sph

joined 1 year ago
[–] sph 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

For me it mostly gives a bad image of how hopeless the situation is. Absolute top politicians should at least be able to have a basic conversation in the other language but they often can't even do that.

One of the reasons Flanders is so extremely sensitive about the language rules and the language communities is because they see frenchification happening everywhere they go, especially around Brussels (but also in other cities). And when even our top ministers cannot be bothered, it doesn't exactly hint that people will adapt and speak Dutch rather than expecting others will accommodate them in French.

It would take the nationalists down a few notches if ministers were equally as fluent in Dutch as their Flemish counterparts are in French. Doesn't have to be perfect, just comprehensible and showing effort.

[–] sph 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Definitely not with MR in government. They're also the single reason why the woonbonus is still a thing for second homes. Rather than discouraging it, all of us pay taxes so we can hand it to people who are rich enough to buy a second house in the first place for snatching that house away from us and driving up the prices.

That party is the most populist, anti-science and destructive to the social and financial wellbeing of this country I've seen. And that says a lot if you take a look at some other parties.

[–] sph 7 points 1 year ago (4 children)

I think the solution is taxing second homes while controlling rent prices (so that it's not renters who have to pay that cost) and also make it prohibitively expensive to own more than two places. Huisjesmelkers need to go out of business really fast.

[–] sph 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Our fossil fuel consumption is also at an all time record high, despite EV growing in popularity. It's mostly because a lot of ordinary cars are replaced by SUVs that eat a lot more fuel.

https://standaard.be/cnt/dmf20230712_92929200

[–] sph 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

78 million is peanuts to the total budget. I don't mind that money going to parties so that it's more resistant to bribery/lobbying.

What I don't like is that the money is being used to invest in non-political activities such as real estate and essentially compete with the private market with government money to get richer. Ironically it's the most right wing parties doing that. So much for free market.

[–] sph 3 points 1 year ago

Same, maybe I should start posting a bit more actively too

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