Belgian Election thread !

**Moros** · 06-16-2007, 10:05

Indeed I'm not against a reform if it makes sense and has been tough about and ofcourse is benefitial for the population. Why bother reforming our state if dosn't help a ****, but only is used to be able to say: "we reformed the state, so we have kept our word, so keep voting for us". Cause really that's what most parties are about. NVa might care, but CD&V? Jo Vandeurzen doesn't care a bit, the only thing why the CD&V is talking about the reforms is because they know it'll get them votes. And they were right.
Really I see it to mostly why they won, they were the first not to much right winged party who talked about it. And the first big one who ciould actually get into a governement.

**Kralizec** · 06-16-2007, 20:03

Originally Posted by doc_bean

-I actually think the idea of always having a Flemish minister is kinda perverse, especially with all the complaining going on about the influence of the Walloon politician on Belgian policy. I'd say the best course of action for CD&V-NVA would be to not take the prime minister post and use their political credit to reform the state, since that's what they promised.

I thought that you need to be bilingual to be the federal prime minister- how many Walloonish (?) politicians can claim that?

It's normal in parliamentary democracies that the largest party provides the prime minister. I can't even think of a single exception.

**doc_bean** · 06-16-2007, 20:09

Originally Posted by Kralizec

I thought that you need to be bilingual to be the federal prime minister- how many Walloonish (?) politicians can claim that?

It's normal in parliamentary democracies that the largest party provides the prime minister. I can't even think of a single exception.

Sorry should have said prime minister, bilinguality is indeed a must, Louis Michel is perfectly bilingual, Reynders is pretty good, Di Rupo's Dutch has improved but is still lacking.

You don't expect the US to always make a Californian or a Texan president do you ?

**Kralizec** · 06-16-2007, 20:41

Originally Posted by doc_bean

Sorry should have said prime minister, bilinguality is indeed a must, Louis Michel is perfectly bilingual, Reynders is pretty good, Di Rupo's Dutch has improved but is still lacking.

You don't expect the US to always make a Californian or a Texan president do you ?

Well, as I said it's considered normal that the leader of the largest party becomes the PM. Isn't it logical that the party wich has the most voters behind him gets the most important office?
I suppose that in the coalition negotiations LeTerme could offer to drop the office in favour of some concessions, but those would be so significant that I don't think any Wallish (?) party would agree to it.

I suppose the problem could be adressed by removing the language division in federal elections, so that all Belgians vote for the same parties. Doesn't seem likely to happen...
The other way would be to "deflate" Flemish votes by abandoning the proportional system, and give both Flanders and Wallony an equal amount of seats in parliament to be distributed according to votes. That seems unfair, and even less likely to happen.

**doc_bean** · 06-16-2007, 21:58

Originally Posted by Kralizec

I suppose the problem could be adressed by removing the language division in federal elections, so that all Belgians vote for the same parties. Doesn't seem likely to happen...

The Walloons often ask for this, but it is much protested by the Flemsih because although we are the minority it's our 'culture' that apparently needs protecting (living near the language border, I somewhat agree with the reasoning).

The other way would be to "deflate" Flemish votes by abandoning the proportional system,

We don't have a true proportional system, seats are assigned per 'province' so that the french speaking parts gets 40 and the Dutch speaking part 60 percent of the 'chairs' (not quite sure about the senate, i assume it's equally proportioanl) sometimes this can change a little because of brussels but I think we now have a perfect 60/40 split between Flemish and walloon parties.

and give both Flanders and Wallony an equal amount of seats in parliament to be distributed according to votes.
That seems unfair, and even less likely to happen.

Yeah, never going to happen, that would give their vote nearly twice as much power as ours.

**Moros** · 06-18-2007, 14:10

senate isn't that 25 chairs vs 15 chairs?

anyway, these days quite alot Walloons can talj dutch decently. I think we need to be fair about that, they really did improve.

Also I wouldn't partically mind if Reynders would become prime minister, he can speak Dutch plus the liberals are countrywise the biggest... So in that perspective he deserves it more than Yves. Tough I wonder what the reaction of a lot of Flemish will be... As they always have the feeling they are ruled by the walloons while in fact it's the other way around.