The wonder of modern compromise that is Belgium's Federal Government is no stranger to internal bickering; it's remarkable that the spectrum of opinions clustered under the "Vivaldi" banner can harmonise at all.
With ministers also sitting in regional governments, parliaments, and committees, the need to present a common front at the State level is oft accepted on the understanding that Belgium already tests the limits on how much internal divisions can hold up national affairs. To quibble over every minor discrepancy would risk making the coalition ineffective to the point of irrelevance.
But when an issue taps into long-standing regional differences and could be a decider in upcoming federal elections, the cracks quickly appear in Belgium's uneasy government. The current squabble that has pitted ministers against each other comes after Prime Minister De Croo himself – usually so careful to placate the latent discord – came out against EU proposals to protect and restore nature.
De Croo's reservations about the measure, which would aim to restore degraded ecosystems by 20% by 2030, were framed as a concern that it risks undermining the energy the EU has marshalled behind its climate targets, as if cutting the bloc's greenhouse gas emissions and boosting biodiversity would together cripple European industry.
The PM's comments were met with outrage from his green party ministers, who denigrated what they argue is an unfounded "opinion" out of step with the Federal Government's position. Yet numerous conservative ministers saw De Croo's comments as a signal to voice their own views on environmental measures that inevitably conflict with economic drivers.
Most crucially, the Flemish farming community has repeatedly come out strongly against a nitrogen policy that would oblige farms to significantly reduce their pollution and in the most severe cases would force some farms to close. With this dispute still far from settled in the Flemish government, the notion of exerting yet more pressure will be unconscionable to the region's stigmatised sector.
The difference being that this time, the Prime Minister himself seems to be of a similar view, warning against "overloading the cart" of measures to save Europe's climate. But although the comments will likely win De Croo favour in Flanders (one of Europe's most densely populated regions where agriculture has over centuries stripped away genuine biodiversity), Wallonia is eager to push ahead and eco-minded ministers accuse De Croo of dragging his feet, sacrificing nature to short-term political and economic gain.
Is the PM a pragmatist or procrastinator? Let @Orlando_tbt know.
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1. Maestro bank cards will gradually disappear in Belgium from July
Some ten million Maestro bank cards will gradually be withdrawn from circulation in Belgium from July and be replaced with a Debit Mastercard, the company announced. Read more.
2. 'Outrageous statements': De Croo under fire for criticism of EU nature plans
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has sparked controversy after coming out in favour of putting the European green legislation "on pause." His unexpected position has brought him under heavy fire from his own government. Read more.
3. Luik, not Liège: Minister rejects French names for towns on Flemish motorways
Belgium's linguistic divide has sunk to new lows after Flemish Mobility Minister Lydia Peeters stated that she did not want the names of Walloon towns and cities to be indicated in French on Flemish motorways. Read more.
4. Shopping in France is up to 44% cheaper than in Belgium
A new study by Gondola Academy and Daltix – a research firm specialising in price comparisons – allows us to quantify an observation that is anything but new: that shopping is cheaper in France than in Belgium, and more expensive in the Netherlands. Read more.
5. Construction of Brussels metro line 3 partially halted
Construction of the metro line 3 has been suspended from Gare du Nord until Bordet Station, L’Echo reports, casting doubt over the future of the new line, which has already faced major setbacks that threaten to push it millions of euros over budget. Read more.
6. Belgian receives energy bill of over €1 million
A man from the Belgian municipality of Herseaux (Hainaut, Wallonia) received the shock of his life last month when he found in his mail an electricity bill for a staggering total of €1,279,611.43. Read more.
7. Hidden Belgium: Impasse de l’Ange
Liège might look ugly and neglected, but it has some beautiful hidden spots, like the old lanes off the ancient Hors-Château. Read more.
