I have to admit that I am largely ignorant of the current issues, but I find the possibility that a major(ish) European country might be no more within my lifetime. I, of course, think that if the country democratically decides to split up that it should be allowed to do so. What does everyone think about this? Will Belgium break up, and if so how will it do so? Will we see two new countries, an enlarged France or The Netherlands, or some combination thereof?
Belgium to me is an interesting country. It was a mix-matched country to begin with, and likely wouldn’t have formed naturally. Despite that they manage to put together a great economy and competed with the big boys during the colonial times. It also has a disproportionate impact on European affairs due to it being between France and Germany. It would kind of suck to see them go (What would we call Belgian Waffles?), but I can see why they would want to split up.
Well Checkoslovakia split up in about 1993 and Yugoslavia just before that.
If they do split I can’t see either France or the Netherlands being particularly keen to take on Flanders and Wallonia respectively. The standard of living is apparently much lower and there is quite high unemployment in Wallonia.
Anyway, a country that puts mayonaise on its chips needs sorting out one way or another.
What’s weird is that I almost posted a thread with a title identical to this one. It must suggest itself.
Seems like these days with the common market and common currency that’s it’s almost immaterial if Belgium is one country or two. I think maybe the French half should throw in its lot with Luxembourg, and the Flemish half should go with Liechtenstein. Imagine the comic-opera frothiness of a soccer match between Wallonia-Luxembourg and Flanders-Liechtenstein.
Belgium has a higher GDP per capita than either France or the Netherlands. It would at least be beneficial for one of France or the Netherlands to take on their portion of Belgium.
That’s true, but I consider that just continued fall out from the fall of the USSR.
If they split up, it’s their own fault, with that name. I mean, what would intergalactic travelers THINK of us, when they see a country with that name? What sort of barbarians would call a country THAT WORD?
I have never really understood. Would NL and France really want to take up their parts? If we ended up with Belgium being TWO countries then it would just be ridiculous. I don’t know much about the Walloons and the Vlaams to say whether or not they have much to do with it. I have heard, from a french friend, that the French part of Belgium is akin to comparing America and Canada. Eerily similar. I suppose if Canada was in a similar situation, would they have any gripe with joining America? I think the Canadians would, but their situation is different. They aren’t being torn apart from both sides. They are simply repelling Americanism because it’s the only thing to do.
Really, what’s the difference between being a part of France and not? The biggest advantage would be economic, but with the EU the difference is minimal. I think it would be better to just be your own country and set your own laws. Perhaps they could become an autonomous region of France. Unify the military and such but keep most of the government separate.
The Vlaams would be in a better position because if they joined the Netherlands it would be much closer to a merger, whereas it would be more of an annexation by France. They also have a big advantage in (presumably) bringing Antwerp where ever they go.
I agree, although it’s hard to imagine a merger in either case. It’s funny, because in some sense the EU can be seen as a reason to split up, but in other senses it can be seen as a reason not to.
This is rather interesting, and I didn’t know there was so much consternation in Belgium. The linked article suggests that separatism is more strongly favored by the Flemish, and not so strongly favored by the Walloons. What if one side wants out and the other doesn’t?
150 years ago that would have caused a European war. Anyways, I gather that the two “countries” are basically autonomous from each other. There hasn’t been a national government for 3 months and no one seems to care that much. If one side wants out while the other doesn’t I’d imagine that power would be even more divested from the national government. I mean, I can’t imagine a shooting civil war would break out in Belgium.
That’s pretty funny, when you think about it. Nobody seems to care. Sometimes centralized governments take themselves too seriously in a federal system, which appears to be what they have.
No they can’t be two seperate countries, because if you did that, then you’d have the Catalans, and the Basques and the Provenciales and the Bavarians, and the Valencians, and the Scottish and the Welsh and nearly anyone else who has the desire to make their own little country nowadays. Belgium was a stretch to begin with but now it’s not plausible.
Whats wrong with having the Catalans, and the Basques and the Provenciales and the Bavarians, and the Valencians, and the Scottish and the Welsh? If you can get a reasonable sized geographic/population area together that want to be their own country why not?
There are Basque and Scottish independence movements already. And there may be others, but I don’t know anything about them. Why should the Belgians stay together because of what the Catalans want?
Well, I don’t actually care, but at some point you have to realize that it’s better to focus on the things that unite people rather than those that divide you. If you had to divide every European nation into its constituent parts you’d end up with over a hundred collections of principalities, which would then probably further want to split off. The Valencians and Catalans can’t agree to have a unified front in their independence movements from Spain. Next thing you’ll have even further parts wanting to split up. But if that’s where Europe wants to go, then I guess I don’t care.
I just think it’s silly, At some point you have to stop drawing lines and say, okay, we might be slightly different, but yes, we can share a country. Then there will be a country with at least two people.
The EU is a huge complicated regulatory mess as it is without each member state subdividing into its constituent parts. I would certainly love for my part of the US to be its own country but I also realize that living in the US is probably much better for things to remain as they are.
And besides, France and NL taking up the respective parts is a lot tidier. One less country to remember!
Has seperation ever really worked out for any country? It seems that in most cases the whole really is greater than the sum of the parts. Belgium might be a third rate country but Flanders and Wallonia will be a couple of fifth rate countries.