I have often suggested that Belgium could be a source of inspiration for Europe. Unfortunately, the recent declarations concerning the political future of the country indicate that the reverse is more likely: Belgium is mimicking the European quagmire and will be shortly confronted with similar difficulties.
Indeed, the surprise announcement concerning the negotiations surrounding regional governments in Wallonia and Brussels – without waiting for an agreement at federal level – is the expression of the same regional nationalism as the one condemned when proffered by the northern “separatists”. There is also a total absence of consideration of the implications relative to EU membership. This attitude has provoked (deliberately?) a Flemish response translated in an alliance between the “nationalist” NVA and the centre right Christian Democrats (CDNV) in Flanders, thus killing any possibility of forming compatible majorities at both federal and regional levels.
The message conveyed by the polls, both in the north and the south, was that such majorities were very much preferred: the northern partners in the federal government actually won seats while the significant progress of the NVA was totally attributable to the defeat of the extremist Vlaamse Belang party; in the south the federal majority was also comforted, mainly by significant gains of the Liberal Party (MR).
Despite the electoral promises, no account whatsoever has been taken of the voice expressed by the people, even if it is abusive to hurl invectives of a denial of democracy: the legitimacy of these purely political decisions stems directly from the system of proportional representation. The message was nevertheless perfectly clear: the elector did not want a repeat of a prolonged governmental crisis.
Outside of such a “blockage” at federal level, three alternatives present themselves, each containing heavy risks concerning the future of the country.
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Paul N Goldschmidt, Director, European Commission (ret); Member of the Advisory Board of the Thomas More Institute
Tel: +32 (02) 6475310 / +33 (04) 94732015 / Mob: +32 (0497) 549259
E-mail: paul.goldschmidt@skynet.be / Web: www.paulngoldschmidt.eu
© Paul Goldschmidt
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