I can't write about Belgian politics!

3rd attempt to write about Belgian politics:

It is a no!!! For sure a very straight forward NO! Very clear. And we were even given the explanation why it was a no. Stallie even parked her car next to the road and turned up her radio to make sure she got every tiny detail that Bart had to say about the latest political'nota'that he and his party member just did not find good enough to move on to second base.

AHHHHHHHHH!!! I just sat there in my car thinking that all I wanted to was to fill out immigration paperwork. Yip! I am fed up and I am tired of having to scan the newspapers and trying to analize every newsworthy article that tries to cover our national politics. And then at the end have to state that we are heading just nowhere except new elections.

For a while I have given up on posting even a blog entry about politics out here. Not that I have not tried. Evidence can be found down here! Just beware that none of these pieces even got finished. I just could not find the strength, the logic and the right 'pointe' to end such a piece.

I am very hard to put into a box when talking about politics. Radical I am not on any part of my principles. At home or work or even when you would be hanging out with me at party or drinking a cocktail in a fancy bar down in Brussels I would not get into a frenzy because you would tell me that you are pro or contra splitting up our nation.

Yes, I do worry that this nation is heading nowhere for the moment and that it will hurt our international reputation. Uhm, do we even still have a reputation to care about? Uhm, they are even after our chocolate and sweets for the moment. Because yesterday one of the headlines was that we should start to 'hamster' on our favorite bag of sweets and bars of chocolate because the price of sugar is going to double.

Uhm, one look at our leading politician who told us today that he just thinks that what is on the table is not good enough made me think that he should cut down on sugar.

By now you already must gotten the picture I can not write one single decent entry about Belgian national politics. Not as long as there is not coming white smoke out one of those chimney down the 'Wetstraat'.

I am just afraid that all the waiting time will bring me is just an other invitation to go and cast a vote and this on sunny Sunday when all I want to do is have a warm croissant...



2nd Attempt to write about the Belgian political situation:

Today our national newspapers are very political inspired because once more one of our notorious politicians wrote a 'nota'. Sorry to burst your bubble here but I just seem not to share the slight optomistic souls out there who for the first time to think that this time this might be 'different'. Call me a pessimist on that part because a few weeks ago I did try to write a blog post about politics and half way I gave up.

Yes, I just gave in to the writer's block and the instinct that trying to create something worthwhile to read about Belgian politics just won't work. Yes, I do consider politics part of life and yes politics do matter. Even if you wish not to care! In one way or an other politicians are able to interfer in your daily lives.

But I just got fed up with the whole political carneval that was going on in the 'Wetstraat' and beyond. Yes, I still worry about our nation splitting up and that I have to start to explain over and over what 'Flemish' means. Hey, I do admire that people whose heart start to beat faster because they feel so connected to their roots. Their blood seems to be infected by it and they just speak such clear language. Even when they get into the political jungle they do know what they are heading for.

I just sit then there and I am lost! Because for the moment I just do not to know anymore what to do think or to say when someone touches this subject. Okay, I hope that Elio di Rupo his words on paper are good enough to stimulate other politicians to start talking into words that all of us can live by.


1st attempt to create something blogpost worthy about Belgian politics:

Polls! I don't know if you ever have been asked to fill out one or that once you got the opportunity over the phone to speak out your personal opinion or preference about people, causes, objects and politics. Most of the time it is the phone company who is bugging us over and over with questionairs to fill out and we don't even bother to answer and smash down the phone. Because after all who takes these things serious?

Uhm, politicians seem to do so. The latest poll made even or two major politicians smile. Because at both side of the nation the one who is not giving has to keep up his job! Way to go guys!! In a few days you can order a huge cake with one candle on it to blow out to celebrate the unique birthday of 1 year without a government.

You might have noticed that I have for a very long time not blogged about politics. It was a kind of personal statement I was trying to make. The Belgian no government-situation is turning into a never ending story and I am exhausted every time when I read up on Belgian politics. Believe it or not I do have a very outspoken opinion about that cirucus going on out there.

I am very proud of where I come from. My parents have raised me with a very open mind. At a very early stage it were these people who tried to get the message across what Belgium stands for. Not a very easy job because I did find out that this is something that is not easily to explain. Our nation can't be wrapped into a few straight forward statements.

For all the readers out there I can strongely advice to come and visit us in the near future. You will learn so much about identity crises that you will cancel your next appointment with your therapist. It is very hard to explain to a passerby what Belgium truely stands for. To be realy honest the longer I hang out around in the heart of it all the more I become aware of the feeling that I live in a very 'strange' nation.

Okay, ever since the Romans and the Greecs gave us democracy they must have been aware of the pitfalls. Hey, Caesar got killed by his own flesh and blood and many of his friends in white toga did not only tell white lies to get around in the Senate. Politics is not something that is straight forward black or white.

Stallie is not easy to put in a box when it comes down to politics. I have been in quite some nations and I have seen some different political systems into action. Each of them seemed to have its advantages but also disadvantages. Not a single country could or can for the moment win my heart over when dealing with politics. Okay, I am very content that I live in democracy and as long as I am force to vote I try to take this act quite serious.

But what has it brought me? Uhm, can't say that it brought me more happiness, a better standard of living, a stable political environment, a better understanding of my fellow country wo-men, politicians that talk a more clear language, a more transparent policy on some issues like unemployment, education, environment, foreign an local policy and many more issues that matter! I still pay my taxes and I still feel that I live in a nation that is trying to reinvent itself.

For 12 months Belgium is trying to put together this political puzzle with pieces that just don't fit together without cutting of some edges. This on both sides. According to where I live I am Flemish. Well out here I am surrounded by people who are not Flemish. And nope, it are not only Walloons who I share the air with. Last week I hang out with Spanish, Britsh, Italians and Indians. And the moment I get on the metro to take me into Brussels I am kind of travelling around the globe!


These are only the attempts ever since we are world record keeper in having no government. All the other attempts I have deleted because they just did not make sense. Like none of the above does, I guess.

But I don't give up promoting this very controversial nation as a hotspot for a very romantic getaway for two. Chocolate at every cornershop and so many kinds of beer that the number will make your head spinn and that without having one lager.

Saturday my Comenius friend C is flying in and she can't wait to discover the hidden treasures of this tiny nation. She is a real fan. The three times she was over she fell in love with this country. I can tell you that I am planning to leave the word politics out of any conversation we are going to have.

But then knowing my mum she will be the first to point out to C what Belgium politics stand for. In order to safeguard the reputation of my mum I am not going to mention any of the vocabulary she uses to get her point across. Perhaps I should take some fresh Belgian chocolates along to silence her for once and for ever when this word comes up. Any suggestions?