The Chief Beneficiaries of the Belgian Break-Up

From the desk of The Brussels Journal on Mon, 2007-11-12 12:05

A quote from the British Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan at his blog, 11 November 2007

My guess is that, in the event that Belgium sunders, there will indeed be some kind of political union between France and Wallonia – a French foreign policy goal since Bonaparte. But it’s a pity. The countries which do best, these days, are small, agile ones. [...] Among nations, as among individuals, it is those who are made dependent on grants who suffer most, not those who pay them. The best thing that could happen to the Walloons is the removal the socialist leaders who have impoverished them, and a return to the bourgeois values that their grandfathers took for granted. If they play this right, French-speaking Belgians could, as I have argued before, be the chief beneficiaries of a break-up.

re:kingdom of wallonia

Submitted by George2 on Tue, 2007-11-13 20:55.

Disney World has no monarch. Why should Wallonia have one? It's already full with Mickey Mouses, bad withches etc. Well ... that's an idea. Why not ask Disney World to run Wallonia? An all American amusement park ... I believe Randy Newman envisioned this in one of his songs but he had Australia in mind. But what's the difference between a kangoroo and Walloon socialist. They both jump up and down, and both have a large pouch. This is it: America takes over Wallonia! I would love to have Americans as neighbours. YES YES YES!

re:comparing France and Wallonia

Submitted by George2 on Mon, 2007-11-12 21:18.

Northern French come to Flanders to work. Wallonians refuse to do so. The northern French have no other option because they have nobody to pay (enough)
for them while not working. The Walloons have the Flemish to support them while not working. So why go to Flanders and work? That's how Belgium and Walloon socialism works.

Comparing France and Wallonia

Submitted by Armor on Mon, 2007-11-12 15:31.

The Flemish economy is supposed to be working better than the Walloon economy, but how does Wallonia compare with the North-East of France, on the other side of the border?