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Belgium was basically created as a buffer zone between France and Holland and the two different sides have little in common and feel like separate countries. They've been talking about splitting it up for decades (I wrote my thesis on this topic) but it would create more problems than it would solve, not least what would be done with Brussels, which is shared between the two halves but is majority French-speaking, while it's the Flemish who are more vocal about splitting the country up. I'd love the irony if the home of the European Parliament, designed to promote European integration, suddenly became a battleground in a civil war, though I'd be surprised though if anything at all happens any time soon.
Part of the problem with splitting the country up is the issue of Brussels. Brussels is officially bilingual, in practice predominately French but completely surrounded by Flemish speakers. The issue of Brussels future helps to complicate the situation.
There will never be an end to Belgium. It also be impossible for Flanders to really unite with the Netherlands or for Wallonia to join France. There is also a unique Belgian character which differs from that of both Netherlands and France. Many Belgians also speak both Flemish and French. [/quote]
Part of the problem with splitting the country up is the issue of Brussels. Brussels is officially bilingual, in practice predominately French but completely surrounded by Flemish speakers. The issue of Brussels future helps to complicate the situation.
The buffer between Brussels and Wallonia is tiny. In fact, looking at it from Google Earth, it would seem as though it's possible to connect the two without annexing any development in Flanders.
Actualy foreigners don't understand the true nature of Belgium, which is normal.
Flemish people are NOT Dutch, in fact much closer to Walloons and even French than to Dutch concerning mentality, culture, the way they dress, even appearance, etc. The are many regional differences in Flemish dialect, but they differ consistently with the dutch spoken in the Netherlands, to the point that Dutch people are being subtitled on Flemish television and vice versa.
Brussels used to be Flemish speaking, however most Flemish people began speaking french the last generations, but they don't consider themselves to be Walloon people, most still have Flemish family names. (in Wallonia too many have Flemish family names, because of Flemish migrating there during the 19the century). In fact flemish nationalism was a reaction against the proces of Flandres becoming a mainly Frenchspeaking area. Flemish nationalists succesfully reversed that trend, except in Brussels.
Walloon people do not consider themselves French either, altough many watch French television, and they are generally closer to French than Flemish people are to Dutch. However the majority doesn't want to become part of France.
There are cultural differences between Flemish and Walloon people, but the main difference is economics and politics. Walloon area was prosperous and rich untill the 50's, when its industry declined (comparable to for example some areas of Germany, France and GB where industry declined). Now Flanders is more developped and Flemish people resent paying taxes because of "poor, lasy" walloons, a bit comparable to Southern and Northern Italy, or Western and Eastern Germany.
Then of course there are many foreigners in Belgium, especially Brussels and around. Especially Flemish people feel like they are being overwelmed by them.
Actualy foreigners don't understand the true nature of Belgium, which is normal.
Flemish people are NOT Dutch, in fact much closer to Walloons and even French than to Dutch concerning mentality, culture, the way they dress, even appearance, etc. The are many regional differences in Flemish dialect, but they differ consistently with the dutch spoken in the Netherlands, to the point that Dutch people are being subtitled on Flemish television and vice versa.
Brussels used to be Flemish speaking, however most Flemish people began speaking french the last generations, but they don't consider themselves to be Walloon people, most still have Flemish family names. (in Wallonia too many have Flemish family names, because of Flemish migrating there during the 19the century). In fact flemish nationalism was a reaction against the proces of Flandres becoming a mainly Frenchspeaking area. Flemish nationalists succesfully reversed that trend, except in Brussels.
Walloon people do not consider themselves French either, altough many watch French television, and they are generally closer to French than Flemish people are to Dutch. However the majority doesn't want to become part of France.
There are cultural differences between Flemish and Walloon people, but the main difference is economics and politics. Walloon area was prosperous and rich untill the 50's, when its industry declined (comparable to for example some areas of Germany, France and GB where industry declined). Now Flanders is more developped and Flemish people resent paying taxes because of "poor, lasy" walloons, a bit comparable to Southern and Northern Italy, or Western and Eastern Germany.
Then of course there are many foreigners in Belgium, especially Brussels and around. Especially Flemish people feel like they are being overwelmed by them.
There is even a difference between the way French is spoken in Wallonia and that of France. Words such as '"septante" are used.
Then of course there are many foreigners in Belgium, especially Brussels and around. Especially Flemish people feel like they are being overwelmed by them.
One of the factors is probably that many or even most of these foreigners learn and use French, even if they are living in predominantly Flemish areas.
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