Belgium has made a world record of sorts for not having been able to set up a government for more than 270 days, smashing Iraq's record in this regard. The future of Belgium looks like its famous Palace of Justice: in constant reconstruction.

Let me explain this comparison and introduce you to the biggest Palace of Justice in the world. Built in 1883, it is bigger than the St. Peters Basilica in Rome and designed in the Greco-Roman style. This mammoth institution reminds the world of the absolute supremacy of law over human sentiments. The monument is being refurbished since the middle 1980s and everybody is wondering how and when this renovation will end. Even the cost of the facelift does not have an official estimate.

A significant amount of work has been done to secure the Palace. But experts say, from a technological and economical perspective, what has already been done is inadequate. It is a bit like the Belgian state -- something has to be done but no one knows what to do with this huge historical monument.

Like its host nation, the Palace was damaged by the German occupation during the Second World War and three years of renovation work was necessary to rebuilt just the heavy dome. Now, it is the entire main front which is blighted by dozens of scaffolds, whose number keeps increasing each year.

Belgium is a flat and small country with barely 11 million of people. Flemish people represent about 60 percent of the population. About 75,000 people are German speakers, the smallest community. The linguistic diversity has evolved a complex system of governance. Geographically divided according its three official languages, the country has three territorial regions, three linguistic communities and a federal state which intents to manage these political, cultural and economical discrepancies between the North (Flemish) and the South (French).

Within the administration, most of the key post are held by the Flemish. Defence and Foreign ministries are mainly controlled by the Flemish. This happened due to an original strategic mistake, made by the French speaking people, at the time of clarifying the respective authority and domain of intervention between the two main linguistic communities.

Well-known for its deeply complex and consensual political regime, Belgium is based on proportional representation and is in the heart of the European Union. In any other country, where democracy and rule of law are not guaranteed, the dissension would have probably led to a civil war. Obviously, it is more complex than that, but at school, students learn democracy through lessons in tolerance and debate. The system enables people to manage their differences in a peaceful way.

But it takes time. Especially when some political leaders want to split the country and base their electoral campaign on the hatred of the other, using social and economic differences and appealing to anger among communities, to achieve their aims.

The Belgian crisis is global. First there is an economic crisis. The debt load is about 100 % of Gross Domestic Product. Due to its international and European commitments, Belgium has to submit its budget perspectives for 2011 and 2012 soon. The crisis also concerns the Belgian society. Its production and consumption habits have to be rethought in order make them more sustainable and respectful towards the environment.

Like many of its European counterparts, Belgium has an ageing population. Loads of work has to be done to resolve the issues related to old-age pension and to find solutions to ensure a dignified place for old people.As an international crisis and revolutions are on the edge of Europe, asylum policies have to be defined. The matter is crucial and an electoral issue.

Finally, the crisis is political. During the last eight months, the negotiations between political leaders have not progressed an inch, they were unable to settle their disagreements nor were they able to sit down at the same table and negotiate on institutional reform. March has been designated the "month of negotiations", without limitation of time, but with the aim to make an agreement between every political party on state reforms. Once this is managed, they will discuss the new governmental coalition. Hope that will mean several steps toward a government formation.

While the battle for democracy is killing thousands of people across the world, the future of Belgium remains uncertain. Due to its legal system, its commitments and the international institutions sheltered on its territory, political actors seem to be restricted in their urge for chaos and separatism. Since its early stages, this young country has been racked by cultural differences which seem irreconcilable at times. This unique political and institutional system is going to be, once again, reinvented. Although no one knows the outcome, the country won't get away with this huge and long crisis. Because of its unique democratic system, Belgian people have been left aside in their struggle to get heard. That is a real paradox in a democracy

(The writer is a Belgian journalist)