Keeping Up Appearances: Belgium Launches International PR Campaign

From the desk of Paul Belien on Mon, 2008-02-04 22:13

Leading newspapers in Britain, France and Spain, as well as the BBC, are collaborating with the Belgian authorities to improve the international image of Belgium. Last month, Belgium’s interim government ordered the Belgian ambassadors abroad to spin the international media “to promote a positive image of Belgium.” The ambassadors were told to take “informal” and “discrete” initiatives which must “result in positive radio and television broadcasts or newspaper articles” in the foreign media. They should, however, avoid press conferences because these might have “the opposite effect.”

Apparently, the ambassadors in London, Paris and Madrid have already been able to arrange interviews of Belgian Interim Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt with The Financial Times and BBC World (Britain), Le Monde (France) and El Pais (Spain). The interviews with Le Monde and BBC World were taped recently; the interviews with El Pais and the FT are scheduled next week.

Since last June’s general elections the Belgian politicians have been unable to form a regular government. The country currently has an “interim” government, led by Guy Verhofstadt. Mr. Verhofstadt lost the elections, but was asked by Belgian King Albert II to form a new government because the politicians from Flanders, the Dutch-speaking north of the country, and from Wallonia, the French-speaking south were unable to agree on constitutional reforms. Flanders wants more autonomy, but Wallonia, which lives on Flemish welfare subsidies, refuses to agree to that.

The Belgian Prime Minister’s cabinet confirmed to the Belgian press that the PM’s interviews are part of a coordinated PR campaign to convey the message that Belgium is not about to fall apart because “federal countries like Belgium rewrite their constitution every two decades.”

It is unclear what Belgium has given Le Monde, the BBC, The Financial Times and El Pais in return for the interviews. The Belgian government has set aside a budget of 1 million euros for a publicity campaign which includes ads in The Economist and the FT and on various financial websites, as well as commercials on CNN, BBC World, Deutsche Welle and CNBC.

Improve image? That is how

Submitted by Monarchist on Thu, 2008-02-07 13:18.

Improve image? That is how bureaucrats steal money.

Belgium is correct to wait- out the EU elitists who are nervous

Submitted by Zen Master on Wed, 2008-02-06 01:51.

Belgium can prosper and be a success by seceding and allowing the Walloons to join the French. I know Marcfrans has clever reasons why there are problems in seceding, but those problems are not impossible to overcome. Deals can be made to gain more support.

A smaller country, free of the welfare loving Walloons, will be better off. If the smaller Belgium, also withdraws from the EU, it will drive a stake through the heart of the EU. Having Brussels, the governing seat of the EU, withdraw will be a psychologically ruinous blow to the EU. The damaging blow administered by Belgium will encourage other countries to wish to be free of the oppressive regulations that damage their economies.

Belgium is going in the right direction. The leaders of the EU must be in a state of panic now.

Schaveiger

Submitted by MarkE on Tue, 2008-02-05 13:23.

I can't speak for Paul Belien, and I'm fairly sure he's big enough and ugly enough to speak for himself, but you raise a point that has been raised to me when I express my support for the end of the union between England and Scotland.

Do you really think that by splitting we'll get rid of all rogue and incompetent leaders ?

Not at all, but humans are tribal and would far rather be governed by "our" rogue and incompetent leaders than by leaders who are foreign to us.

We also feel that, if we are governed locally we have some chance of influencing decisions - my local councillor lives mext door, my MP 12 miles away and holds regular surgeries in the constituency, when I can go along and confront him in person. The Prime Minister is in London, only 70 miles away if I want to protest. If I was a Scot I would be hundreds of miles from government, and my MP would probably spend more time in London than in the constituency.

@ MarkE

Submitted by Schaveiger on Tue, 2008-02-05 14:01.

In Belgium we're close to everywhere and everyone, which does not guarantee a fairer governorship.
In Belgium, every citizen can meet his representative every week, which results only in particular advantages to the detriment of the common.

You better join.

Submitted by Schaveiger on Tue, 2008-02-05 12:32.

Paul, why don't you just join Guy to improve the image of your country ?

What are you really at by denigrating systematically every initiative not coming from the VB or one of their hang arounds ?

Do you really think that by splitting we'll get rid of all rogue and incompetent leaders ?

EU leaders are worried about the Belgian revolt against them

Submitted by Zen Master on Tue, 2008-02-05 01:38.

It seems obvious that the ‘elite leaders’ of the EU are very worried that the people of Belgium will block any surrender of national identity and freedom. Belgium must have the leaders of the EU worried that other nations might join in the Belgian revolt.