PS prepares for the end of Belgium | Flanders Today

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The idea that the Flemish national N-VA, which is now the biggest party in Flanders, is engaging in a ‘strategy of decomposition' is gaining ground in francophone circles. During the pre-formation government talks N-VA chairman Bart De Wever said a few weeks ago that PS-negotiator Laurette Onkelinx could better prepare for the end of Belgium. “Don’t you worry,” the deputy prime minister answered: “we are already preparing for that". The reason behind these heated exchanges is undoubtedly the fact that the PS, just like all the other French-speaking parties, had increasingly little faith that the N-VA was truly seeking an agreement.



The only problem is that it is presently difficult to portray the N-VA as an unreasonable party that never wants to find concord. The CD&V and even the liberals in the VLD, who are not participating in the negotiations, have both made it clear they are on the same wavelength as the N-VA. All three parties say that Brussels can only receive additional funding on the condition that each region takes financial responsibility, which means that the budget for each region is made partly dependent on that region’s performance.



The Parti Socialiste is now emphasising that it is preparing for any possibility, should negotiations fail. Rudy Demotte, minister-president of Wallonia and the French Community, told the RTBF radio station on Saturday morning that the French-speaking population must consider all options. “Also those in which Wallonia takes control of itself.” PS deputy leader Philippe Moureaux already hinted at that on Friday, while on Sunday Laurette Onkelinx hammered another nail in during an interview in the newspaper La Dernière Heure. “We must prepare for the end of Belgium,” was her message. “We can no longer deny that this is the wish of a large portion of the Flemish population.”



The question remains who the PS is trying to reach with this message. The Flemish nationalists remain unimpressed by the show of muscle by the francophone socialists. “As soon as they have to accept their responsibilities, it suddenly becomes much more difficult during the negotiations,” says Flemish N-VA minister Phillipe Muyters. “But then, under the scenario of splitting up the country, they apparently now suddenly want to take on all responsibility. If they really had that responsible mentality, then we would have reached an agreement on state reform a long time ago.”


De Standaard /Vlaams-Brabant/Brussel ; Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT ; p.6