{"id":68402,"date":"2024-06-08T05:02:05","date_gmt":"2024-06-08T05:02:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/08\/the-bachelor-but-make-it-belgian-politics\/"},"modified":"2024-06-08T05:02:05","modified_gmt":"2024-06-08T05:02:05","slug":"the-bachelor-but-make-it-belgian-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/08\/the-bachelor-but-make-it-belgian-politics\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018The Bachelor,\u2019 but Make It Belgian Politics"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align:center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1050\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2024\/06\/08\/multimedia\/08belgium-election-01-wmvq\/08belgium-election-01-wmvq-facebookJumbo.jpg?resize=1050,550&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"\u2018The Bachelor,\u2019 but Make It Belgian Politics\" title=\"\u2018The Bachelor,\u2019 but Make It Belgian Politics\" \/><\/div><p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In the United States, Donald J. Trump and Joe Biden can barely agree to share a stage for a debate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In Belgium, the politicians who <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/05\/22\/world\/europe\/belgium-2024-election.html\" title=\"\">will face off<\/a> on Sunday in the country\u2019s most contested general election in years agreed to a four-episode reality show filmed over a weekend and set in a castle \u2014 moat and all.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The show, a political version of \u201cThe Bachelor,\u201d called \u201c<a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vtmgo.be\/vtmgo\/het-conclaaf~b1c837b1-640b-47a8-b342-c2131285fb75?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">The Conclave<\/a>,\u201d transfixed Belgians in the run up to the vote for the country\u2019s national and regional parliaments. The elections are coinciding with those for a European Parliament this weekend, in which 27 European Union countries will vote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">As in many other European countries, the mainstream political establishment in Belgium has shrunk electorally. The far right has surged.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">But for Belgium, that dynamic is further complicated by the divide between the country\u2019s French-speaking south, Wallonia, and its Dutch-speaking north, Flanders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The show\u2019s conceit is centered on the personal dynamics between politicians who are rivals but must ultimately work together to manage the rise of the far right. Perhaps by putting them together for a few days, they can resolve some of their differences.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">If nothing else, the show succeeded in airing the grievances that have made a far-right, anti-immigrant, Flemish secessionist party, Vlaams Belang, the election front-runner. A victory for the party could precipitate a crisis for Belgium by thrusting the issue of Flemish independence to the top of the political agenda and threatening to break the country in two.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Whether the show succeeded in facilitating real-world cooperation is another matter. The parties in the political mainstream have long struggled to come together in key moments, and Belgium has become famous for taking record time to form shaky, multiparty coalitions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Vlaams Belang\u2019s meteoric rise has made that task more urgent and daunting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Against the backdrop of the stunning grounds and grand interiors of Jemeppe Castle, a medieval ch\u00e2teau, Eric Goens, a journalist, plays host on \u201cThe Conclave\u201d to seven prominent politicians from the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, Flanders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">They go for walks in the woods. They cook. They eat together. And they get into arguments.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">There are moments of conflict and reconciliation; awkward silences and barely disguised disgust; even solo confessional interviews in a chapel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Among the seven are Tom Van Grieken, the leader of Vlaams Belang; the sitting prime minister, Alexander De Croo, a liberal; and Petra De Sutter, a member of the Green party who is one of the country\u2019s deputy prime ministers, and the most senior trans politician in the European Union.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"css-15h6bi9 e1gnsphs0\" id=\"link-10b8af0f\"><span>The bedfellows are political<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Vlaams Belang, which translates to Flemish Interest, was among the first in a wave of European far-right parties to capitalize on anti-migrant sentiment across Europe. Originally called Vlaams Blok, the party promoted the return of second- and third-generation Belgians of migrant descent to their ancestral homelands.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In 2004, the party was convicted of violating Belgium\u2019s antiracism law and banned from standing in elections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The party has since changed its name and image, but, critics say, little else. Belgium, a prosperous northern European country of 11 million people, is home to sizable migrant communities, including Muslims with North African roots, who remain the party\u2019s main target.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">This has led all other Belgian political parties to make a longstanding vow to never govern with Vlaams Belang. The question is whether they can manage to uphold that promise if, as projected, Vlaams Belang comes first in the election on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Just as pressing, the party wants Flanders \u2014 the northern region that is home to about 60 percent of the Belgian population \u2014 to secede from the federal state of Belgium and form its own country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The question of how to manage Mr. Van Grieken\u2019s popularity is perhaps most pressing for Bart De Wever, who leads the New Flemish Alliance, a conservative Flemish nationalist party. He was also among the politicians who participated in \u201cThe Conclave.