100 posts
Belgian PM Publishes His Playlist
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In-depth analysis of the music Elio di Rupo says he listens to.
Navigating the Meuse
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We got up in the dark and drove out of Brussels in thick and freezing fog. At Yvoir, on the Meuse, we boarded a ten-metre motor boat. For today we spent all day on the river, taking our practical test on driving large motorboats. This is just the fi...
Belgian regulator approves Belgacom's alternative to multicast (access to IPTV platform) Reference Offer
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BIPT approved (in french) Belgacom's alternative to multicast (access to IPTV platform) Reference Offer. Alternative operators will be able to offer multiplay bundles (press release, in french).
Commission refers Belgium back to Court over "must carry" case
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"The European Commission is asking the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to impose a fine on Belgium because it has not correctly implemented EU telecom rules when awarding "must-carry" status to broadcast content, even after the Court's judgement o...
EU – Belgium: same destiny, same fight?
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In April 2010, Eric Zemmour, French journalist, summed up the Belgium’s political situation – dominated by the Centre-right Yves Leterme government’s resignation – by this statement: “if Belgium collapses, Europe might collapse too”. Two...
Belgium: Beginning of the end?
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Read few comments by Bernard Fournier, Researcher, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Guest Lecturer, Haute école de la province de Liège Personally, I don’t think it is not the beginning of the end of Belgium, frankly. However, if the Francophones...
Euro-separatism: Belgium’s dysfunctional politics and the rise of the NVA
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Belgium is known for chocolate, beer, mussels, fries and a deeply dysfunctional and polarized political scene.The separatist NVA party won a majority of municipalities in Flanders, including the country’s second city, during Sunday’s loca...
Local Elections in Belgium : Greens Progress, Flemish Nationalists too…
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“Green parties got stronger at the local level, ‘Ecolo’ and ‘Groen’ have more seats now in municipal councils” declares Olivier Deleuze, the co-president of ‘Ecolo’, after local elections in Belgium of the 14th of October. Greens are...
Should Flanders be independent?
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As the economic crisis deepens across the European Union, we’ve been following the growing calls for separatism in Catalonia in Spain and Scotland in the United Kingdom, here and here. Now it’s Belgium’s turn. Local elections held on Sunday...
Daily Digest: Separatists gains in Belgian elections
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A few elections yesterday is worth noting this morning. First of all the local elections in Belgium, where the Flemish Nationalist Party had widespread gains, and its leader won the race to become mayor of … Continue reading →...
This weekend’s election campaign events
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Please show your support for the PS/SP.a candidates, and especially Jo Wood (in Brussels) and Belinda Pyke (in Woluwé Saint-Pierre): Saturday 6 October Woluwé Saint-Pierre: Jeune PS have a stand at 55 Avenue Gribaumont, Woluwé Saint-Pierre,...
Welcome to Belgistan — The most common baby name in Brussels for 4 years has been Mohammed
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A showdown over sharia is coming in Belgium because the high Muslim birth rate is changing the political landscape writes CBN (shookhran to Fausta) in its 5- to 6-minute video reportThe most common baby name in Brussels for four years running has...
Belgium: Police Violence
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Here is a video showing police in Brussels arresting a drunk man who was beating a woman, before they then start to beat him. A person in the neighborhood filmed the incident. Written by Fred Petrossian · comments (0) Share: Donate · face...
Belgian authorities share information with other countries on possible flaw in nuclear plant
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By DON MELVIN BRUSSELS — The head of Belgium’s nuclear regulatory agency said Thursday that a nuclear plant near Antwerp, where tests revealed possible hairline cracks in the vessel housing the reactor’s core, may never come online...
Ex-wife of Belgian pedophile set for early release
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By ROBERT WIELAARD and DON MELVIN BRUSSELS (AP) — The ex-wife of a notorious pedophile who aided her husband’s horrific abuse and murder of young girls — and who let two children starve to death while her husband was in jail — was approve...
New Belgian Nationality Law: still something to celebrate?
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Written by Thomas Huddleston, MIPEX Research Coordinator, Co-author and Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Group On 19 July, a proposed new Belgian Nationality law passed the Belgian Parliament’s Justice Committee with a large majority. Natu...
BASE achieves 3g coverage obligation in Belgium
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BIPT, the Belgian NRA, after instigating an infringement procedure, has verified that the mobile operator BASE, has achieved the condition of 85% coverage of national territotry with UMTS technology (see the press release, in french).
European digital agendas: Wallonia in Belgium
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Economic growth is the magic concept to survive and to rebound from the economic crisis. The Europe 2020 strategy (EU2020) and its seven flagship initiatives are intended to bring us smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The Digital Agenda for Eur...
Belgium: Against blind Austerity, For an Alternative
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Ahead of Belgium’s general strike on Monday, here’s some alternative ideas to austerity, courtesey of the main trade union confederation, FGTB Belgium is bracing for a general strike on Monday. It will be led by Belgium’s FGTB trade...
Belgian Ministers’ War Of Words
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Belgium has a government. Now, it's time to trash talking the EU, France and each other.
Wie Kent Olli Rehn?
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Not everyone in the newly formed (and long awaited) Belgian government seems to be happy with the new supervisory powers the European Commission has gained under the "Six-Pack" on economic governance.As we reported here, Belgium was forced to withhol...
Brussels v Brussels: Belgium and the EU clash over the budget
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The Commission’s scrutiny of Belgium’s draft budget has caused a political backlash from PS (PES) government minister Paul Magnette:““Wie kent Olli Rehn? Wie heeft ooit het gezicht van Olli Rehn gezien? Wie weet waar hij vandaan komt en wat h...
