Our electoral system is one of the reasons for the Belgian deadlock. That’s what big businessman Luc Bertrand, head of investment firm Ackermans & Van Haren, says on Trends Talk this weekend. The Flemings sacrificed their majority in order to create balance. But this led to the emergence of a political system that costs a lot of money and cannot make decisions. Bertrand calls for the creation of a federal electoral district and a reassessment of Belgium.
Belgians will soon be able to go to the polls again to hold elections, but this does not mean that Belgium is a full-fledged democracy. Because Belgians cannot vote for half of the members of the federal government because they come from another part of the country. This is a good example of Belgian surrealism, says Luc Bertrand, president of investment firm Akkermans & Van Haren.
In Trends Talk he makes his point with the recent major TV debate between N-VA President Bart De Wever and PS President Paul Magnette. “That was Magritte in the hat,” Bertrand said. Because in the voting booth no one can choose between politicians. “Mr. De Wever, Mr. Magnet and other politicians have the ability to collect a million votes. But today that is not possible.” The result is participation. “Who decides my vote? This is the head of the party.”
Wonderful country
For this reason, Bertrand supports the creation of a federal electoral district for federal authorities, where we can choose politicians from all over the country. Because there are competent politicians in every part of the country. “We had great Walloon politicians. “You shouldn’t underestimate them,” says Bertrand.
The way things are going now, things can’t really continue, according to Bertrand. “We are a unique country in which the majority of the population – that is the Flemish – has partly sacrificed its majority for the idea of democracy and balance. We are a country of balances, which leads to all kinds of barriers and different governments. This costs a lot of money. This is something that cannot be done,” says Bertrand. Control it today.”
“A democracy must be able to decide, and today we have a problem,” said Bertrand, who calls for Belgium’s value to be raised. “Belgium is a wonderful country, but we don’t know that anymore.”
Watch the full conversation with Luc Bertrand on Trends Talk from 11am Saturday morning on Kanaal Z (then on the weekend episode) or online here.
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