Belgium and European Union

I am sometimes asked by others in my exile what my thoughts are on European Union. Usually I try not to think of it at all. My primary concern is the national situation, not the international situation of all of Europe. In general I have a mostly negative view of European Union though I also recognize some positive aspects or at least positive intentions. You see, it is hard to explain because I really do not fit completely in one group or another. I would have thought European Union a good idea when it started and some of the European statesmen I most admire have been associated with the whole pan-European movement. However, I do not see where it has done my country or really any country much good. The one fall-back the pro-EU crowd turns to is that there has been no World War III. That is true and that is not a benefit to talk disrespectfully about. No one wants to see that happen but how can we know that such a thing not happening is because of European Union and not because of NATO? I would say the UN but I am pretty solidly convinced that organization is totally useless.

The economic benefits were once the most touted by supporters but today that seems like a very weak argument. I also am a little bit nervous about the leading role played by Germany in the EU from the very begining and even today most EU expenses fall on German taxpayers. I am not hateful toward the Germans by any means but I would not be honest if I did not say it makes me a little uncomfortable that the German-dominated European super-state envisioned by Kaiser Wilhelm II and Adolf Hitler seems to have become a reality today. But, honesty would also force me to say that the EU has some attractions at least on an emotional level with Brussels being the headquarters and Belgium being at the center of all the decision making in Europe. However, I cannot see where EU has helped Belgium and lately I have begun to wonder if the EU elites are not at some level supportive of the breakup of Belgium and would like to see something similar happen to other European countries.

Even on the wider world stage it seems to me that countries did better on their own than they have with the EU whether it is trade, diplomacy or foreign interventions. I also do not approve of how EU government is set up with the only elected members have very little power to do anything really. I am a royalist but I like my own constitutional setup pretty well and when people pay people should have a say. I do not mind a king not being elected because the king must be impartial but when it comes to politicians making decisions for me I would certainly want to be able to vote them out of office if they do wrong. All of this makes me have a very negative view of European Union, but again, I cannot fit neatly in with what English call the Euro-skeptic crowd. Speaking of the British they scare me alot in European Union. As the video I posted before shows UKIP is very anti-Belgium and the British National Party is very friendly with Vlaams Belang that want to see Belgium destroyed. It is a fact that the Belgians are given little choice for the only parties that oppose EU are almost invariably Flemish nationalist parties. If one even does not like EU then it makes it very hard to oppose it without falling into bad company for the loyal Belgian who loves his country and monarchie.