page_title: Waffle-iron politics
hierarchical_section_title: Waffle-iron politics
caption_attribution_description: English: Varsenare, Belgium. Unused motorway bridge over the Ostend-Bruges railtrack. Part of the never built section of the A17 motorway which would lead via the west side of Bruges. Locomotive #1306.This was one of the 2 unused moterway bridges.Both bridges are removed in 2012 Nederlands: Varsenare, België. Ongebruikte spoorwegbrug over het spoor Oostende-Brugge. Onderdeel van de nooit gebouwde westelijke tak naast Brugge van de A17 autonelweg. Loc 1306. Dit was een van de 2 spookbruggen over deze lijn. Deze zijn in 2012 afgebroken
context_page_description: Waffle-iron politics or Wafelijzerpolitiek is a former Belgian political strategy used in determining the budget for projects in the country's two major regions, Flanders and Wallonia. Under this policy, for every franc spent on a project in Wallonia, a franc was also spent on a similar project in Flanders
  The social and linguistic divisions between Flanders and Wallonia meant that the coalition and compromise of waffle-iron politics helped to maintain peace. However, matching spending in one region with equal allocations to the other was costly and inefficient. Waffle-iron politics was a key cause of the Belgian national debt. In 1981, public debt amounted to 13% of GNP, among the highest in the European Union at the time.
  Waffle-iron politics also led to the creation of several grote nutteloze bouwwerken: misplaced or unnecessary public structures. One example is the bridges in Varsenare, two bridges built in 1976 that were never connected to a highway.
  The Dutch word wafelijzerpolitiek literally translates to "waffle-iron politics" or "waffle-iron policy". The name is based on the idea that the waffle-iron leaves an identical impression on each side of the waffle.
context_section_description: Waffle-iron politics or Wafelijzerpolitiek is a former Belgian political strategy used in determining the budget for projects in the country's two major regions, Flanders and Wallonia. Under this policy, for every franc spent on a project in Wallonia, a franc was also spent on a similar project in Flanders (and vice versa.)
  The social and linguistic divisions between Flanders and Wallonia meant that the coalition and compromise of waffle-iron politics helped to maintain peace. However, matching spending in one region with equal allocations to the other was costly and inefficient. Waffle-iron politics was a key cause of the Belgian national debt.   In 1981, public debt amounted to 13% of GNP, among the highest in the European Union at the time.
  Waffle-iron politics also led to the creation of several grote nutteloze bouwwerken (large useless works): misplaced or unnecessary public structures. One example is the bridges in Varsenare, two bridges built in 1976 that were never connected to a highway.
  The Dutch word wafelijzerpolitiek literally translates to "waffle-iron politics" or "waffle-iron policy". The name is based on the idea that the waffle-iron leaves an identical impression on each side of the waffle. Both sides of the iron are necessary in order for the machine to function.
  Waffle-iron politics effectively came to an end in 1988 with the third state reform in Belgium. Belgium went from a unitary state to a federal one, giving each region more decision-making power.   Flanders and Wallonia became responsible for their own spending, except in matters affecting the entire state.
caption: A railway bridge in Varsenare from 1976, never connected to roads: a result of waffle-iron politics[1]
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