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| Europe |
| Flemish Separatists Set for Victory in Key Belgium Election |
| 2014-05-26 |
| The Phlegms are about to divorce the Balloons... [An Nahar] Belgium's controversial Phlegmish separatists looked set to take the lead in a general election Sunday marred by an attack against the Jewish Museum in Brussels, the first such incident in 30 years. First estimates gave 33 percent of the vote in Flanders to the New Phlegmish Alliance (N-VA) headed by tough-talking Antwerp mayor Bart De Wever. With Flanders in the north accounting for 60 percent of Belgium's population of 11 million, the result, if confirmed, would see the NV-A become the biggest party in the language-divided nation. "Vicit vim virtus", De Wever told supporters in Latin -- meaning "Courage overcame violence." The French-speaking Socialists from southern Wallonia, headed by incumbent premier Elio Di Rupo, scored just over 30 percent. However, if you can't say something nice about a person some juicy gossip will go well... De Wever's lead may prove to be too small to enable him to form a regional government in northern Flanders, while at the federal level he may find it difficult to find allies to join a coalition. Belgium has no national political parties, with the current federal coalition government made up of groups from both sides of its invisible but very real linguistic border. According to tradition, it will be up to King Philip to ask the leader of Sunday's winning party to form a government. It will his first election as king, having come to the throne only last year. All eyes were on the N-VA showing in the election, the first since an inconclusive 2010 ballot left the divided country without a government for a world record 541 days. The 2010-2011 deadlock was largely due to the N-VA's refusal to agree a coalition deal with other parties because of its demands for more devolution -- and ultimately its wish to separate Flanders from the rest of Belgium. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #8 In the 2000 census, one of five Americans spoke a second language in the home. Not asked was how many in the Southwestern states, California, southern Florida, and Cincinnati, Ohio speak Spanish not at home but in the streets, and how many in New York City speak Russian, Chinese or Yiddish ditto... No doubt the numbers were higher in the 2010 census; I haven't had occasion to look it up. I do know that in my daughters' public high school in an outer suburb in the middle of the American Midwest, the English As A Second Language program caters to 72 different languages. The top three languages by population are Spanish, Vietnamese and, oddly enough, Arabic. In such a society, a single language common to all is necessary, Mr. Jerkface Killa. You Canadians, with your small population of French speakers and even fewer natives, are pikers. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2014-05-26 22:19 |
| #7 Funny that you would say that on this site What's your take on Quebec separatism, mon ami? 99.9% of the amerikan idiots who post here would be in total agreement in making English the only official language of the United States to counter the false-flag Mexican invasion. "amerikan" with a 'k'. How... 1970s. I have no problem with English as an official language, for the same reason international aviation uses it. That cultural approach to immigration also worked relatively well from the 1820s until recently. It's also still a reason that when the US economy gets the sniffles, Canada gets a cold. A final question: do they inject Canadians with a smugness/insecurity virus combination at birth? Or is it something in the water in Ontario? |
| Posted by: Pappy 2014-05-26 20:25 |
| #6 So if the Scots go for independence, who gets Balmoral? To the best of my knowledge, it is owned by the Royal Family and not the Crown. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2014-05-26 19:09 |
| #5 "The tribalists continue to win." Funny that you would say that on this site as 99.9% of the amerikan idiots who post here would be in total agreement in making English the only official language of the United States to counter the false-flag Mexican invasion. |
| Posted by: spano bellingbo3665 2014-05-26 19:02 |
| #4 The interesting possibilities are endless. The EU is rapidly becoming the Holy Roman Empire V2.0. The principalities and city states and petty kingdoms will proliferate till the bureaucratic inertia becomes overwhelming. Which of these petite "sovereignties" become the first to break away? What of those caught between the neo-Russian empire and the EU? When does the caliphate reform, and with what effect? Interesting times indeed. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2014-05-26 13:06 |
| #3 The only justification behind merging people into larger groups is security; i.e. more of us can put up a better fight. These groups all now feel that the EU will protect them, so the rationale collapses (not a demonstrated fact). Coming soon: Germanic princedoms and Greek city-states. Because, you know, if it was a good idea from a few hundred to a couple of thousand years ago, it's bound to be a good idea now. If the Russians and/or Chinese can just be patient, this could be a walk through. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2014-05-26 09:56 |
| #2 The idiot socialists don't understand real history as their only beings with Marx in the 19th Century. Nationalism is the counter to tribalism, not 'internationalism'. Undermine national identity and you slide back to the previous loyalties. Their case isn't helped by their insistence of using identity politics that promotes that very tribalism. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2014-05-26 09:41 |
| #1 The tribalists continue to win. A buddy in the UK pointed out that the Spanish are terrified about the coming dissolution of the UK as Scotland proclaims its independence because of the precedent. Now this. Wales, Catalan, the Basques, Venice the list goes on. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2014-05-26 08:48 |