Posted on 12/01/2007 10:08:53 AM PST by knighthawk
Brussels (1 December) - The head of Belgium's Flemish Christian Democrats Yves Leterme has announced that he is unable to form a coalition government. King Albert II has accepted his resignation as coalition negotiator.
Mr Leterme resigned after the French-speaking Christian Democrats rejected a proposal which would lead to greater regional autonomy. Belgium's political parties have been attempting to form a government since elections were held in June.
Ping
I traveled there a great deal in the 80’s, it was a wonderful place.
Belgium is less than the sum of its parts. Split it into Flanders and Wallonia and have done with it.
That’s what happens when a countries “political parties” are nothing more than 100’s of little special interest groups, all varying degrees of socialist moonbats.
“That’s what happens when a countries “political parties” are nothing more than 100’s of little special interest groups, all varying degrees of socialist moonbats.”
This probably misses the main problem.
Belgium is 2 completely distinct cultural and linguistic groups (I assume ethnic as well at a genetic level, but that would depend more on migratory issues from the dark-ages forward than anything else) separated by a fairly clear line across the country. The historical reasons for the existence of belgium as a political unit have zero to do with the interests of the serf ancestors of the current residents, and there is as little internal reason for them to remain a country as there was for Yugoslavia or for Iraq.
What has changed is that, for the first time, the internal and external political climate and situation is actually conducive to this being allowed to happen.
Different history, but you can see some of the same in Scotland (conquered centuries ago) and Wales (conquered even further back, I actually remember when here, Edward I did so in the late 13th century) desiring to separate from what became Great Britain. Now whether this makes any economic sense for the separationist parties is another issue...
Would it be possible for us to not have a government? It sounds very appealing.
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