Belgium and the Monarchy: From National Independence to National Disintegration

Tracing the fault lines that have led to the current uneasy relations between Belgium, Flanders, and Wallonia, this history shows how the monarchy in Belgium has changed with the times since the democratization of voting rights in 1893. The policies now confronting parliament, however, will be another serious test of the monarchy, according to this analysis. As the result of its growing regional economy since 1970, Flanders has made a bid to divide the country, and this discussion considers the possible breakup of Belgium from the perspective of the past—and then looks ahead at the implications for other countries in the European Union.