A split of Belgium
Some separatistic parties in Belgium like Vlaams Belang and N-VA like to point to the 'velvet separation' of former Czechoslovakia into the Czech Republic (capital Prague) and Slovakia (capital Bratislava).
A main problem is the position of Brussels. Not only it is Belgium's biggest city, but also houses the headquarters of NATO and EU and of many multinationals, banks and companies. Until 'the Belgification' in the 19th century, Brussels was a full Flemish city, where Dutch was the standard language. Go to the city's archives and asks for charters, acts, decrees, memorials, registers, etc. from the 17th century, or medieaeval times, you will see that most of these are in Dutch language.
To present day, Brussels is surrounded by Flanders and its Dutchspeaking community (see this map:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Gemeenschappenkaart.png ) but the city itself has become more and more francophone, very much to the irritation of the Flemish people who see Brussels as an old and originally Flemish city and as the undisputed capital of Flanders.
The Wallonians will do everything they can to prevent a split-up of Belgium. The problem is that Flanders is one of Europe's richest regions while Wallonia is struggling for decades and is in fact living on Flemish subsidies. That is why they are so 'Belgian-loving' and see the monarchy as a guarantee to keep Belgium together, in their very best interest.
This very same causes a completely different feeling amongst the Flemish people. They feel 'hostaged' by the Wallonians and see the monarchy more and more as the exponent of 'Belgium' which blocks them in their self-deployment and is sucking away their taxpayers' money into bottomless Wallonian holes governed by corrupt socialistic politicians. The Flemish are almost 2/3 of the population and control the economy. So the monarchy, especially with the so-labelled
clumsy and dumb Prince Philippe and the so-labelled
francophone Princess Mathilde, has to set all sails together not to loose the hearts of the flemish people.
A split-up of Belgium is for sure the end of the monarchy. The King will not remain as a Prince of Liège or so because also for the Wallonians then the King will have lost his relevance for them. Now the King is their 'guarantee' (or hostage) to keep Belgium together. The fake-report by the RTBF has shocked the Wallonians and it will most likely cause them sto step on the brakes and block any further development in the ongoing reformation of Belgium into a loose-fitting federal state. That is why the Flemish people think there is a 'spin' behind all this.
