The optimism that emerged after the June elections has evaporated, as the formation talks drag on in the same way they did in 2007. With the French speakers, however, some things have changed. They seem, for one thing, to have lost their fear of abandonment, which often paralysed them in the past.

In 2006, a fake TV news report on a French-language channel called "Bye Bye Belgium" was enough to send many of its French-speaking viewers into a panic (while its lack of realism stunned the Flemish). These days, however, French-speaking politicians talk more and more - and in less apocalyptical terms - about "Plan B": the end of Belgium.

This, they say, is not something that they want, but they are preparing themselves for it nonetheless. They even have a clear idea about the future shape of their country. That would be Wallo-Brux (although it seems unlikely that this would be its actual name), comprising Wallonia and Brussels.

The French-speaking scenarios all start from the idea of a Flemish break-away. Yet, paradoxically, there are few similar scenarios in Flanders. One reason for this is that the idea of independence is less attractive for the Flemish than most French speakers fear. Even the nationalist N-VA, which has Flemish independence as its ultimate goal, remains vague about Plan B, stating merely that Belgium will "dissolve" somehow into a European level of government and regional levels.

The main issue that remains unclear is what would happen to Brussels should Flanders become independent. Brussels is both the capital of Belgium and of the region of Flanders. It is also the workplace of hundreds of thousands of Flemish commuters. Because of this, the old Flemish nationalist rhetoric often included phrases such as "not giving up on Brussels".

Maybe that is why Plan B is less discussed in Flanders, as an independent Flanders might involve exactly that.