What you see is not what you get: Belgium is not in decay
Perception often takes precedence over reality these days. In a series of five articles, Belga English considers how Belgium is perceived and compares it with the facts. Today: yes, too often we hear bad things about Belgium, but there is also a lot of good going on. Life in Belgium is good, and the country is future-proof… in most aspects.
In the previous articles, we looked at the issues with the public sector’s income and expenditure, the abundance of regulations and the lack of structure. These are problems that have been documented for years.
On the other hand, when you consider international benchmarks, Belgium scores well: it has a high GDP, high disposable income per person, moderate levels of poverty, good education, a well-functioning healthcare system and social protection, thriving businesses and a pleasant living environment.
Even more than in other countries, it’s politics that is in crisis in Belgium. Politicians find it increasingly difficult to make tough choices and implement their decisions, leading to political standstill while society and the economy continue to evolve.
Part of the explanation is seen worldwide. Voters, with little or incorrect information, are increasingly open to populism. The media try to reconnect with their audience by reporting on sensational issues. Civil society organisations have become lobbying machines for their own interests. Too much democracy kills democracy.
What aggravates these problems in Belgium is the complexity of the political system. Too many political parties, too many governments. Competences dispersed over too many authorities. Everybody is competent, but nobody is responsible.
The Belgian constitution contains some fundamental flaws, and one of those flaws is the near impossibility of correcting flaws.
Of course, this has growing negative effects, but it doesn’t mean the whole of Belgium is in crisis. The rules and targets of the EU – and the many other multilateral organisations Belgium is a member of – prevent the political system from sliding too far. Companies continue to grow, and society continues its daily routines. Most people are generally not interested in politics and avoid it as far as possible.
Politics doesn’t lead to much optimism about the future of Belgium. But the question remains: how important is national politics for the future of a country?
© BELGA PHOTO LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ and HATIM KAGHAT
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