ProFlandria has translated a post from the VB website, and follows it with his commentary:
11.22.2007 17.46u — The Flemish parties in the federal House [of Representatives] have just voted against considering Vlaams Belang’s proposal to split Belgium. In doing so, they have provided the proof of their devotion to the Belgian state, as demanded by the Walloons. This is remarkable given that the consideration of a proposal is a formality which does not contain a judgment on the core of the issue. Voting for the consideration is, in fact, a sign that in a democracy any proposal can at least be discussed. After debate, when the proposal is to be evaluated on its merits, one can still vote against [adopting the proposal].
This is the reason why the consideration of this same identical proposal from Vlaams Belang in the previous legislature was supported by all Flemish parties without reservation. Today, however, those same parties are folding in the face of the [Walloon] dictate to, as “Le Soir” puts it, “Isolate Vlaams Belang, the party which proposes the independence of Flanders”, and in doing so, those parties prove their unconditional loyalty to Belgium. The positions of Bart De Wever and Jan Jambon (N-VA), who were strategically absent during the vote, was flatly disappointing.
ProFlandria comments:
These proceedings once again demonstrate how pernicious the Belgian construct is. As soon as the prospect of participating in a Federal government is dangled in front of the Flemish “mainstream” parties, they voluntarily submit themselves to Walloon pressure to conform to the existing status quo — which is uniformly detrimental to Flanders. Vlaams Belang is shunned into lonely opposition due to its pro-independence platform, while the other Flemish parties time and again experience the fact that the Belgian construct cannot be reformed from within.
1 comment:
This shows a lack of integrity and a focus on short term political gain. In the long run (perhaps not very long), this is going to prove extremely short sighted. It shows a serious lack of unity among the Flemings and their willingness to be exploited by the Walloons. This will come back to haunt them in the near future.
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