Belgian nationalism


Belgian nationalism, sometimes pejoratively referred to as Belgicism, is a nationalist ideology. In its modern form it favours the reversal of federalism and the creation of a unitary state in Belgium. The ideology advocates reduced or no autonomy for the Flemish Community who constitute Flanders, the French Community of Belgium and the German-speaking Community of Belgium who constitute Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region which is inhabited by both Walloons and Flemings, and the dissolution of the regional counterparts of each ethnic group within Belgium.
It insists on restoring total sovereignty to the level of the Belgian state by reverting Belgium to a unitary state, after decades of state structure reforms that made Belgium a federal state since the 1970s - contrary to Flemish nationalists who advocate independence of their region, and Walloon, Brussels and German-speaking regionalists who advocate more autonomy to their respective regions. Belgian nationalists advocate the unity between all language groups in Belgium, and condemn each perceived chauvinistic or linguistic discrimination, advocate the knowledge of all official languages and a multicultural, tolerant, strong feeling of citizenship.
Belgian nationalism is mainly supported by French-speaking politicians, alongside some socialists, certain circles in Brussels and some sections of the far right. Because the Flanders region is by large majority regionalist and because both the Wallonia and Brussels regions and the German community are also by majority regionalist, there is no popular support for Belgian nationalism in any region of Belgium, and political parties that support this ideology openly have not gained electoral support in recent years, so it remains much weaker than the secessionist and regional nationalisms of the ethnic groups.

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