Title: El reconocimiento de la realidad nacional de Flandes'
1JORNADAS 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
2België Quo Vadis?
3The 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
4What 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
5Thus totally different political options
Though one country, the regions vote complettely
different and have other political aspirations
6How 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
7How 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
8- Flemish movement has been chosing the
step-by-step approach. Was this the good choice?
9Ass difficult as it can be there is the
knowledge that a constitutional reform will be
necessary
- But, once again, some problems
- Real ones
- Political
10Real 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)?
11Political 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
12Result
- No progress whatsoever
- Octopus I
- Electoral district BHV
- Even enormous delays
13No 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
14Result
- 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
15Once 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
16To consider
- What will we do with Brussels
- Which Flanders do we want
- Politics needs no fear
- European integration could help us a lot