After a year of negotiating and flexing them political muscles the end seems to be aproaching for the country I was born in... I clearly state "I was born in" since I'm about as much as a Belgian as an apple pie. True, if people ask I'll say I'm Belgian. I'm not Flemish or Walloon, I'm Belgian. Not out of proud but out of conveniance! Trying to explain the political situation of this country is a nightmare, 7 governments, hundreds of politicians, a high tax rate and the ever ongoing battle between Dutch and French speakers with some German speaking people caught at the border :).
It's painfull to say but the recent devellopments, especially the reaction of Bart de Wever to the latest proposition to reform the country, are a brilliant tactical move. He rejects it, stucking by his political agenda, causing more people to sway his way in the next elections. And all the other political parties see what is going to happen... If they form a government without him they'll have another period of ruling where nothing constructive will happen and they'll get punished for it in the next elections. If they organise new elections, well, let's say they'll be at an ever greater impasse seeing as the NVA would, most likely, grow with even more votes. It's a lose-lose situation for everyone, especially in light of the current economic situation in Europe, but still brilliantly played by mister de Wever.
So what will the future bring? I have no clue, and if at all possible, I'd rather not be in this country when it happens. I don't see this ending well or even getting solved at all in the near future.
I must admit I loved the comment from my girlfriend last night on the speech from de Wever: "Well it's your own fault, you shouldn't have wanted to be independent and just stayed with the Netherlands. Atleast then you would not have been in this mess!". And before anyone asks, yes she is Dutch :)