2023-10-23 08:06:00
“In Belgium, we have big socio-economic differences between our regions […] but they are systematically exploited by the political class, particularly the nationalist right and the Flemish far right,” summarizes the socialist secretary of state. “In France, there are many more differences and transfers between Lorraine and the Lyon region than between Flanders and Wallonia. But you will never hear a Lyonnais tell a Lorraine that he is lazy and that he is living off social security. ”
A fervent defender of Belgium and its unity, Thomas Dermine regrets the caricatured speech of certain fellow politicians. “It’s always the same reflex, regardless of the minority: we reduce the other to a series of very simple characteristics. For the Flemings, the Walloon is a lazy person who lives off social security. If, in the N-VA’s speech, you change the Walloon to another ethnic or religious minority, you have a speech that is openly racist. There are certain reflexes that are common with racist speech. ”And the man named two elected officials by name. “Today, in interviews broadcast in my leading media, you can have Bart De Wever and Theo Francken declaring that Walloons are junkies or lazy people. And we, as Walloons, don’t even react anymore. ”
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“These clichés are so hammered home in the north of the country that we, the Walloons, have ended up incorporating them. It ended up rubbing off on our identity,” says Thomas Dermine. “At 37, I want to fight for my region. And for that, getting rid of your clichés is essential. ”
Although he recognizes that Wallonia must do more to reduce its unemployment rate, the Secretary of State assures him: all is not lost. And the trend may even be reversed. “Money transfers between regions are a classic example of a cliché. Yes, it’s a lot of money (7 billion euros) but compared to the solidarity in all European states, it is relatively low. And you know that some social security systems, like pensions, are already reversed? ! ” A sign that we must remain optimistic for the years to come, including in the south of the country.
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