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Van Grieken would like the two parties to join forces, form a Flemish government and use it as a launchpad to ultimately force Flemish independence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. De Wever wants Flemish independence, too, but calls the secessionist plan \u201ca fantasy.\u201d A self-described pragmatist, he is running on a platform that would instead transfer still more powers from Belgium\u2019s federal government to its regions, including Flanders.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The tension between the two men boils over in a fireside scene that oozes reality-TV drama.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">It\u2019s nighttime, and a relaxed Mr. Van Grieken sits by an outdoor firepit, when Mr. De Wever steps out.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cDid you just start a campfire here?\u201d Mr. De Wever asks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cYes, with these woke books that I want to ban, Bart,\u201d Mr. Van Grieken chuckles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cIt looks like everyone has gone to bed,\u201d Mr. De Wever says, looking around awkwardly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cThey don\u2019t want to hang out with us, Bart,\u201d Mr. Van Grieken says. \u201cYour fate is that you always end up with me down the line.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">That is the scenario all of Belgium\u2019s political establishment would like to avoid. And while Mr. De Wever shares in that disdain for Vlaams Belang, he has long been vague about whether he will honor the vow never to govern with the party.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In another scene, a fellow politician confronts Mr. De Wever: Will he really get into bed with Vlaams Belang?<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cI just told you, it\u2019s a no,\u201d Mr. De Wever finally concedes. \u201cI can\u2019t partner with someone who doesn\u2019t respect democracy. Sorry, that\u2019s quite fundamental.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The conversation foreshadows the intense negotiations that will almost certainly follow Sunday\u2019s election. For the audience, the show offers a rare, fly-on-the-wall view into the country\u2019s messy politics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cMaybe you start to understand why things are so hard between leader one and leader two,\u201d Mr. Goens, the show\u2019s host, said in an interview. \u201cIt goes very deep, and you never get to see that in the normal debate.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<h3 class=\"css-15h6bi9 e1gnsphs0\" id=\"link-44872849\"><span>Bad blood<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cThe Conclave\u201d shows how these differences between leaders go far beyond ideology in Belgium. The notoriously protracted postelection negotiations of the past have also left deep scars.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Both supporters of liberal economic policies, one would expect current prime minister, Mr. De Croo, and Mr. De Wever to be natural political partners.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">But the pair fell out over the last coalition negotiations, in which Mr. De Wever accused Mr. De Croo of slyly undercutting him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cI\u2019m really not looking forward to this, because there is bad blood between us,\u201d Mr. De Wever tells the camera before confronting Mr. De Croo.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">When the two men finally sit down together, Mr. De Croo tries to convince him that they can join forces this time around, but the conversation keeps going back to old grievances.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cWorking together requires a certain amount of trust and reliability,\u201d Mr. De Wever tells Mr. De Croo. \u201cThat is completely missing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. De Croo eventually gives up. \u201cYou know, let\u2019s leave it at that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cI think we are getting to the point where we are going to say things that we are going to regret,\u201d says Mr. De Wever.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. De Croo tries to end on a positive note.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cI\u2019m not a vindictive person,\u201d he says, \u201cand if it\u2019s about making our country stronger for all Belgians and not splitting our country, then we can work together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">That remains to be seen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/06\/08\/world\/europe\/belgian-election-the-conclave-show-tv.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the United States, Donald J. Trump and Joe Biden can barely agree to share a stage for a debate. In Belgium, the politicians who will face off on Sunday in the country\u2019s most contested general election in years agreed to a four-episode reality show filmed over a weekend and set in a castle \u2014 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":68403,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2024\/06\/08\/multimedia\/08belgium-election-01-wmvq\/08belgium-election-01-wmvq-facebookJumbo.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[64097,6028,369],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68402"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68402"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68402\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68404,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68402\/revisions\/68404"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68403"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68402"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68402"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}