Federal polls in Belgium

[alva]

8 years is more than enough though imo, not saying he hasn't done a decent job but I do think it's time for a change. Lately, I feel he has been trying too hard to get another term, paying too much lip service as it were.

Reynders' work hasn't really been impressive either, so I really don't look forward seeing him in the role as prime minister.

[The Vagabond]

To a foreigner, one of the most interesting aspects of Belgian elections is that Belgians are obliged to vote. If you don't come to vote for the first time, there is a fine of 250 euros. If you persist in ignoring the elections, the fine rises to 1000 euros and you may even be subjected to a short-term imprisonment.

[joncha]

Fake countries.

[molly bloom]

'Belgian federal polls' has the same sense of Devil-may-care recklessness that 'Swiss byelaws' possesses.

Sorry...

[Mercator]

Originally posted by The Vagabond
To a foreigner, one of the most interesting aspects of Belgian elections is that Belgians are obliged to vote. If you don't come to vote for the first time, there is a fine of 250 euros. If you persist in ignoring the elections, the fine rises to 1000 euros and you may even be subjected to a short-term imprisonment.

I don't think this is particularly well-enforced. Or at least, I hope not, especially for Belgians living abroad, since I can't vote. I'm in Mongolia rather than Holland.

I haven't really bothered following the politics either. I think Belgian politics is stupid. I hope we get a Walloon prime-minister in any case.

Flemish nationalism

[chequita guevara]

Why don't you split the country along linguistic lines, and join France and the Netherlands?

[The Vagabond]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Why don't you split the country along linguistic lines, and join France and the Netherlands?

Apparently, the main technical problem here is Brussels. It's not possible to divide it.

Besides, Walloons are French-speaking, but they are not French (nor they consider themselves as such). I doubt they would want to join France. At large, they are certainly part of the French culture. But on a smaller, every-day level their culture/mentality is different, and I would say, quite unique and irrepeatable.

The formation of Belgium may have been an artificial act in the beginning. But now, almost two ceturies later, it's quite a unique and established society. Too bad the Flemish cannot reduce their nationalist rhetoric a little bit.

[alva]

The formation of Belgium may have been an artificial act in the beginning. But now, almost two ceturies later, it's quite a unique and established society. Too bad the Flemish cannot reduce their nationalist rhetoric a little bit.

Hmm, it still is a artificial country in any way. The only reason the south doesn't want a split - at the moment - is because of financial reasons, nothing else.

btw, the are much more part of the French culture as you call it, than the north is part of the Dutch culture.

Brussels doesn't need to be divided as it is part of the north, though I do fully agree that is poses a rather big problem.

Why don't you split the country along linguistic lines, and join France and the Netherlands?

To a foreigner, one of the most interesting aspects of Belgian elections is that Belgians are obliged to vote.

At the very least, you get everyone's opinion.

I don't think this is particularly well-enforced. Or at least, I hope not, especially for Belgians living abroad, since I can't vote.

It's a lot stricter than it used to be but I don't think it matters to those abroad.

[The Vagabond]

Originally posted by alva
The only reason the south doesn't want a split - at the moment - is because of financial reasons, nothing else.

So when Flanders was poor, Wallonie didn't hesitate to spend money on your development. Now that you are richer you don't want to share your wealth with the rest of the country.

At the very least, you get everyone's opinion.

But this practice doesn't seem to be quite democratic in the first place.

[alva]

There's a lot of things that don't seem to be quite democratic and still happen...
In this case, the result outweighs the means imo.
Anyway, voting takes me all of 20min ans that is including travel time...the horror!!!!

So when Flanders was poor, Wallonie didn't hesitate to spend money on your development. Now that you are richer you don't want to share your wealth with the rest of the country.

Not sure which book you read but in any case, I'm not going to bite.

[Colonâ„¢]

Decentralisation of economic policy was the result of francophone demands.

[Dry]

Originally posted by alva
Other than that, little to add. It has been extremely lame (except for the last few days between the PS and the MR...where the hell did that suddenly come from?

Influence from the recent french presidential election.
MR got a sudden psychological boost from Sarkozy's victory.

[Dry]

Originally posted by The Vagabond
To a foreigner, one of the most interesting aspects of Belgian elections is that Belgians are obliged to vote. If you don't come to vote for the first time, there is a fine of 250 euros. If you persist in ignoring the elections, the fine rises to 1000 euros and you may even be subjected to a short-term imprisonment.

The logic is more or less the same as the obligation to go to school until 16.
It is a old law from 19th century or so.
I do not kno the historical context of it, but the idea was to forbid employers or moral authorities to make pression on their workers/audience not to go to vote.
No employer can force a worker to work the whole election day, no church can pretend that day to be 'holy' or whatever and forbid people to go to vote.

Note that because the vote is mandatory, I heard that if you have to travel to go to vote, you can get repaid for your transportation (Only if you go by public transportation, not by car)

[Dry]

Originally posted by The Vagabond
Walloons are French-speaking, but they are not French (nor they consider themselves as such). I doubt they would want to join France. At large, they are certainly part of the French culture. But on a smaller, every-day level their culture/mentality is different, and I would say, quite unique and irrepeatable.

We are of french culture, while not being french. I would even dare to say, we are proud to be of french culture and we are proud not to be of french nationality.

We share the same culture, not the same nation.
As I recently read, there is no such thing as 'walloon culture', the wallon culture is the french culture. Our writers, artists have given their contribution to the french culture.

We chose french as official administration language back in the 13th century.
And our history is a struggle to remain independent toward all great powers. And this includes France.

I would say this is our common history with Flanders: none of us wants to be either German, French or Dutch.

[The Vagabond]

Originally posted by Dry

The logic is more or less the same as the obligation to go to school until 16.
It is a old law from 19th century or so.
I do not kno the historical context of it, but the idea was to forbid employers or moral authorities to make pression on their workers/audience not to go to vote.
No employer can force a worker to work the whole election day, no church can pretend that day to be 'holy' or whatever and forbid people to go to vote.

Note that because the vote is mandatory, I heard that if you have to travel to go to vote, you can get repaid for your transportation (Only if you go by public transportation, not by car)

All right. There really seems to be quite a rationale behind this, both historically and logically. After all, even the most democratic states oblige their citizens to do certain things (like e.g. paying taxes).