No more 'government'
So apparently the Belgian 'government' has failed to meet its deadline; and as a result, the prime minister has handed in the 'government's resignation to the King. I say 'government', because these people have been doing quite a lot of things—all except governing...
I must say I can't be surprised. I never liked Leterme; not before the elections, and not after. Now that more than a year has passed since his winning the elections, they have managed to accomplish exactly nothing.
Well, that's not exactly true. There's a pattern here:
- June 2007. Leterme wins the election, and starts talking. He accomplishes exactly nothing.
- August 2007. After months of talking, Leterme gives up. The King hands the initiative to some other people, who manage to get basic agreements about things in the course of a few weeks.
- September 2007. Leterme is put at the wheel again.
- December 2007. After months of talking, Leterme gives up a second time. The King asks Verhofstadt to form an interim government. He does so in 2 weeks.
- March 2008. Leterme gets parties to agree on some basic things, and promises "a second package of state reforms by July 15, 2008".
- July 15, 2008. Surprise: Leterme has accomplished exactly nothing, and has to hand in his resignation. A third time.
And even after that horrible track record, CD&V/N-VA is still not willing to put Leterme aside as a candidate for the prime ministry.
Now I'm sure some people will tell me that Leterme did indeed, accomplish something, such as the budget agreement of a few days ago. Well, here's a news flash: if you want to get a government set up, then not accomplishing that is pretty critical; something routine and simple as a budget is hardly noteworthy, then.
The one thing I do not understand, have never understood, and will not ever understand, is why the larger parties in Belgium feel so compelled to create "cartels" with small extremist fringe parties. They all fell into that trap; VLD (liberals) with Vivant (economic strangelings); CD&V (catholic democrats) with N-VA (flemish nationalists), and SP.A (socialists) with Spirit (left-wing something). I have no trouble understanding why the fringe parties want to do this (gives them power where occasionally they wouldn't have any), but the large parties? It only causes trouble (as the CD&V/N-VA cartel has now proven beyond any doubt); and I seriously doubt it causes them a net win in votes.
I could say that some other things about the past debâcle also puzzle me, such as the insistence of some people to get an unconditional split of BHV, thereby destroying all chances of even remotely reaching a compromise; but given the idiocy explained in the previous paragraph, I should hardly be surprised.
Sigh. I wish I had some decent politicians in this country; but the people I voted for lost seriously, and were not part of the negotiations. I guess that should mean I have to say: told you so; but then, that's not very productive either.
Here's for hoping they can still find some way out of this mess...
Well now comrade, I have to agree. I'll never understand why some 800k people were dumb enough to vote for a schmuck with the charisma of a rotting pumpkin. If you won't say it, then I will: I told you so!
I've said it about a million times in the past few weeks but I still can't bleedin' fathom why people are so obsessed over a few vaguely french-sounding names on a few ballots. I still claim that all of this linguistic horsecrap is completely and utterly irrelevant and I will keep on voting for the people I deem capable, irregardless of their linguistic abilities. 'nuff said.
If there are frequent problems forming governments, and small parties have disproportionate power, I'd suggest dropping proportional representation. Instead Belgium could use a preferential balloting system, like they do for the Australian House of Representative (aka the Alterntaive Vote).
But maybe it would just be treating the symptoms, not the underlying problems. Obviously the divisions in Belgium make it hard to form a national consensus. Still, your electoral system may make the problem worse.
"I could say that some other things about the past debâcle also puzzle me, such as the insistence of some people to get an unconditional split of BHV, thereby destroying all chances of even remotely reaching a compromise."
You are saying that you would accept giving in to the demands of the Francophones that the Flemish give up territory. (Think about it, what century are they from? In what other country does one community demand the enlargement of its territory as an exchange for fixing a situation which the constitutional court has ruled to be illegal?)
Also, you're focussing on Leterme who has not been able to reach a compromise accross the communities. Fair enough. I'll do you a favor by not focussing on the populist and irrelevant policies which the president of your party, Ms Caroline Gennez, has kept herself busy proposing from the sidelines...
this is exactly what i would 've said, if i had taken more time to write on my blog. Except that i voted blue instead of red.
paul
"CD&V/N-VA is still not willing to put Leterme aside as a candidate for the prime ministry" Well, non of the French speaking parties, nor the King seem to be willing that either.
"why the larger parties in Belgium feel so compelled to create "cartels"" It happens in France, Italy, the US of A, so why not in freakin' Belgium?
CD&V are not Catholic Democrats, they are Christian Democrats. Catholic Democrats implies that they take orders from a former Nazi in Rome, just like communists take the teachings of Marx and Lenin as their holy scrpture. Christian Democrats otoh implies that they take the "christian" ethical code more as a general guideline - just like social democrats take socialist principles as a general guideline.
By the way, I have a very deep, irrational and personal
hatred against the barony called "Van Den Bossche" (mostly against the father). They happen to be members of your favorite political party.
Second point: you didn't mention the Francophone extermist party FDF, in kartel with the MR.
Third point: it is my personal opinion that people who think that N-VA forced CD&V to take an extermist point of view, are utterly stupid and don't know squat about politics. I'm glad you're not one of those stupid people.