[Golden Legacy]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_...iles/999709.stm
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/09/get-rea...reakup-belgium/

So apparently Belgium has been without a national government for quite sometime now, and there is even talk of the nation splitting. We'd have Flanders and Wallonia, the Dutch and French-speaking regions respectively, possibly becoming their own nation-states. Brussels, the current capital of Belgium, could go a number of different routes (de facto capital of one or both states, becoming independent similar to the Vatican). It's even possible that Flanders and Wallonia, should Belgium be split, would consider joining the Netherlands and France respectively, which adds to all this.

That's just a (very) simplified background, and there are a lot more dimensions to this. I'm curious what people think. I'd especially be curious to hear from our fellow Dutch members, if you have heard about this. What do you think?

[I'm Always BROKE]

We're in the news a lot lately. O.o To be honest, I'm suprised. I don't think that Belgium will get split up honestly. In the Netherlands, we to are without a national government now for quite some time.

And we always are, really. >_> Out of 12 months a year, at least 6 we are without a government. And when we DO have our set of dorks who want to lead this country further, they come with shitty extremely conservative nationalism, and they get massive votes even.. I always found it strange how we were viewed by the whole world as the 'western hippies' while in reality most Dutch people are conservative as fuck, and have misplaced national pride.

So if anything, Belgium wouldn't get divided under France and the Netherlands. Or at least, Flanders wouldn't get ruled by us. I don't know about France, but it seems more likely.

[Saturos S.]

Diddy Kong, on Sep 6 2010, 07:43 AM, said:

We're in the news a lot lately. O.o To be honest, I'm suprised. I don't think that Belgium will get split up honestly. In the Netherlands, we to are without a national government now for quite some time.

And we always are, really. >_> Out of 12 months a year, at least 6 we are without a government. And when we DO have our set of dorks who want to lead this country further, they come with shitty extremely conservative nationalism, and they get massive votes even.. I always found it strange how we were viewed by the whole world as the 'western hippies' while in reality most Dutch people are conservative as fuck, and have misplaced national pride.

So if anything, Belgium wouldn't get divided under France and the Netherlands. Or at least, Flanders wouldn't get ruled by us. I don't know about France, but it seems more likely.

It isn't that bad. We've had a government for the last 3 years and just now happen to have a 2-3 month period without a government because the coalition talks aren't going too well. The problem in Holland now is that the stable center party which normally is in the coalition government lost quite a bit of the votes and a small (racist) right wing party gained a lot of votes, therefore the normal coalitions can't be made. Now they're looking at an option of what they call a "purple plus" coalition. That being the traditional right wing (blue) and left wing (red) party together in a coalition with two smaller progressive parties. But because there are so many parties and there isn't one party with a significant majority, coalition talks have been failing a bit.

Holland really is quite a liberal country in it's law (on a lot of parts) but for some reason we have a quite conservative way of thinking. Quite a popular saying is: "Doe maar normaal want dan doe je al gek genoeg" = "Act normal because then you're being wierd enough"

As for Belgium, it'll take quite a lot more for them to actually split up but they have had government troubles for quite some time now. So it'll be interesting to see what happens to them. O, and I agree on the splitting up part, doubt Flanders will join Holland as a country. More likely that they'll become autonomous.

[Toasty]

Well that sucks. They made some darn good waffles.

[Moonear]

Saturos S., on Sep 5 2010, 11:56 PM, said:

Holland really is quite a liberal country in it's law (on a lot of parts) but for some reason we have a quite conservative way of thinking. Quite a popular saying is: "Doe maar normaal want dan doe je al gek genoeg" = "Act normal because then you're being wierd enough"

Hmm, that's an interesting point. For some reason, I had a stereotype that the Dutch were mostly liberal. So I'm guessing it would take a lot for the government to decide to split up?

Quote

Well that sucks. They made some darn good waffles.

Wow, just wow.

[Caael]

There's a difference between Liberal and not giving a shit. The Dutch are the latter. I hate to stereotype and generalise, but generally thats basically how their politics work.

[Toasty]

I don't think anyone is taking this seriously enough. We're losing our prime source of high-quality waffles!

[Zeypher]

Toasty, on Sep 7 2010, 02:32 AM, said:

I don't think anyone is taking this seriously enough. We're losing our prime source of high-quality waffles!

We still have Waffle House.

[Saturos S.]

Caael, on Sep 6 2010, 06:28 PM, said:

There's a difference between Liberal and not giving a shit. The Dutch are the latter. I hate to stereotype and generalise, but generally thats basically how their politics work.

Not giving a shit and being neutral are quite different things. That we don't stick are nose into other people's business like some other countries (you know which I mean) doesn't mean "we don't give a shit."\

But according to the British Belgium is a non-country anyway or at least Nigel Farrage says so.

[Caael]

Nigel Ferrage's opinion doesn't count.

And "not giving a shit" is an informal way of saying "Laissez Faire" politics; 'leave it alone' and remaining fairly passive. I dont mean literally the government are like "fuck this", just they dont get involved in things that dont concern them for the majority of the time.

[Ironsight]

Toasty, on Sep 6 2010, 05:15 AM, said:

Well that sucks. They made some darn good waffles.

And chocolate.

[Toasty]

Yeah, but at least we still have the Swiss as a backup. Not so for waffles. :'(

[Ironsight]

I see. Well, you're right then; a world without Belgian Waffles is not a world I want to live in!