Politico Europe has a good article on the dysfunctions of the Belgium government, these mostly stemming from the nation's linguistic divide. Northern Belgium speaks Dutch, southern Belgium speaks French, the capital is officially bilingual but majority French-speaking. The country is corrupt, functions poorly, and yet makes marvelous beer, chocolate and wonderful fried potatoes, what Americans call "French" fries.
In truth, Belgium should probably be two countries: a Flemish state speaking Dutch, and a Walloon state speaking French. However, like a unhappy couple arguing over a treasured home, they cannot agree on who gets Brussels so they stay "together" sort of, while doing almost everything separately.
Out of the resulting governmental failure to coordinate arises the nest of jihadism that is Mollenbeek. In Belgium it functions like a failed state where nefarious activities can (and do) flourish.
Belgians apparently like their government being somewhat inept. I sense their feeling is better an inept government which can't do much harm than a forceful government dominated by the other language group, always a risk in a divided country. Similar feelings keep the Canadian national government somewhat weak relative to the provincial ones.
