Vlanders

[Conzales]

Im currently in a bar in Flanders, I have noticed the similarity between the constitutional set up here in Belgium and that of Britain.

The Flemish have their own parliament which decides most things, so do the those in the South (Wallonia I think), in addition there is the Federal Government which manages certain things such as police, defence and foreign affairs. Do you reckon It could work with English regions post independence or the UK as a whole?

[AKU//]

It causes its fair share of problems in Belgium.

Mind you we're a much bigger country, with less of an economic divide and if England was divided into regions it wouldn't be like in Belgium where Flanders has 75% of the people, 60% of the cash and most of the good Unis etc.

We're also lucky in that we can all understand each other (bar Glasgow)!

[Hamsterwaffle]

It causes its fair share of problems in Belgium.


Hasn't Belgium spent the last two years without a de facto government?

[morton700]

Hasn't Belgium spent the last two years without a de facto government?

Yep that is right! No party was able to gain a majority in elections and after that they were unable to form coalitions (due to major differences between the Wallonians and the Flanders (?)). I'm not sure what the situation is right now but even if a coalition has been formed it would be very fragile.

[AKU//]

Hasn't Belgium spent the last two years without a de facto government?

They spent about a year sorting it out, the King had to appoint a temporary cabinet, but its been resolved now.

There problem is that they have four different parties of every type in a list PR system with only around 100/150 deputies in any case, so they struggle to get a majority under any circumstance.