Day 16: Belgium and the Great Divide

July 19

Although today was a relatively easygoing day in terms of the scheduled activities, we had a heavy dose of biculturalism present in Belgium along with the ramifications that this has on both casual and formal situations in everyday life. Perhaps most noticeable to the average Belgian is the divide this creates between French-speaking Wallonia and Dutch Flanders. This division is a far cry away from what we picked up on back in Luxembourg, where they are in fact multilingual (French, Luxembourgish, and German). In Luxembourg, all three are taught through grade school so as to prepare the average citizen for most any encounter with the general population. In Belgium, however, each designated region is limited to his or her native language; bilingual speakers are not so encouraged no matter how useful it surely would be.

The problems these create are obvious blocks in communication between the regions. Neither Dutch nor French carry more weight here than the other. Interestingly, the French were once privileged in Belgium by the Middle Age Spanish rulers, while the Dutch were ostracized. Therefore, when Flanders and Wallonia were unified the Dutch were relegated to second class status in relation to the French speakers. This furthered the divide, as regional pride and the animosity associated along with it. But of course here in Brussels, we have not encountered so much of this, with it being a very worldly and cosmopolitan city: bilingualism is more common here, even necessary in a sense.

Perhaps the most outstanding example of the regional divide is in politics, where separationist sentiment from Flanders has brought Belgian parliament to a standstill. In fact, it remains the longest period for a modern nation to go without a stable governing body (not to be confused with a state of anarchy, as the government still functions here). Moving forward, it will become necessary to resolve the tensions that exist between the two regions, as Belgium cannot continue as it does now nor can it remain competitive in the heart of Europe as two separate entities. Furthermore, Brussels will always function as the binding agent between the two regions, as it is mostly French-speaking.

Divide?