Belgian royals latest to join austerity drive
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By RAF CASERT BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium’s King Albert II on Monday said he’ll use part of his salary to help pay for the upkeep on his properties, making him the latest European royal whose pocketbook is being squeezed by the economic...
Belgium in Sweet Spot — For Now
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Belgium leaves 2011 looking much better than it did a few months ago. But is that as good as it gets?
Attack in Belgian city leaves 5 dead, 122 wounded
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By RAF CASERT LIEGE, Belgium (AP) — Summoned for questioning by Belgian police, a man with a history of weapons and drug offenses left home armed with hand grenades, a revolver and an assault rifle. Stopping at a central square filled with holiday...
It may have taken a mere 535 days but at last Belgium is to get a government!
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Yes, you did indeed read that headline correctly - Belgium is, at last, to get a government - a mere 535 days after the inconclusive elections in June 2010.The news Belgium has long been waiting for broke late yesterday evening after the country's po...
After 18 months, Belgium will have a government again
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Belgium will make history this weekend in two ways. When a new government is finally formed on Sunday it will end the longest period that any country has gone without a government in modern history. And when Elio di Rupo is appointed prime minister,...
Belgian parties near deal to create government
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By DON MELVIN BRUSSELS — Political negotiators in Belgium, stung into action by a credit downgrade, agreed Saturday on budgets for the next three years, clearing the way for the country to get a permanent government in the coming days. Belgium...
S&P’s lowers sovereign credit rating on Belgium
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By RAF CASERT BRUSSELS (AP) — Standard & Poor’s downgraded Belgium’s financial standing Friday, citing the country’s government stalemate and a looming European recession. Spurred on by the ratings agency’s cut, six...
S&P downgrades Belgium
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One-notch ratings cut from AA+ to AA. Don’t mention Dexia!The lowering of Belgium’s long-term rating reflects our view of the potential heightened risks to the sovereign’s...
Eurozone crisis: citizens to the rescue!
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Eurozone governments: Are “the markets” refusing to lend to you? Turn to “the people” instead. That is in essence what Belgium is proposing to do, with an appeal to retail investors (i.e. you) to buy the sovereign bonds it is …Continue...
Belgium – ‘Intelligent’ nuclear phase-out
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Belgium – Last Sunday’s agreement of the six parties of social democrat Elio Di Rupo’s future coalition to start a nuclear phase-out from 2015 onwards left the Green parties with mixed feelings. It is less than the purple coalition’s deci...
Why is Belgium facing a constitutional crisis? | Ian Traynor
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With no national government for the past 459 days, can Flanders and Wallonia ever overcome their differences?King Albert II of Belgium has had to interrupt his summer on the French riviera and rush home to grapple with his kingdom's latest crisis, fe...
Belgium at the Precipice Again
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Belgians waking up this morning could be forgiven for thinking that last night’s tasty, refreshing pintje of cold beer had been swapped for a super-strong 12% trappist brew.
Belgium sinking deeper and deeper…
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I haven’t been reporting or commenting for a while on the ongoing political crisis in Belgium, which most recently started with the elections 15 months ago and the inability to form a government afterwards, but in fact genuinely started after t...
Princess, 9, Gives Speech in Dutch
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Is there significance in the language used in the first speech by a 9-year-old Belgian princess?
Without a government, Belgium buddies up to Israel
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Belgium has not had a properly functioning government for more than 450 days yet that hasn’t stopped its caretaker administration from seeking to increase trade with Israel.Earlier this week, Yves Leterme, the acting Belgian prime minister, opened...
In Belgium’s struggle to survive, unlikely fans
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By GABRIELE STEINHAUSER EUPEN, Belgium — As Belgium struggles to survive cacophonous infighting between its Francophones and Dutch speakers, some of the country’s biggest fans are also its unlikeliest. On the eastern border, a tiny community...
Google: Belgian Papers to Appear in Searches Again
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By DON MELVIN Google began allowing the Web sites of French-language Belgian newspapers to appear in its search results again on Monday, saying it had obtained the papers’ legal consent to do so without repercussions. The Internet giant had blo...
Europe to be blamed for Belgium crisis
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Belgium is descending into new chaos. In a nutshell, Flemish separatist N-VA leader Bart De Wever has given Waloon Socialist leader Elio di Rupo the middle finger, as Het Nieuwsblat described it. He was able to do so, because CD&V, the Flemis...
Wallonia’s Epic Battle: Good vs. Evil
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Every year, grown men cover themselves in leaves and beat each other with pig's bladders in Belgium's southern city of Mons.
Shopping in Belgium
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In Belgium, it's up to the buyer to be the expert in what they are purchasing. Never never never never never trust the company to sell you what you need. Always always always check to ensure that you are buying what you want and not what they want to...
[Updated] EU summit: The Belgians are revolting
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UPDATE: The demonstrations are already turning nasty. Near the Belgian prime minister’s office, protesters are throwing rocks at riot police, who have opened water cannons on them. It’s summit day (again!) in Brussels, and for Europe’s pres...
World record for longest period without a government: Belgium
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Yesterday Belgium was awarded the prize for the longest period ever for a state to have no government, 249 days. This follows an inconclusive election result last year, about which I write here: http://cep.rhul.ac.uk/cep-blog/2010/6/15/coalition-form...
A Politician’s Death Divides Belgium
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The death of a beautiful, young, right-wing politician fans the flames of cultural division in Belgium.
Brussels calls for the formation of a government
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By Eva Donelli and Maxence Peniguet Between 35 000 demonstrators (according to the police) and 45 000 demonstrators (according to organisers) marched on Sunday 23 January calling for an end to the crisis in Belgium. If the organizers wanted to limi...
