In less than ten minutes on Thursday afternoon Bart De Wever, the leader of the Flemish nationalists, shot down almost all the proposals his counterpart Elio di Rupo made three days ago, in the first serious attempt to propose a government program. After 390 days Belgium is back to square one.
De Wever had called for a press conference in a meeting room of the Flemish Parliament at 2 pm. Up to Thursday-morning only the two liberal parties had answered ‘yes but’ to the proposals the ‘formateur’, Elio di Rupo, had made on Monday. As soon as the press conference of the Flemish nationalists (NVA) was announced the five remaining parties that have been invited to the government negotiations also announced a conditional approval for di Rupo’s text.
The Flemish Christian first announced a press conference, then canceled it because of the announcement of the NVA-press conference. Finally their president Wouter Beke came out of the party headquarters at 1 pm to say that his party was ready to negotiate but would not do so if the NVA would not participate.
The last element was exactly the message that De Wever delivered one hour later, in a quite strong-worded statement in which he criticised almost every element of di Rupo’s proposal. And he summarized: ‘With the best will of the world, I cannot believe that negotiations on this base will end up in success.’
The announcement sent shock waves through the political scenery in Belgium. Many accused De Wever of fleeing his responsibilities as largest party of the country. Some suggested that a coalition without NVA should be formed. But as the Flemish Christian democrats confirmed that they would not enter into a government without the nationalists, it was clear that such a government would have a very weak position in Flanders.
New elections are now the most logical outcome, although it is at the moment far from certain that there can be found a majority in the Lower House to vote for an early dissolution. Elio di Rupo meanwhile declined to react to the new situation. He will only come out with a statement Friday.
You cannot expect the Dutch-speaking Belgians giving away their capital just to please others.
ReplyDeleteThe French have the right to vote for Wallonian parties when living in parts of Flanders (around Brussels of course); and the Dutch speaking have never had the right to vote for Flanders when living in Wallonia.
The French also do not have to learn Dutch at school. The logical result is that the French community grows with Flemish who must speak French and a lot of africans who already speak French and do not have to learn Dutch when living in Flanders, because they also have those privileges. This and more leads to civil unreast, because the French still do not consider the Dutch to be their equals.
They are abusing of the constitution that was made by the French for a Dutch population, wich gives the French privileges, several possibilitys for preventing state reforms, and a superior vote than a Dutch vote.
The strategy of the French is to get Flanders to seperate from Wallonia so they can contest the borders by claiming they have a voting right (priviledged) in Flanders, and that way they want to add Brussels to Wallonia and-or Françe, using international laws and their privileged voting right to try and make their case.
A bit like a criminal that is released due to a judicial error.
That's my opinion.