past, when Wallonia's economy blossomed. Over the last few years, Wallonia's economy has had some serious boosts as well, by the way. There's no reason to assume Flanders will have the economical supremacy for all eternity.

 

 

 

The retirement pensions might soon be something from the past, with the raging crisis, so I heard.