Belgium as a mirror for Europe

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."

» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Belgium