Belgian political crisis: Readers' views

Belgium has been locked in political stalemate since elections in June failed to produce a new government.

The uncertainty has sparked fierce debate over whether the country should be split into the mainly Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia regions.

Here, readers from different parts of Belgium discuss the country's future and the possibility of a split.

MALCOLM MARK, 57, UNEMPLOYED, PONT-A-CELLES, WALLONIA

The current problems have been brewing for many years, as there has always been an antagonistic attitude from the Flemish towards their neighbours in Wallonia.

Some 60% of Flemish people have voted for the two nationalist parties, Vlaams Belang and Christian Democrats, and they are becoming ever more expansionist - annexing Brussels is one of their prime targets.

The current impasse stems from these demands, along with the refusal of the Wallonian parties to give up any more territory.

Most people here think that sooner or later Belgium will split but that it will be very difficult to achieve, due to the situation of French-speaking Brussels within Flemish territory.

They also wonder how Wallonian investment in Flemish areas such as the port of Antwerp can be recouped.

I personally think a split is inevitable. It will create problems for the EU as it could lead to a domino effect in other countries.

An independent Wallonia could align itself with either Luxembourg or France.

As for Brussels, it should become an EU protectorate and the capital of Europe.

NICK GLORIEUX, STUDENT, 17, ZWEVEGEM, FLANDERS

For me and many others, it's hard to live alongside the Walloons.

I personally think Belgium should split. It has never been one country anyway.

Look at our king - he can hardly speak Flemish. That doesn't bode well for the Flemish people.

Many Walloons don't have the chance to learn Flemish either.

I also don't like the fact that the Flemish pay high taxes - 40-50% - and a piece of it goes to Walloons and our "beloved" king.

It's now a much discussed subject here and people's views are getting stronger by the day.

If the two countries do not divorce now then it will certainly happen in the next few years.

As for what happens after that, reunification with the Netherlands is an option.

After all, the Flemish have more in common with the Dutch than with the Walloons.

I hope this crisis ends soon, however, because the instability is not good for either party.

GERARD KLAUNER, 56, TEACHER, BRUSSELS

I live in Brussels and French is my mother tongue.

I also understand Flemish but the vast majority of people in Brussels only speak French.

Originally a Flemish dialect was used here and only the elite spoke French.

When Brussels became the capital of Belgium, French inexorably became the dominant language, and however hard the Flemish try to change that, there's no turning back.

We have more in common with the inhabitants of Marseilles than with people who live 10 miles from here.

Without the problem of Brussels - which is after all a French enclave in Flanders - it would be easy to split the country.

As it stands both sides will have to learn to compromise for now.

I think a government will be formed soon for the simple reason that politicians don't like to be out of work.

However, Belgium probably won't last beyond another 20 years in its current form.

TOM PUTTEMANS, 19, STUDENT, ZEMST, FLANDERS

Few Flemish people actually find the changes that the Christian Democrats want to make important.

Being more autonomous may be nice for one region, but many Flemish people, including me, understand that sometimes the more prosperous regions have to help the less prosperous ones.

Splitting up Belgium would only cause pain and trouble.

There is only one problem that needs to be fixed before a legitimate government can be formed - the unfair advantage of the French-speaking candidates.

It is sad to see two regions live so close to each other, but still ignoring each other.

There are many similarities between the regions, but language remains the main obstacle.

It angers many Flemings that they learn French to communicate with Walloons, but that the learning of Dutch among Walloons is only sporadically done.

Such a lack of respect causes hatred to build and hate has never solved a problem, it only creates one.