Belgian elections 25th May, 2014

[Velasco]

Belgium is a curious example of how a country can function without actually needing a 'functional' government. In fact, the country was functioning quite well with an acting government government between June 2010 and December 2011. I don't know why people insist in dismantling such a lovely nation

[EPG]

It is not clear to me that Belgium's difficulties in creating a federal government in recent years have harmed Belgians' quality of life. We often forget their powerful sub-national governments. When they've really needed federal action, they've overcome their divisions to implement policy, like the banking crises late last decade.

[politicus]

It is not clear to me that Belgium's difficulties in creating a federal government in recent years have harmed Belgians' quality of life. We often forget their powerful sub-national governments. When they've really needed federal action, they've overcome their divisions to implement policy, like the banking crises late last decade.

True. It would just be easier and simpler to drop the one country pretense and make it a loose confederation with a small council responsible for implementing common policies agreed by the three parlaments in the constituent parts.

[Zanas]

By the way: Do there exist any polls, asking the Wallons to choose betweem an independent Wallonia or being part of France?

There has been, yes. I don't remember the results, but they were quite spread out iirc. They should date back from 2010-11 when they had no federal government. Wiki's your friend.

[Diouf]

Belgium could get its first female PM

http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/News/140905_belgium-government-prime-minister

[GAworth]

It is impressive to me that the FDF got 13% in Brussels, I lived there for a short time back in 2012 and they were becoming a force, but I still can't believe they have become that strong, said to see the polarization continue.
Also, anyone know the results by region in Brussels, particularly Uccle or Ixelles?

FDF are the only reason MR won in BHV in  2007. That was a pretty shocking election result considering Brussels' working class districts made it a PS stronghold for many a year. When scission of BHV was discussed pretty much any free minded centre-left voter who didn't want to end up in Flanders voted for them.

I think today Bruxselwa are really feeling hard done by by their parents - and in particular its surrounding provinces Walloon and Flemish Brabant - who constantly dump sh**t on them like the Zaventem flight plan and the fact that people who live in low-tax areas like the two Brabants work in Brussels, clogged up their roads and paid nothing to the Brussels regional government for it. Once FDF divorced itself from MR it was allowed to criticise the party's constant favoritism towards the Brabant Wallon elite (without which MR would be nowhere near the scores they are currently getting) and the suggestion that Brussels could become ''The Berlin of Belgium'' co-governed by two outside powers that Bruxselwa refuse to associate themselves with : Flanders and Wallonia. Even if Maingain wants closer ties with Wallonia, he isn't afraid to criticise the status quo in both regions.

Also, FDF presented itself as a centrist and social liberal alternative. The other centrists CDH (usually quite strong in places like Ixelles) lost a good deal of support due to the Wathelet flight plan. I know many students (those with critical minds and that don't vote for their parents' pillar) who deserted the 3 traditional parties for either FDF or PTB-Go! because their socio-economic plans actually offered something interesting yet feasable.

I voted FDF because I hate modern Flemish nationalism and I hate the 3 traditional parties. Because I live in Brabant Wallon (but consider myself as Bruxselwa) I wasn't going to waste my vote on PTB. It's like Chabrol's favorite line when it comes to politics : ''Je vote Communiste á Neuilly''

By the way: Do there exist any polls, asking the Wallons to choose betweem an independent Wallonia or being part of France?

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rattachisme#Situation_actuelle_dans_l.27opinion

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That's only in case Belgium collapses. We have the RWF party which is rattachiste and it gets a token 3% every election day from the hardline francophiles.. 

Magnette (PS president) actually suggested that Wallonia could be part of a Federal Germany provided they receive full linguistic rights.  Considering the strong links between the two PSs that is a big statement.

Thanks for that, greatly appreciated.

[Diouf]

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With regards to who should be the PM

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http://blogs.wsj.com/brussels/2014/09/16/belgium-government-talks-on-home-straight/

[Diouf]

The government negotiations have finished. Charles Michel of the liberal Mouvement Réformateur will be the next PM. He will be the first French-speaking liberal to be PM since Paul-Emile Janson in 1937

One part of the government programme is a pension reform: http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws.english/Politics/141007_Negotiations_pensions


http://www.france24.com/en/20141007-belgium-centre-right-reaches-coalition-deal-government/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

[Zinneke]

That MR as the only Wallon party would nominate the PM was expectable.

Had N-VA not been a seperatist party they would have had the choice of PM.