euro|topics - A crisis at the heart of Europe

Main focus of Wednesday, July 16, 2008

A crisis at the heart of Europe

The Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme has resigned after only one hundred days in office. His government collapsed as a result of conflict between the country's linguistic groups over the question of autonomy. What consequences will this state crisis at the heart of Europe have for the rest of the EU?

Süddeutsche Zeitung - Germany

The Süddeutsche Zeitung points out that the Belgian governmental crisis will have repercussions throughout Europe: "Anyone who looks into the causes of the newly inflamed Belgian crisis cannot fail to recognise the personal responsibility of this hapless head of government. ... But before we start complaining about political incompetence in this small country, we should remember one thing. The Flemish are aggressively demanding more regional autonomy, which the Walloons are fearfully opposing. For all the political intriguing, what is really at stake here is the deep desire for self-determination, identity and social affiliation. Belgium's laborious search for inner equilibrium is not rural folklore. It concerns all of Europe." (16/07/2008)

Postimees - Estonia

According to the Estonian daily Postimees, the governmental crisis in Belgium presents major problems for the EU: "Belgium is the most decentralised country in the entire EU. The regions of Flanders and Wallonia have their own parliaments and their own governments, but in the past few years the language dispute has escalated rather than improved. It took more than 200 days to form a new government, and now that government has collapsed after just 100 days in power. In view of recent events in Belgium, does the West still believe that instable governments are confined to Eastern Europe? Will an OSCE mission now be dispatched to Belgium to look into possible human rights abuses? What is more, it is rather ironic that the paralysis of an EU member state can have the effect of blocking the entire Union because certain procedures require the participation and approval of all member states, and therefore the situation in Belgium also has consequences for us Estonians." (16/07/2008)

La Repubblica - Italy

The daily La Repubblica sees the danger that Belgium in its current form could "disappear from the map of the EU. ... A francophone government is looming on the political horizon; there is talk of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Didier Reynders, the leader of the francophone Liberals, taking over. ... At the same time the domestic policy discussion has taken on a new quality, shifting from the current federal level at which the ruling parties negotiate the powers of the federal entities to a community level, at which the communities negotiate with each other directly. In view of the difficult economic situation and one of the highest inflation rates in the EU this could represent the last hope for preventing the disintegration of Belgium as a state." (16/07/2008)

NRC Handelsblad - Netherlands

Multicultural Belgium could set an example for Europe, writes the poet Benno Barnard in the national newspaper NRC Handelsblad: "Many people think that despite everything the end of Belgium would not be such a bad thing. But in thinking that way, they feed the largest monster of current European history. That monster is called ethnic nationalism, and it eats from the hand of the Vlaams Belang. ... Belgium has all the advantages of a multicultural state. Our country straddles the border between the Germanic and Romance worlds. Our location, our culture and our history make us true Europeans. ... Tensions are annoying, but they foster democracy. ... And I have still said nothing about my slightly romantic view of Belgium as a model for a possible United Europe. Such a Europe would certainly be somewhat sloppy, somewhat contradictory, a constant pain in the neck. But exactly that is the reality of a multicultural state. A large-scale version of Belgium, so to speak." (16/07/2008)

De Standaard - Belgium

Following the resignation of Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme, the daily De Standaard examines possible solutions to the crisis: "It is now clearer than ever that the country called Belgium needs to be rebuilt; that we need new and comprehensive dialogue on the relations between the different communities and the relations between the federal government, the communities and the municipalities. ... The consultations which King Albert resumed yesterday can be successful only if the Court and all the members of state involved realise that this country needs to be transformed from an imbalanced federal model into a balanced and united confederation model. Otherwise, with or without Leterme, we will shatter against the boundaries of the present system. Redefining these boundaries is the best guarantee for a social, economical and ecological policy that is tailored to meet the needs of Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia - that is of all Belgians." (16/07/2008)

» To the complete press review of Wednesday, July 16, 2008

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