20.4. Brussels and an Independent Flanders

Often, Brussel is called upon as the surplus value of Flanders in Belgium: if Flanders would leave Belgium, it would lose Brussel. Not erveryone agrees on that.

The Flemish People's Movement (VVB, Vlaamse Volksbeweging) voted six resolutions in 1994 on this subject. It should be noted that the VVB is part of the separatistic wing of the Flemish movement, and advocates the proclamation of a Flemish Republic.

Flanders should make, now and with great speed, a Brussel-project, supported by a wide Flemish majority, and use all political means to realize that project.
Every Belgian option leads virtually to a definitive loss of Brussel. If we still have interests in Brussel, and want to try to reverse the negative developmments regarding Brussel, we have to look for solutions outside the Belgian context.
Because sociologically, Flanders has to lean on Brussel for its capital function, because of the economical surplus value Brussel can offer to Flanders, because Brussel can help shine the splendour of the Dutch language and culture in Europe, because we have historical rights in Brussel, because of the broad Flemish presence in Brussel and the location of the city in the heart of Flanders, the VVB thinks that all democratic means should be used to the utmost to strengthen the bond between Brussel and Flanders.
After inspection of all possible alternative scenarios, the VVB considers the independance of Flanders as the best means to gain Brussel for Flanders.
Brussel should structurally be fit into Flanders in way attractive to both Flanders and Brussel.
- Brussel is the capital city of Flanders
- Brussel, confined to the 19 municipalities, obtains a bilibgual (Dutch and french) status
- the French-speaking inhabitants of Brussel are full Flemish citizens
- the French-speaking inhabitants will have their own structures where they can exercise some specific authorities, amongst others eductaion and culture
The VVB bases its strategy for Brussel both on positive exercise of power and seduction. The congres instructs the leaders of the VVB
- to start actions to promote the use of the Dutch language and to push the Flemish government to take initiatives for this purpose
- to urge the Flemish government to enforce the legislation of language use correctly and specifically, and to install a commission for that purpose
- to insist at the Flemish government on installing a `Commission for the Flemish presence in Brussel'. This commission will have as its task to study the Flemish presence in Brussel and to hand in policy bills.
- to push the Flemish government fo a policy agreement between the Dutch-speaking inside and outside Brussel
- to start a preparing discussion with representative Flemish-speaking inhabitants of Brussel in view of the integration of Brussel into a Flemish state

Source: Brussel, hoofdstad van het onafhankelijke Vlaanderen, Vlaamse Volksbeweging

In the accompanying text, the VVB explains its standpoint. First of all, the thesis that Flanders will lose Brussel when becoming independent, assumes that we can keep or even (partly) regain Brussel staying in Belgium. It points out that Belgium is the cause of the Frenchification of Brussel in the first place.

Clearly, Flanders and Brussel need each other more than Brussel and Wallonia. Geo-politically speaking, it is obvious that Brussel lies in the heart of Flanders, completely surrounded by Flemish territory. A glance on a road map learns that most of Brussel's ring lies on Flemish territory, and a Brussel outside of Flanders would surely choke in traffical chaos. Also by railroad or by air, Brussel is only reachable through Flanders; the airport of Zaventem (Brussel-National) is situated in Flanders.

Brussel doesn't belong to Wallonia. The French-speaking inhabitants of Brussel aren't Walloon immigrants, but Frenchified Flemmings. The French-speaking part of Brussel votes in a different way from Wallonia, and the Walloon movement never got a grip on Brussel's population. And finally, Wallonia didn't chose Brussel as its capital city, like Flanders did, but chose Namur in stead.

Economically speaking, only inside Flanders Brussel has a future. Of the 330,000 commuters coming to Brussel daily, 280,000 are Flemish. This means that during the day, Brussel is Flanders' largest city. Brussel cannot finance its network of roads on its own, and is already now depending on Flanders for it. The industrial belt lies outside the 19 municipalities, from Groot-Bijgaarden and Zellik over Vilvoorde and Machelen to Diegem and Zaventem. Brussel as an independent enclave would become a sort of European Washington DC, a city stuffed with offices, and between them impoverished quarters with at its borders some residential districts.