Belgian Politics & Elections: Federal, regional & EP elections on June 9, 2024

[parochial boy]

I've been hoping someone would set up something like this.

How much do the cross-community parties with the same ideology actually collaborate? For example, how much do the PS and the PS.a have to do with each other?

[parochial boy]

When will Belgium split up?

The process probably started in 1968 and will end when the next World War happens.

If it does split up, does Wallonia join France? I've heard it is not too unpopular as an option

[parochial boy]

Sort of tenuously linked to the langugage question - but what is the political identity of Brussels? Does it see itself as a francophone city, and solidaire with Wallonia? Or does Brussels consider itself to be a separate entity in its own right?

I guess the the same question would go for Halle Vilvorde, do they see theselves as Flemish or Bruxellois? or is it just too messy to say?

[parochial boy]

Thanks Rogier, that's fascinating.

What is up with the relative PS stronghold on the French border in Luxemburg province? I had a quick look and there doesn't seem to much there at all in the way of population centres.

Also, I think I read somewhere recently that Wallonia is actually growing faster that Flanders at the moment, is that something that people are starting to experience, or does any sign of revitalisation still seem along way off?

[parochial boy]

What's up with the sudden increase in the Ecolo numbers?

[parochial boy]

When will Belgium split? This country never made any sense to me. The best would be to partition it between the Netherlands and France.

See, this is why people don't like the French...

[parochial boy]

Well, um, I was going to make a tongue in cheek point about how the French think that they basically own the whole of la francophonie but, uh..

Anyway, the principle point is that most Belgiums actually feel Belgian, and afaik there is actually a tendency towards accepting more refederalisation by the Flemmish at the moment; where even segments of CD&V are starting to be open to the idea

[parochial boy]

Plenty of countries are artificial creations made to suit elites; which is part of the reason why nationalism is a scourge - but it doesn't mean Belgium is less of a real country than any other

[parochial boy]

Another article you and french-speakers might find interesting from BePolitix with a nice run down of how the parties in WalloBrux are shaping up heading into tomorrow. Its very different case to Flanders though because only something like 40% of the communes in Wallonia have the same party configuration as the federal level, compared to 80% in Flanders.

https://absp.be/Blog/2018/10/08/les-elections-communales-en-wallonie-et-a-bruxelles-au-prisme-de-la-fragmentation/

Cool, so why the PTB more around Liège than Charleroi? Just traditional implantation?

Also, Antwerp seems surprisingly left wing considering its, you know, reputation. Does anyone actually vote PVDA outside of Borgehout?

[parochial boy]

PS 91%
Ecolo 89%
PTB 84%
CDH 71%
Défi  65%
MR 49%
PP 21%

So the PTB are pretty meh on environmental policy then?

Also, what's the question about trade unions paying unemployment benefits?

[parochial boy]

https://www.rtbf.be/info/belgique/detail_barometre-politique-vers-une-vague-verte-le-26-mai?id=10202764

New polls, probably the last big one before the election.
Main new trend is Greens in WalloBrux on the rise, and MR crumbling.

Very low key campaign so far, even the N-VA seem tired of the process before it has even begun. The local election probably  didn't help.

Two questions - what are the odds of a left led government coming out of this? left parties seem to be dominating in Bruxelles and Wallonia? (also, that poll seems wildly optimistic from a left-wing perspective, is PVDA-Groen-Sp.A getting a third of the vote in Flanders really realistic?)

Also, what exactly do the PS have to do to not be the largest party in Wallonia?

[parochial boy]

Being called Jan Jambon must be a bit of a handicap if you're going after the Haredi Jewish vote

[parochial boy]

What's a good place for french language coverage? I'm on RTBF at the moment, but it's not particularly user friendly

[parochial boy]

I actually have a somewhat random question, because Spotify in it's wisdom, decided to play me the club song of KAS Eupen the other day - I realised that there are actually some German speaking people in Belgium.

Meaning, what generally is their relation with the rest of Wallonia/Belgium? Do they feel like they are part of Wallonia, or like an ignored minority? Is there any irredentist sentiment with Germany hanging around?

[parochial boy]

Is anyone seriously pushing for refederalisation then? I've come across various sources or figures claiming that it is a good idea (although what I read is probably very biased towards the francophones). And it does seem like the existing model is in no small part responsible for the shïtshow - and on that logic, confederalism sounds like a pretty guaranteed way to just make things worse.