Flanders Today

So the talks led by Elio Di Rupo on forming a government have failed, leaving no other option than...getting back to talking with the same parties. The elements of an institutional compromise are already on the table. They include a split of the Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde(BHV) constituency and a revision of the law defining how the budget is divided between the different levels of government.

Anja Otte

(September 1, 2010)

Family week

There was a time when ministers could not be bothered too much about things as mundane as family. Most of them were “absent fathers” (needless to say, most of them were men), suffering in silence when they were not around after tragic accidents or to mourn deceased grandchildren. Anne Martens, daughter of Wilfried Martens, has recalled how hard it was growing up with (or rather without) her father, prime minister for more than 10 years.

Anja Otte

(August 4, 2010)

Taboos

When it comes to state reform, almost every party has taboos. For a long time, state reform in itself was a taboo to the French speakers. We ask for nothing, they would say. This put them in an excellent negotiating position, but it has contributed to the political standstill since 2007.

Anja Otte

(July 28, 2010)

Keep it in the family

One of the hardest things to explain about Belgian politics is the fact that there are no national parties. Each language group has its Christian Democrats, its socialists, its liberals, its greens and so on. They are alike in some ways, but different in many aspects. They are called “political families” but, as in real life, you cannot choose your family. You just have to live with them.

Anja Otte

(July 20, 2010)

That bridge again

An old truth in Belgian politics is that the Flemish regional government is much more stable than the federal government (a hotbed of disputes and permanent culture clash). The Flemish government works almost like a company, with hardly any disagreement. It was always a beacon of stability, almost as if to illustrate the Flemish belief that “the things we do ourselves, we do better”.

Anja Otte

(July 14, 2010)

How not to lose your virginity

Not much is known about the talks that informateur Bart De Wever has had in the past two weeks, paving the way for the formation of a new federal government. Only one issue stands out so far: the political future of De Wever himself.

Anja Otte

(July 7, 2010)

Responsibility

The day after the elections, 14 June, did not turn out to be bijltjesdag: no party leaders were sacked by party members frustrated by the election results. This is quite remarkable, given that this election has produced plenty of losers. More remarkable still was the resignation of Marianne Thyssen as president of CD&V, two weeks later.

Anja Otte

(June 30, 2010)

Bijltjesdag

The federal elections brought everything one could have hoped: a short but sharp campaign, a surprising outcome, a clear winner and a totally new political landscape – which carries with it the promise of a fresh start.

Anja Otte

(June 23, 2010)

The Rule

Flemish politics are governed by The Rule, which is: the party that “owns” the theme that dominates the campaign wins the election. If the big theme is social security or redistribution, the socialists win. If it’s food or environmental safety, the greens win. If everyone is talking about budgetary orthodoxy, then it’s time for the liberals to cash in. If relations between the Dutch and the French speakers dominates, the nationalists are in for sure. And this last theme is exactly what is going on at the moment.

Anja Otte

(June 2, 2010)

Any other party

Over the past two decades, the international media has been obsessed with just one party
in Flanders: the Vlaams Belang (previously Vlaams Blok) and its mixture of separatism
and xenophobia, leading to conclusions about this region being narrow minded and racist.

Anja Otte

(May 25, 2010)