Speech of Fernand Dehousse on the federalism

the speech of Fernand Dehousse on the federalism is that which this politician pronounces on October 20th, 1945 in front of the Walloon National congress. Its federalistic thesis initially obtains only 40% of the votes compared with 46% with the thesis reunionist at the time of what one called the “sentimental vote” in favor of the meeting of the Wallonia to the France, but is finally adopted unanimously Congress after a new vote. This speech is a simple and clear introduction on this type of mode finally little known in Francophonie, except the exception of the Quebec and the French-speaking Switzerland (or of the Cameroun), but which, for various reasons (dispute of the federalism by a majority of French-speaking Inhabitants of Quebec and also of the French-speaking Cameronians - but for other reasons -, characteristics of Swiss federalism etc), is not used enough as models in the French-speaking world.

Context

An international law professor

Fernand Dehousse (1906-1976), professor with the University of Liege, associated with the Institute of international law as from 1947, in particular represented Belgium at the General meeting of UNO of 1946 to 1948, continued its political career and academic and still sat as minister in several Belgian governments, of which the Government of Gaston Eyskens of 1968 to 1971, which provided the foundations of the Belgian Fédéralisme. Its speech with the Walloon National congress of October 1945 has value not only political but theoretical, because it locates in a concrete political context which in spillplate still the value, doctrines of the Fédéralisme. Here are some significant extracted briefs…

The definition of the federalism

The federalism, Ladies and gentlemen, are a word which one often employs and which one always does not know very exactly what he wants to say. The reason is that there are so to speak as many federalisms as of States which live under federal modes. It is a mode which is born from the history, appropriate to the needs for each people and which, consequently, present a great number of alternatives. But there is always in all the systems of federalism a pool. This bottom consists in removing with the central capacity a certain number of attributions. If thus we introduce the federalism in Belgium, that would mean that in Wallonia in particular, there would be tomorrow on the plan of the public law, a Walloon Local government agency , a Executive power Walloon, Walloon institutions.

Expression " raisonnable" right of the people to have themselves

It is a primarily democratic mode, but that one never finds but where exists the Démocratie. Each time a Dictature arrives at the capacity, its first act is to sweep the federalism (...) the federalism is primarily and deeply the expression of the democracy. In the same way, the federalism is the higher shape of government because the local authorities which institute it are incontestably with the current of all the local needs, well better than the best central government. The federalism is an application, a more reasonable demonstration, more limited of this Droit of the people to lay out of themselves of which it is not a question to dispute the accuracy in its principle. In fact, the federalism presents a quantity of advantages so large which he was often proposed among the solutions suitable for regulate, in Belgium, dualism Walloon-Flemish.

(...)

Federalism and confederalism

To expose you frankly all my thought, the federalism is not necessarily eternal. The federalism comprises, as in this mode which links the confederated States of the Soviet Union, the right of secession, i.e. the right to possibly withdraw confederation. But federalism means also last test of joint life within the framework of Belgium.

(...)

It was said (...) that we would not succeed. It was said that the federalism implied a revision of the Constitution. One said that and many other things still. I believe that the combat to be carried out is not easy. Nobody it forever constant. I do not say that it is about a work of a few months or a few years. I think, on the contrary, that it is a long term job which requires many courage and much efforts. A long time ago, for my part, which I am convinced that there does not exist other means of saving us. I am convinced that it will be the role of the federalism.

We will not lose our freedom nor our independence!

the circumstances wanted that, to attend this Congress, I return from France and that I make the Paris-Liege crossing in the car, this morning. While arriving on the heights, I looked at as I often do it, this town of so beautiful Liege under the sun of October, I admired the mordorés foliages and the softness of the curve of the hills, the quivering and the flutter of water, and I thought that, on this ground, a race lives which, since centuries, practical freedom and independence. It will not lose them!

Reaction of the Congressmen, places text in the Belgian federalism

The report of the meeting notes: the assembly, upright, acclaims the speaker very lengthily. It was the most enthusiastic reaction although this thesis, in the first time obtained only nearly 40% against the thesis reunionist which obtained 46%. The thesis defended by Dehousse was adopted the following day unanimously. After the vote, the writer Charles Plisnier, considered that the federalism was a last test of agreement with the Flemings, making it clear that then, it would be necessary to turn to France. Here the assembly rose and entonna the Marseillaise. But it is true that Plisnier reconsidered then at the end of its life this reunionist point of view of and pled for the federalism, including within a European framework.

Admittedly, the Walloons were going to only obtain the federalism very a long time after, in spite of a proposal for a revision of the Belgian Constitution deposited in 1947 at the Belgian Parliament, the insurrection of July 1950 which encloses the royal Question, the general strike of 1960 which asserts it again, the revision of the Constitution under the Eyskens Government of 1968 to 1971. But the spirit in which Fernand Dehousse influenced work of the Eyskens Government like those of the Belgian Parliament, the personal contributions of Jean-Maurice Dehousse to the later debates and decisions carry the mark of what had been known as in 1945. Belgian institutional dynamics feels some and also the spirit keeps some, even if it were directed worms of the features then more and more confederalists. One owes in Jean-Maurice Dehousse in particular what one calls the équipollence of the standards, provision which wants that the federal law does not have any precedence of the law of the federated States, the principle carried out of the Exclusive competences. Then (in 1993), the exercise of these competences will be prolonged on the international scene. Admittedly, this last feature in particular makes the federalism Belgian single in the world. But it is well what precisely Fernand Dehousse said to the autumn 1945, underlining with the professorial manner all the possibilities of the federalism on the theoretical level, which was going in practice to check Belgian federalism of which it is without any doubt the principal originator and the political main actor with a son who shares his at the same time political and theoretical excellence.

A speech " nationaliste"

One can also show - and besides F.Dehousse does not close the door with this possibility - that this speech was " nationaliste" with the neutral direction that word this English revêt and who indicates what milked with the nation. The Congress was regarded besides as " national" by those which assisted to with it. Dehousse evokes the possibility of a federalism which would have dimensions of confederalism, which is well the case of the Belgian Fédéralisme today so much so that one can speak about a Walloon Indépendantisme which is not assumed as such but which can count on Belgian institutional dynamics to push with forms of increasingly independent existence for Wallonia. One could even speak about a Walloon Nationalisme in this direction.

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