Dutch parliament speaker sparks controversy by suggesting splitting Belgium between neighbours

The Speaker of the Dutch House of Representatives has stirred a diplomatic scandal for proposing to a French diplomat a plan that would divide the sovereign territories of Belgium between the Netherlands and France.

The proposal by Martin Bosma was expressed on April 22 during a diplomatic dinner with the French Ambassador to the Netherlands, François Alabrune, Caliber.Az reports citing Dutch media.

Bosma's proposal suggests dividing Belgium in such a way that the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in the north would join the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while Wallonia, the southern French-speaking region, would align with France.

This idea, reported by journalist Petra de Koning, is connected to the far-right "Greater Netherlands" concept, which was previously mentioned by Geert Wilders, a far-right Dutch politician whose PVV party won the majority of seats in the 2023 general elections but failed to form a cabinet. According to Dutch media, Bosma's remarks reflect his extreme right-wing views and the growing nationalist sentiment in both countries.

Belgium is divided into three monolingual language communities: Flanders, which is the Flemish-Dutch region; Wallonia, the French-speaking region; and together they make up the majority of the country. A small German-speaking region exists on the east bordering Germany, while Brussels, the capital city, is bilingual, though it is located within Flanders.

Although the proposal idea has been discussed in certain political circles for decades, it remains largely supported by extreme-right factions such as Bosma's Party for Freedom (PVV) and Belgium's Vlaams Belang. Bosma's comments during the dinner left attendees shocked, but he did not provide further details on his proposal. The timing of the suggestion, particularly during a diplomatic event, raised concerns about its potential impact on Belgium’s sovereignty and international relations.

Political observers have noted that such a proposal could strain diplomatic ties between Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. While Belgian officials have yet to respond, the political fallout from Bosma's remarks is expected to be significant in both countries.

By Nazrin Sadigova