To make matters worse, Jacques Brel, a true star of the Low Countries, was often misinterpreted as singing about Brussels, while very often he referred to places in neighboring Holland, instead. However, more cafés and bars would play a Brel chanson in Belgium than in establishments further north in the Netherlands. My personal observation is that Belgium is a charming, albeit small, state and, above all, a truly enjoyable country to live in. Brussels has become a truly cosmopolitan place. While France wants us to believe that Strasbourg is the marketplace of Europe, Brussels actually is. Hence, perceptions matter.In the past I had the pleasure of attending a number of Belgian national day parades, including watching a proud display of their air forces. Yes, Belgium, too, has its own land, naval and air forces. These festivities were always a show of pride, a family event with street markets and beer gardens besides the official fanfare.
While working and living in Belgium away from England I never had the feeling that watching a "foreign" country's military might is a threat to my home country. The same can be said of France, which celebrates Bastille Day in true splendor and grandeur. Think Netherlands, and the annual Queen's Day springs to mind. In a nutshell, most European countries celebrate, in one way or another, on various occasions; but in nearly all instances you can see the civilian government presiding over events, incorporating the military perspective and, yes, enjoying the spirit of the moment. A proud nation wants to see a proud leader presiding over national events. A perfect opportunity for election campaign purposes, too.
Watching this year's Republic Day in Turkey meant witnessing a show of pride, indeed. It was a manifestation of understanding and conciliation (with a few exceptions on the political front, that is). It seems as if Turkey has closed the loop in bringing together the democratically elected president, the government, civil society and, of course, the military in all its glory. The festivities in İstanbul, in particular, were splendid, to say the least. It was the right mix between a somber, politics-dominated series of events in Ankara and a more street-party type list of events on and off the Bosporus.
Ankara and İstanbul must come together; no one is taking away the strategic position Ankara has enjoyed in recent decades. However, a modern Ankara must understand and reflect upon trends and necessities. Turkey and Europe need both Ankara as a prosperous capital and İstanbul as a leading financial center and marketplace. Perceptions do matter in the world of finance, too.
Coming back to my Belgian case, it must be stressed that it is, of course, the epicenter of European politics. There is another issue that needs careful analysis: Belgium nearly fell apart as French and Flemish speakers demanded more autonomy and blamed each other for not granting enough of it to the other side. While some federalists would be happy to see a divided Belgium, more reasonable and more seasoned observers would argue that neither of the two is economically fit to survive on its own.
In a period of financial meltdown and global uncertainty, on the downside, but hopefully the last streaks of domestic terror, on the upside, the Turkish Republic Day has shown that Turkish national unity prevails.
The next litmus test on the road to bringing this proud nation state into the EU is accepting the suggestions that will be found in the Nov. 5 EU progress report on Turkey and realizing that, while much needs to be done, much has been achieved already.
What Turkey can learn from Belgium is as follows: Nations need national days and should not be ashamed of allowing their people to proudly wave the flag as long as these days are no longer hijacked by nationalists. What Belgium can learn from Turkey is that unity means progress; dividing states into smaller parts does not work out that well, if at all.
This shows something else for Turkey: Nations, small or big, can influence the EU's decision making processes. Distinctions between the periphery and the core do not matter that much anymore. Belgian politicians employed skilful diplomacy and lobbying when arguing the case for Brussels becoming the capital of Europe. The same proven tactics may help Turkey become the new economic engine of a new Europe -- and faster than expected, too.
