"Francophones responsible for problems" 03/08/2007 00:00

3 August 2007

BRUSSELS – The francophones are themselves responsible for the problems they are now facing in the negotiations on the formation of a new government, former prime minister Jean-Luc Dehaene (Flemish Christian Democrats CD&V) says on Friday in an interview with Le Soir.

"The (language) boundary is an example of how the francophones wanted to teach Flemings a lesson, while they themselves created the problem," Jean-Luc Dehaene says.

"If Wallonia had accepted bilingualism in 1932 Belgium would never have become what it is today," he adds. Dehaene also stresses that the efforts of the francophones – to learn Dutch that is – come about 40 years too late.

He commented that a new generation of Flemish politicians no longer speak French. The former prime minister warns the francophones not to let the negotiations hit deadlock.

[Copyright Expatica News 2007]

Subject: Belgian news