Belgium about to break up?

[Aldebaran]

I'm still prepared to accept that you do know something about Belgium, but it doesn't appear that you know very much about the Dutch.

Well, seen the fact that almost all of my mother's family is Belgian, that I was sent back and forth overthere since I was a baby, have properties & business & did a fair amount of my university studies there, that one of my friends is politician (and was on the list for the chamber, last election) ... It would be very abnormal would I be oblivious to what is going on there.
As for The Netherlands... Not that much -which is like I said typical Belgian - but I have long-time friends there. Although it must be said they all live rather close to the Belgian border

salaam.

 

[Lock&Light]

Well, seen the fact that almost all of my mother's family is Belgian, that I was sent back and forth overthere since I was a baby, have properties & business & did a fair amount of my university studies there, that one of my friends is politician (and was on the list for the chamber, last election) ... It would be very abnormal would I be oblivious to what is going on there.

I know about your Belgian connections. I'm suggesting that you clearly don't know the Dutch as well as you know the Belgians if you think there is no interest here in what happens to our southern neighbour.

 

[Aldebaran]

Well, maybe there is some upbeaten-by-media instant "interest" right now, I'm speaking in general. How many Dutch even knew who was prime minister of Belgium before the current circus began?

salaam.

 

[Lock&Light]

How many Dutch even knew who was prime minister of Belgium before the current circus began?

Probably about as many as know who the Dutch Minister for Foreign Affairs is, I expect.

 

[Aldebaran]

Aha, but who is the Belgian Minister of foreign affairs.

salaam.

 

[Lock&Light]

Aha, but who is the Belgian Minister of foreign affairs.

Is it still, or at least still as caretaker, De Gucht?

 

[Divisive Cotton]

If it does break up I hope there'll still be Belgium chocolates though

 

[Aldebaran]

Is it still, or at least still as caretaker, De Gucht?

He still is, just like all the others still are, Verhofstadt included.
As long as there is no new government, the former one stays on but only allowed to deal with "running affairs" (lopende zaken).

salaam.

 

[Aldebaran]

If it does break up I hope there'll still be Belgium chocolates though

No problem. They go international too (try Godiva)

salaam.

 

[Belushi]

The crisis appears to deepening

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2220544,00.html

 

[Aldebaran]

The only thing that happened is what should have happened long ago.
Now there are more chances to get out of the problems than there was any time before (probably Didier Reynders appointed to form a government which brings alolng the picturing that Verhofstadt comes back, all of which was my prediction from the start of this whole charade).

salaam.

 

[Lock&Light]

Now there are more chances to get out of the problems than there was any time before (probably Didier Reynders appointed to form a government which brings alolng the picturing that Verhofstadt comes back, all of which was my prediction from the start of this whole charade).

I don't see the Flemish giving up their demands so easily. The next election, whenever it comes, isn't likely to produce anything very different than the present combinations.

 

[quimcunx]

I have no idea but I might ask my Flemish ex-colleague.

Kosovo and Serbia might be kicking off in the next couple of months though, so I hear from several Serbs. They are actually quite concerned there might be some skirmishes at the border.

 

[amatis]

The only thing that happened is what should have happened long ago.

Very true.

Now there are more chances to get out of the problems than there was any time before (probably Didier Reynders appointed to form a government which brings alolng the picturing that Verhofstadt comes back, all of which was my prediction from the start of this whole charade).

That is also true. Everyone was waiting for Reynders to come first and maybe be premier or Verhofstadt back.
The king has asked Verhofstadt directly. This is never seen before: the premier who lost the elections must make a new government and when you hear the hints everyone thinks he is the only who can be the next premier.

 

[amatis]

I don't see the Flemish giving up their demands so easily. The next election, whenever it comes, isn't likely to produce anything very different than the present combinations.

There is no next election (and can't before BHV is split up) and Belgian politics is always a blanket with many colors and patchwork and stitching.
Special now is that a major party (CD&V) made a coalition with a very little one (NVA) and allows that this little separist party blocks every negotiation again and again. The sooner they throw them out the better.
Special is that the premier they want (Leterme) is not a politician but a child that want a candy and he has no idea how to govern a country. He thinks "Flemish" while he should think "Belgian".
Everyone is sick of it.
Viva Verhofstadt!! (what most of Belgium thinks now.)