The Political Situation in Belgium as of Last Night

The Political Situation in Belgium as of Last Night (Nov 7th 2007).

Yesterday’s resolution by the Flemish dominated Home Affairs Committee to split the electoral constituency of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde (BHV) was more than just a political maneuver [VRT Flem]; it was another blow in a cultural fight that has been ongoing for 177 years. The motion however, will likely lead to a crucial timeout rather than a full-blown brawl.

Since independence in 1830 [CIA], Belgium has seen great tension between its two largest linguistic groups, the Flemish and Francophone communities. Hoping to quell rising friction between the two groups, political authorities amended the Constitution in the 1970s and �80s, politically dividing the small country into a federation of three linguistic regions: Flemish-speaking Flanders in the North, French-speaking Wallonia in the South and bilingual Brussels Capital Region located in mid-southern Flanders [Judt 709]. The creation of these semi-autonomous regions effectively eliminated the concept of truly national political parties, with politicians able to stand for election only within their linguistic boundaries. The only exception to these political borders is the BHV constituency.

Despite its geographical location within Flanders, the primarily French BHV constituency enjoys the special privilege of voting across the linguistic divide. While a constitutional right of Brussels, this political exception for the Halle-Vilvoorde area was the result of compromise between French and Flemish parties during the reforms of the 1970s and �80s [Buffin de Chosal]. Yesterday however, on the pretense that it allows Francophone politicians to gain support from within Flanders when there is no such mirrored exception in Wallonia for Flemish politicians, it is this compromise that the Flemings voted to do away with [VRT BH]. But beneath their spoken arguments of it being unfair and unconstitutional , the BHV constituency represents more to many Flemings than a handful of votes; it is an opportunity to suppress a Francophone community that had once suppressed them.

As with the Flemings, the BHV constituency symbolizes more than just votes for the Francophone community. The loss of it would demonstrate just how far the French-speaking Belgians have fallen in political dominance; unable to protect the interest of their brethren living in Flanders. But while they may portray themselves as victims, the present day Francophone community is not entirely innocent either. Over the past decades, most French-speaking Belgians have been unwilling to learn basic Flemish, despite many Flemings possessing a working knowledge of French. This arrogant lack of courtesy on behalf of the Francophone community has only served to antagonize their Flemish counterparts.

The BHV issue has come to symbolize the enduring differences of the two linguistic communities and their historical resentment of each other. It has further alienated the two groups, preventing the country’s top political heads from building the needed coalition