Belgian nationalism
Encyclopedia
Belgian
nationalism
(or Belgicistic nationalism; ; ) defines an ideology that favours a strong centralised government, with less or no autonomy for the Flemish Community
who constitute Flanders
, the French Community of Belgium
and the German-speaking Community of Belgium
who constitute Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region which is inhabited by both Walloons
and Flemings, and dissolve the regional counterparts of each ethnic group within Belgium. It insists on restoring total sovereignty
to the Belgian state level by reverting Belgium to a unitary state
, after decades of state structure reforms that made Belgium a federal state
since the 1970s - contrary to Flemish nationalists who advocate independence of their region, and Walloon, Brussels and German-speaking regionalists who advocate more autonomy to their respective regions. Belgian nationalists advocate the unity between all language groups in Belgium, and condemn each perceived chauvinistic
or linguistic discrimination, advocate the knowledge of all official languages (Dutch, French, German
) and a multicultural
, tolerant, strong feeling of citizenship.
Belgian nationalism is mainly supported by French-speaking politicians, alongside some socialists, certain circles in Brussels
, some sections of the far right
and historically among fascists. Though the majority of Flemings do not (yet) favor independence of their region, and as the Walloons, Brussels and the German-speakers are strongly regionalist, there is no popular support in any region of Belgium, and political parties that support this ideology openly have not gained electoral support in recent years, so it remains much weaker than the secessionist and regional nationalisms of the ethnic groups.
Political parties with certain Belgian nationalistic elements in their programmes:
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
(or Belgicistic nationalism; ; ) defines an ideology that favours a strong centralised government, with less or no autonomy for the Flemish Community
Flemish Community
The term Flemish Community has two distinct, though related, meanings:...
who constitute Flanders
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Colloquially, it is usually simply referred to as Flanders, of which it is the institutional iteration within the context of the Belgian political system...
, the French Community of Belgium
French Community of Belgium
The French Community of Belgium is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. Although its name could suggest that it is a community of French citizens in Belgium, it is not...
and the German-speaking Community of Belgium
German-speaking Community of Belgium
The German-speaking Community of Belgium is one of the three federal communities of Belgium. Covering an area of 854 km² within the province of Liège in Wallonia, it includes nine of the eleven municipalities of the so-called East Cantons...
who constitute Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region which is inhabited by both Walloons
Walloons
Walloons are a French-speaking people who live in Belgium, principally in Wallonia. Walloons are a distinctive community within Belgium, important historical and anthropological criteria bind Walloons to the French people. More generally, the term also refers to the inhabitants of the Walloon...
and Flemings, and dissolve the regional counterparts of each ethnic group within Belgium. It insists on restoring total sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
to the Belgian state level by reverting Belgium to a unitary state
Unitary state
A unitary state is a state governed as one single unit in which the central government is supreme and any administrative divisions exercise only powers that their central government chooses to delegate...
, after decades of state structure reforms that made Belgium a federal state
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
since the 1970s - contrary to Flemish nationalists who advocate independence of their region, and Walloon, Brussels and German-speaking regionalists who advocate more autonomy to their respective regions. Belgian nationalists advocate the unity between all language groups in Belgium, and condemn each perceived chauvinistic
Chauvinism
Chauvinism, in its original and primary meaning, is an exaggerated, bellicose patriotism and a belief in national superiority and glory. It is an eponym of a possibly fictional French soldier Nicolas Chauvin who was credited with many superhuman feats in the Napoleonic wars.By extension it has come...
or linguistic discrimination, advocate the knowledge of all official languages (Dutch, French, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
) and a multicultural
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
, tolerant, strong feeling of citizenship.
Belgian nationalism is mainly supported by French-speaking politicians, alongside some socialists, certain circles in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, some sections of the far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
and historically among fascists. Though the majority of Flemings do not (yet) favor independence of their region, and as the Walloons, Brussels and the German-speakers are strongly regionalist, there is no popular support in any region of Belgium, and political parties that support this ideology openly have not gained electoral support in recent years, so it remains much weaker than the secessionist and regional nationalisms of the ethnic groups.
Advocates
- Belgische Unie/Union Belge (BUB/Belgian Union), Belgian centristCentrismIn politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
Unionist political party, officially bilingual but in practice mainly Dutch-speaking. - Le Front nationalNational Front (Belgium)The National Front is a francophone Belgian far-right political party. The party's ideology advocates a strong unitary Belgian nationalism and is strongly against immigration.The party's acting leader is Patrick Cocriamont....
(National Front), Belgian French-speaking nationalistNationalismNationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
far-right political party, is advocating Belgian nationalism, and also tries to attract Flemish voters. - Historically, RexismRexismRexism was a fascist political movement in the first half of the 20th century in Belgium.It was the ideology of the Rexist Party , officially called Rex, founded in 1930 by Léon Degrelle, a Walloon...
, Belgian French-speaking fascistFascismFascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
political party, has advocated a version of corporatistCorporatismCorporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that involves association of the people of society into corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, or scientific affiliations, on the basis of common...
identity centered on Belgian nationalism. - Historically, VerdinasoVerdinasoThe Verdinaso was an authoritarian and fascist-inspired political party in Belgium and the Netherlands during the 1930s...
, Belgian Dutch-speaking fascistFascismFascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
political party, has advocated a version of corporatistCorporatismCorporatism, also known as corporativism, is a system of economic, political, or social organization that involves association of the people of society into corporate groups, such as agricultural, business, ethnic, labor, military, patronage, or scientific affiliations, on the basis of common...
identity centered on Belgian nationalism.
Political parties with certain Belgian nationalistic elements in their programmes:
- VivantVivantVivant is a small Belgian social liberal party founded by millionaire Roland Duchâtelet. In the regional elections in June 2004, the party formed a strategic alliance with the Flemish Liberals and Democrats . Both parties are founded on the principle of individualism and can be called liberal...
, Belgian French-speaking liberalLiberalismLiberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
political party with a civic nationalist programme, that advocates bilingualism.