Belgian nationalism

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The Pro Patria ("For the Nation") monument, erected in honour of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, in the Place des Martyrs, Brussels

Belgian nationalism or Belgicism (Dutch: Belgicisme; French: Belgicanisme) is a nationalist ideology that favours the reversal of federalism and the creation of a unitary state in Belgium. The ideology advocates reduced or no autonomy for the Flemish Community who constitute Flanders, the French Community of Belgium and the German-speaking Community of Belgium who constitute Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region which is inhabited by both Walloons and Flemings, and the dissolution of the regional counterparts of each ethnic group within Belgium.

It insists on restoring total sovereignty to the level of the Belgian state by reverting Belgium to a unitary state, after decades of state structure reforms that made Belgium a federal state since the 1970s - contrary to Flemish nationalists who advocate independence of their region, and Walloon, Brussels and German-speaking regionalists who advocate more autonomy to their respective regions. Belgian nationalists advocate the unity between all language groups in Belgium, and condemn each perceived chauvinistic or linguistic discrimination, advocate the knowledge of all official languages (Dutch, French, German) and a multicultural, tolerant, strong feeling of citizenship.

Belgian nationalism is mainly supported by French-speaking politicians, alongside some socialists, certain circles in Brussels and some sections of the far right. Because the majority in Flanders do not favor independence of their region[contradictory] and because both the Wallonia and Brussels regions and the German community are strongly regionalist, there is no popular support for Belgian nationalism in any region of Belgium, and political parties that support this ideology openly have not gained electoral support in recent years, so it remains much weaker than the secessionist and regional nationalisms of the ethnic groups.

Advocates

Current

  • Belgian Union (BUB), a centrist Unionist political party, officially bilingual but in practice mainly Dutch-speaking.
  • Vivant, Belgian French-speaking liberal political party incorporates a civic nationalist programme, that advocates bilingualism.

Past

See also

  • Flemish nationalism - an ideology calling for greater autonomy or independence for Flanders
  • Walloon nationalism - an ideology calling for greater autonomy or independence for Wallonia
  • Rattachism - an ideology calling for the separation of Wallonia and its incorporation in France
  • Greater Netherlands - a hypothetical polity incorporating Flanders and the Netherlands.