Nearly six months, and counting
Wednesday, December 5th, 2007
I wonder if the people of Belgium have actually noticed, on a day to day level, whether they have a Government or not. There is something appealing to many British people who suffer from comprehensive over-government that Belgians are spared the continuous micro-management we have to endure in this country. Presumably, the Belgian people are also spared the army of taxpayer funded spin doctors who so degrade our national life.
Italy has had its fair share of Governments since 1945. Many Italians simply say that Brussels would do a better job than Rome. No country is more enthusiastic about the European project than the Belgians. It cannot provide an overriding national sense of purpose, so it favours a pan-European structure suited to itself rather then countries like ourselves, which still have a national sense of identity.
People want to have a feeling of ownership of the institutions which impact on their lives. Every day that passes more people are recognising the limits of Big Government. However part of me secretly is envious of a country like Belgium which makes do without the sort of Government Ministers we have to put up with here.