The seeming inability of the Belgian political parties to actually form a coalition government is of slight concern it must be admitted. For all their differences I'm inclined to wonder why they don't just form a "Not Vlaams Belang" group.
Not just because they are parochial xenophobes ranting about a non-existent pure Flemish race and language but because they can't help but being Belgian on their posters and printing them in Flemish *and* French. One wonders why they haven't included German on there as well.
Posts
4 comments:
I think it's safe to argue that "Belgium" has always been much more a state of mind than an actual "country".* I do quite like this stalemate, if only because I see one potential outcome as Brussels becoming its own independent city state and I see that as behaviour to be encouraged. But in my reading on this whole "can we still be a country" thing I discovered that Belgium has a significant German speaking minority of something like 5%. Why did we not go and visit them and have schnitzel/invite them to mini Europe avec nous?
Clearly a lost opportunity.
*Please excuse the fact that I appear to temporarily be channeling Benedict Anderson. It's the full moon.
Also, some kind of Belgian break-up and Netherlandic-speaking-unity movement would pave the way for the Netherlands and Flanders to form some kind of "Dual Monarchy of Dutch", and frankly Europe needs more Dual Monarchies, and the associated amusing headwear they would provide.
Also, "linguistic separatism - not just for the Basque any more!!" Although, I'm not sure "deep fried" counts as a "cuisine". You may have to work on that...
I think, Rheiner, you may be referring to the concept of "Belgitude" developed by the notable post-post-colonialist thinker Simon Leys/ Pierre Ryckmans.
Post a Comment