Let Belgium’s Walloons join France, Front National leader suggests

Marine Le Pen says on Belgian national day that Paris should consider turning francophone half of politically riven Belgium into French region When are foreigners not foreign, but Gallic compatriots in all but name? When they are French-speaking neighbours with a penchant for moules and frites, it seems. France’s far-right Front National party is prepared to soften its notoriously hard line against immigrants in the case of its francophone Belgian cousins. Not that the party leader, Marine Le Pen, is suggesting all French-speaking Walloons come to France en masse; simply that Paris might consider taking on half of Belgium. In a provocative statement issued on Belgium’s national day, Le Pen said if Belgium could not remain united, Paris should “extend a hand” to the francophones and suggest they be allowed to decide whether to become a region of France. The idea would be laughable if the situation in Belgium were not so ridiculous. The Dutch-speaking north, where the Flamands live, and the French-speaking south, home to the Walloons, have been unable to agree on how the country should be run since an election last year. Brussels, a largely French-speaking enclave in the Flemish area, is particularly contested. As a result of the deadlock, the Belgians have now been without a government for more than 400 days. “The political situation that Belgium is going through is getting worse, appears to have no solution and has left both Walloons and Flamands in a terrible uncertainty,” Le Pen wrote in a statement. “Nobody is rejoicing at this situation and everyone in France shares the Belgians’ concerns. At this time of the Belgian national day, it is nevertheless the responsibility of France and the French to extend a hand to the Walloons. “If Belgium is going to split, if Flanders pronounces its independence, which seems more and more credible a possibility, the French republic would do well to welcome Wallonia to its heart.” Le PenShe said there were “historic and fraternal links that unite our two people”, and these links were “too strong for France to abandon the Walloons”. She said any such plan should be agreed by a referendum in both countries. In his eve-of-holiday address, King Albert II urged Belgians to find a political solution to their differences and to rapidly form a government. “Our current situation is causing concern among our partners and may even damage our position at the heart of Europe, and even call into question the European construction itself, already undermined by eurosceptics and populists,” the 77-year-old monarch said. Belgians accused Le Pen of fuelling nationalism. “It’s a Pandora’s Box and will simply fuel the cause of autonomists … those from Flanders, Savoy, Brittany, Corsica, the Basque region will be jumping for joy,” wrote one commentator on the Belgian newspaper Le Soir’s website. Another wrote: “There will never be a French Wallonia … there has never been an example in history of two peoples being united on the basis of their language, except Germany and that was one nation to start with. The Walloons are too proud to fall for such a low idea.” However, another wrote: “For all those who predict that an attachment with France will never happen, I ask you not to react in an emotional way. Open the debate so at last we can discuss this.” After 400 days without a government, French-speaking Belgians might just be prepared to consider Le Pen’s offer. On the other hand, it might persuade them to come to an agreement with their Flemish compatriots. Marine Le Pen France Belgium The far right Europe Kim Willsher guardian.co.uk

Posted by on July 21, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.