Wallonia's trade deal veto lands Belgium in a political minefield

Wallonia’s refusal to agree to the EU Ceta trade agreement with Canada has baffled the world, but it surprised few in Flanders.

Politics in Flanders and in Wallonia could not be more different. The more prosperous Flanders is centre-right, while Wallonia, with its history of decaying industries, leans to the left.

Many in Flanders feel Wallonia, and especially its socialists, is holding back the country and economy. The Michel government, which has no majority in Wallonia and no socialists, seemed like a rare opportunity to introduce reforms. However, PS has not vanished: it is still in power in the Walloon and Brussels regions. And look who popped up to halt Ceta? Now the whole world can see what we have experienced for years, one observer said.

Wallonia minister-president Paul Magnette (PS)’s Ceta refusal came unexpectedly, but what perplexed the outside world was that he even should agree to it. The reason is Belgium’s Constitution, which has been reshaped in a number of state reforms.

As the regions increasingly demanded more autonomy, there is no hierarchy in the levels of government in the Constitution. The federal government has no power over the regions, so in certain cases the regions have to vote on international agreement independently. They routinely do this without any hassle. (The Brussels Capital region has yet to accept Ceta; it awaits the outcome of Magnette’s stand-off.)

The view from Flanders is that Magnette’s resistance has personal political motives, as his party tries to win voters back from a smaller Marxist party. Being in opposition at the federal level gives PS little reason to push through Ceta either. That this embarrasses prime minister Charles Michel (MR), a Walloon, is a bonus.

In Flanders, Magnette’s stance is admired by some on the left, but mostly it is criticised. Flanders is in favour of Ceta, as the region accounts for 90% of Belgium’s export to Canada. Once again, it feels “held back” by Wallonia.

“Flanders wants to negotiate on an international level; Wallonia does it,” Magnette (pictured) said. “Wallonia would rather export arms to Saudi Arabia than apples and pears to Canada,” Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois replied, referring to the state-owned arms factory in Herstal.

Some have suggested that the federal government should simply ignore Wallonia, which would be a constitutional breach. Either way, the issue has landed Belgium in a political minefield once again. And the EU with it.

Photo courtesy VRT