Much like the densely populated nation itself, Belgium's political landscape is crowded. Where national debate in other countries splits along polar fault lines, the conversation here is coloured many hues.
The diversity is apparent in the campaign posters pasted around Brussels: there are reds and blues, greens and yellows, oranges and pinks... the electoral lists are lengthy and parties aren't simply diametrically opposed. The current Federal Government is composed of seven parties and the next might be just as vibrant.
The lines of distinction are further blurred by Belgium's regional and language divides, which drive a wedge between parties cut from the same ideological cloth. Take the country's socialist movement, where ostensible sister parties court voters in separate regions with policies that on some issues seem to clash rather than chime in harmony.
Among Belgium's francophone community, the Parti Socialiste is staunchly pro-worker rights, social protections, and improving the purchasing power of the working class – standard stuff as socialist policies go. In Flanders however, Vooruit (formerly called the Flemish Socialist Party) has tweaked the conventional socialist tune to present as being strong on immigration and less attached to the "social contract" that is the socialist bedrock.
Whilst the variation in messaging no doubt reflects different priorities in Wallonia and Flanders, some question whether it undermines the socialist cause – indeed, if it might instead play into the hands of more obvious political opponents. Delving into the differences between Belgium's socialist sisters, my colleague @URealfonzo heard how a once-unified family grew apart and what this means for left-wing politics at the federal level. Read the full piece here.
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