Surprisingly, Belgium has successfully completed its six-month presidency of the EU, despite being a country without government (well, with a functioning government, which seeks to preside Leterme, with Vande Lanotte as mediator). Perhaps the Belgian case is an example of what they are dispensable national governments in a supranational Europe. Belgian border issue is a déjà vu is so timeless it could be perfectly applicable to various political moments in the last decade. Today we have more than 220 days without government in Belgium *, and but earlier this month of January there was a government proposal, the coalition negotiations between the seven parties involved are no prospects. One does not know where to place the Belgian politicians between shame and shamelessness. Side we have the ultra-nationalist Flemish N-VA (New Flemish Alliance), socialists, democrats and greens, and side Walloon socialists, democrats and greens. Indeed, liberals on both sides not involved in the negotiations. Currently the classic Belgian consensus passed away and the Democrats and the castle N-VA, traditional allies.
Following my thesis that the lower tiers of government manage more suitable, in the Belgian case shows that, despite the lack of federal national government, regions and municipalities follow their normal course of politics and do it very effectively. But the problem goes beyond everyday politics, because the pieces of the puzzle fell apart after the elections on June 13, 2010, beating the conservative and separatist N-VA, held on the always subjective and questionable notion that "the Walloons remain with our money. "
Beyond the political mess, the immediacy has to do with the credit status of the Belgian state. The warnings from international agencies points to the risks Belgium financial flows, to the extent that political uncertainty would threaten the reliability of the country's sovereign debt. The international economic situation can take a toll on the Belgian debt if it extends the impression that there is a government capable of making decisions about the deficit. So much so that in the euro area are already on notice. Belgium has come openly as a candidate to receive rescue funds FEEF, like Ireland, Greece and Portugal.
Political chaos is already evidence, but never before had been raised as far as openly breaking the state. The need for institutional reform is supported on both sides the conflict, while Flanders continues determined to follow the path towards independence, relying primarily on the positions of the more conservative parties. Rumour that flamingos only wary of their own secessionist ambitions for fear of losing influence in Brussels and, therefore, that the Dutch capital back in Europe, where surprisingly it is estimated that less than 5% of the population is speech.
In fact the big problem convivial part of the periphery of Brussels, which is French and is territorially inserted in Flanders, where so is the very Brussels which is bilingual de jure and de facto Francophone although the official language is Dutch. Apart from this "obstacle" called Brussels (which is also capital of the European Union), raising questions about the alleged targets of Flanders economically prosperous region which some observers see as a political satellite of Germany, and Wallonia openly perceived candidate to annex territory to France. Ignoring
speculation, citizens took the floor this weekend. The next Sunday, January 23, there will be a demonstration in Brussels to express the citizens are fed to the paralysis of the country, a citizenship that requires a government after six months of permanent crisis. The inability of the Flemish and Walloon leaders to establish dialogue and concluding an agreement with the Belgian population exasperated, tired of political surrealism.
One of the slogans of the organizers is " No Government, great country." This is an event that aims to unite and overcome the famous march to November 2007, which brought together 30,000 French-speaking Brussels. This time also involved civic movements and Flemish university.
The institutional problem turns Belgium into cannon fodder for the financial markets. The language problem destroys coexistence. The organizers want to end up with the dynamics of constantly faced irreconcilable cultures. The Belgian case expresses the worst of the political incapacity. My position is clear: no more borders in Europe. Sunday's event should be a city that symbolizes the desire to break down, once the boundary between two linguistic communities within a European Union, who was born and remains a vocation to break down borders.
* Overcoming the record for the Netherlands, which was 208 days without government in 1977.
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