Economist.com Cities Guide: Brussels Briefing - May 2005

News this month

Bad news for Brussels

France’s rejection of the European Union constitution on May 29th sent a shock wave through Brussels. In the immediate aftermath, Jose Barroso, the European Commission’s president, and Josep Borrell, head of the European Parliament, insisted the ratification process would continue. But with the Dutch expected to vote against the constitution on June 1st, many think the project is dead in the water.

The non vote was bad news for Brussels residents, whose fortunes are closely tied to the fate of the EU. The Union’s relentless expansion—both in its powers and membership—has boosted the city's economy. Witness, for example, the current extension of the European Parliament, one of Europe's biggest building projects. The salaries of EU employees support the city's housing market and shops. While employment insecurity was a theme of the French referendum campaign, no such concerns afflict those on permanent contracts at the European Commission, the Council of Ministers or Parliament. On the contrary, they enjoy good salaries, special tax breaks and generous pensions. So what will become of these perks? Nothing immediately. But the no vote might be interpreted as partly motivated by a populist backlash against “Brussels”. Over the long term, this might well lead to a less comfortable life for the EU and its employees.

Crisis averted

For months, the media has been speculating about the imminent collapse of the Belgian government over the vexed (and deeply obscure) question of the constituency boundaries between the French- and Dutch-speaking areas that surround Brussels. That calamity would certainly mark the end of the administration of Guy Verhofstadt, the prime minister, whose party is lagging badly in the polls.

But Mr Verhofstadt appears to have averted this crisis. On the inauspicious day of Friday May 13th, he persuaded enough members of the Belgian parliament to support his government in a vote of confidence. The members were apparently swayed by the argument that it was impossible to reach consensus on the constituency question, so the issue should be deferred for two years (the end of the government’s normal term), leaving the Verhofstadt administration free to get on with its programme of social and economic reform.

Family movies

A Belgian film, “L'Enfant” (The Child), has won the Palme d'Or, the top prize at the 58th Cannes Film Festival, which ended on May 22nd. It beat 20 other films—including works directed by Wim Wenders and Lars von Trier—to win the award.

“L'Enfant”, the work of two Belgian brothers, Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, is a gritty (some say depressing) tale of a young couple existing on the margins of society—Bruno steals for a living, Sonia survives on the dole. After they have a child, tragedy ensues. This was the second Palme d'Or for the Dardennes, who also won the prize in 1999 for “Rosetta”, a similarly bleak story of a young woman's struggle against poverty. The brothers dedicated their victory to two people kidnapped in Iraq: Florence Aubenas, a Belgian journalist, and her guide, Hussein Hanoun.

Back in the game

Belgian pride was boosted in May by the return of the country's top tennis players, Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters. The women, who both disappeared from the game for almost a year because of injury and illness, timed their comebacks perfectly. They have been playing in the French Open (May 23rd-June 5th), which is less than two hours' drive from Brussels.

But disappointment followed when Ms Clijsters, whose poor performance in 2004 left her outside the world’s top 100 players, lost to Lindsay Davenport, the only American player left in the tournament. All eyes are now on Ms Henin-Hardenne, 23, who has returned to France's Roland Garros clay court after a 17-match winning streak. Does she have the strength to win back the French Open title (which she first won after beating Ms Clijsters in 2003)? So far, she has beaten Svetlana Kuznetsova and has made it to the quarter finals.

Catch if you can

June 2005

Art Nouveau and Design, 1830-58

Until December 31st 2005

No artistic movement is as closely associated with Belgium as Art Nouveau, a flamboyant style of decorative arts and architecture pioneered by designers such as Victor Horta and Philippe Wolfers. Brussels reportedly has some 500 buildings that are in some way defined by this genre.

This year, the local tourist office is celebrating Art Nouveau with a series of events based around a show at the Royal Art Museum. The museum has no permanent display of Art Nouveau, so the curators have eagerly seized the opportunity to dust off important pieces in their store rooms and put them on display. These include everything from a billiard table designed by Horta to silver-plated chandeliers by Henry Van de Velde.

See our feature: Nouveaux riches in the EU capital

Royal Museums of Art and History, 10 Parc du Cinquantenaire. Tel: +32 (0) 2 741-7211. For more information and background, visit the museum's website and Art Nouveau in Brussels.

More from the Brussels cultural calendar