Evolution of National Identities and Federalism in Belgium

National identities in Belgium have been shaped within the course of a complex historical process. The common sense of identity developed under the rule of Dukes of Burgundy and the House of Habsburg has strengthened with the short period of independence experienced following the Brabant Revolution. The French period has secured the settling of the modern state model. Having unified with Holland at the Congress of Vienna, the Belgian Provinces formed an independent state following a patriotic revolution. At a time when language differences amongst people did not constitute a factor of disassociation, French was adopted as the sole official language of Belgium. However, this choice gave rise to a “linguistic question” that triggered the development of communitarian identities. Tensions rising between Dutch-speaking Flemish and French-speaking Walloons after World War I constituted the principal division line of Belgium. The first state reform realized for bringing a lasting solution to communitarian conflict has been the start point of a long institutional transformation process resulting in the formation of an original federal system. Despite having managed this process with inter-communitarian consensus, Belgium has been going through a politico-institutional crisis recently.