POL 3109 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Flemish Movement
2 Aug 2018
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Document Summary
Flanders confronts us with the paradox of a region where pro-independence parties represent almost half of the electorate, while the desire for independence remains low and pro-independence mobilizations and social movements are absent. Firstly, the electoral successes of pro-independence have nothing to do with the support for independence. Nor has there been a significant increase in support for the independence of flanders. This is probably because of the recent institutional reform. There is support for institutional status quo, in 2014 majority of flemings supported were satisfied with the existing institution or favored the return of a stronger federal state. In terms of national identity, a large majority of flemings continue to identify themselves also with belgium; only a small minority identified themselves exclusively with flanders. Secondly, the rise of the n-va has occurred in a context of a long-term decline of nationalist mobilizations. Asides from the electoral results, such mobilizations remain as minimal as before.
