El reconocimiento de la realidad nacional de Flandes'

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JORNADAS SOBRE LA APLICACIÓN DEL PRINCIPIO
DEMOCRÁTICO. EL DERECHO A DECIDIR DE LOS
PUEBLOS PRINTZIPIO DEMOKRATIKOAREN APLIKAZIOARI
BURUZKO JARDUNALDIAK.HERRIEN ERABAKITZEKO
ESKUBIDEA
Conferencia / Hitzaldia

• El reconocimiento de la realidad nacional de
  Flandes'

Flandeseko errealitate nazionalaren
errekonozimendua
Hizlaria / ponente GEERT LAMBERT.
SENADOR/SENATARIA VLAAMS PROGRESSIEVEN
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België Quo Vadis?
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The worst crises in years

• On more than one level
• Political total disorder without perspectives
• Economical and budget-level
• International economic situation
• Internally in Belgium debts of 82 BBP (290
  miljard euro, ¼of the budget needed to pay
  debts)?
• Political situation makes it impossible to make
  choices

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What are the causes of this situation?

• Country of 2 cultures and 2 'speeds'
• Belgium knew 3 main differences
• Reliogion Flanders catholic, Wallonia less
  religious
• Cultural Dutch vs French
• Economic Flanders more prosperous than Wallonia
  (19the C. Agriculture vs Industry - 20th C. Small
  and Medium Enterprises vs Old fashioned
  Industry)?
• Those main differences weakened, but the
  interaction between the regions completely
  disappeared

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Thus totally different political options
Though one country, the regions vote complettely
different and have other political aspirations
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How to solve this problem

• Since 1970 steps towards federalism
• In the beginning only cultural autonomy (Wallonia
  and CVP-party thought this was enough),
  afterwards larger cultural domains (education),
  and economical sector (public traffic, public
  works) and even larger (foreign trade)?
• Main problem double 3-level federalism

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How to solve the problem?

• In Flanders call for economic and social
  regionalisation
• In Wallonia call for more 'belgium'. Why?
• Money-transfer (Wallonia is not selfsufficient)?
• Culture francofonie
• More attention towards the world and fear that
  smaller regions will not be able to play any role
  at all

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• Flemish movement has been chosing the
  step-by-step approach. Was this the good choice?

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Ass difficult as it can be there is the
knowledge that a constitutional reform will be
necessary

• But, once again, some problems
• Real ones
• Political

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Real problems

• Quid Brussels situation of Brussels is crucial
  in constitutional reform
• Brussel Vlaams?
• Corridor en axe Wallo-Brux?
• Brussels District of Europe?
• A symbol and real problem electoral district of
  Brussel Halle Vilvoorde (situated in 2
  regions, mainly Flanders, but Frenchspeaking
  parties get very large number of voters)?
• On the other hand people realise that
  regionalisation is faisable
• Example trains and public trafic
• Also European legislations forces to cut down in
  state companies (post - telephone)?

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Political problems

• Elections in 2009 solutions and compromises can
  be difficult
• Electoral district BHV
• Electoral position of CDV and her former partner
  N-VA
• A though elections on the same date? No!
• Personal disputes
• Di Rupo (SOC) vs Reynders (LIB) in Wallonia,
  Leterme (PM Belgium) vs Peeters (PM Flanders) in
  Flanders

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Result

• No progress whatsoever
• Octopus I
• Electoral district BHV
• Even enormous delays

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No progress at all!

• Migration
• Pensionproblem with more elderly people
• Climate change war of the trees
• Budget no possibility to make choices
• During last 15 months, nothing got voted in
  Federal parliament

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Result

• Fear for identical situation as in late 70ties
  beginning 80ties no solutions for internal
  constitutional problems and very large growth of
  public debt
• Danger for neo-belgians
• Exemaple of Cultural scene
• Exemaple of 'real problems', but these are also
  linked with constitutional problems
• Mobility around Antwerp ans Brussels
• Cost of social security
• Even problems within policeforces

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Once again how to resolve these problems?

• Belgium should be disappearing between Europe and
  his regions
• Our constitutions already has an option of
  confederalism two separate states working
  together
• Timing? Unknown

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To consider

• What will we do with Brussels
• Which Flanders do we want
• Politics needs no fear
• European integration could help us a lot