Belgium on the verge of breaking up
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...broken-up.html
Belgium on the point of breaking up
Quote:
Belgians must begin preparing for their country to be 'broken up and abolished', one of their top politicians has warned. Leading socialist MP Laurette Onkelinx spoke as King Albert II struggled frantically to kick-start coalition talks between feuding French and Flemish political parties. She issued her doom-laden prediction to national newspaper La Derniere Heure after negotiations with Flemish separatist leaders collapsed on Friday.
Quote:
Ms Onkelinx said: 'People must get ready for the break-up of Belgium. 'Let's hope it doesn't come to that because if we split, it will be the weakest who will pay the heaviest price. 'On the other hand, we can no longer ignore that among a large part of the Flemish population, it's their wish. 'So yes, we have to get ready for the abolition of Belgium. Otherwise we're cooked. 'When I look at the letters I receive, loads of people think it's possible. Our politicians have to be prepared.' King Albert II attempted to re-launch talks late on Saturday between Belgium's French-speaking Wallonia and Dutch-speaking Flanders state parliaments to secure a more stable government than the current fragile day-to-day coalition.
Belgium, which also holds the rotating presidency of the European Union until the end of the year, has not had a stable government since June 2007. The stark comments from Ms Onkelinx followed those of another leading francophone Socialist, Philippe Moureaux, who has said Belgium was on the verge of a 'progressive organisation of separation'. Wallonia state government head Rudy Demotte also told RTBF radio: 'All options are now open.' Meanwhile European Council President and former Belgian PM Herman Van Rompuy said he still believed there was a chance of a breakthrough in the negotiations.
Well this is quite interesting, a failed state due to each side wanting independence. Belgium was never a real country, I think it was created (correct me if i'm wrong) after the Battle of Waterloo. This should serve as a warning for the European Union and even the United Kingdom in that each country wants its independence. It also begs the question, why is a small country which is on the verge of breaking up, telling 26 other countries what to do?
The original speech can be seen on this link of which many (including on here) rubbished the claim.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daily Mail best-rated comment
Remember the rumpus over Nigel Farage's remarks? Mr Farage claimed that divisions between its two major linguistic and regional groups, the Flemish and the Walloons, would soon lead to a permanent split in the country. "The country was an artificial construction and we're now at a point where the Flems and the Walloons are barely on speaking terms. Belgium is a prototype for the entire European Union. Belgium is going to split, it'll do it within the next few years... and when you criticise Belgium, you criticise the flawed European Union model, and that's why they're really upset with me."
Both Labour's Hain and Tory Fox rubbished his remarks at the time. It seems that Farage is a more astute politician than the two aforementioned. Even more amusing is that Janet Street Porter accused him of being racist over his comments, to which he replied asking whether she thought he was being racist towards the Flems or the Walloons - she couldn't answer that.
- CD, Scotland, 6/9/2010 13:47
In the affair of Belgium though, I wish them well in the coming split whether it be now or a couple of years into the future. Below is the map of Belgium by the way and the divide which is there.
Flanders
Walloon (including Brussels in the middle of Flanders)
Thoughts?
