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In 1951, popular protest forced Leopold III to abdicate the throne in favour of his son Bauduoin. The opposition mainly came from the left of the political spectrum and largely from Wallonia, while Flanders remained majority pro-Leopold (not a clean split in either case, but a marked difference). Belgium had both a strong Socialist and Communist movement and a hardline militant right with support from the Catholic Church and the military.

How bad could it have gotten? If Leopold had decided he wasn't abdicating period (as he initially stated), could it have led to Walloon independence (as prominent politicians threatened)? Were things bad enough to allow for a civil war? Could we see the army rolling over Walloon cities and barricade fighting in the mining districts (some protesters threatened to flood the mines if the army was brought in)? I don't think it was feasible for the Soviets to effectively intervene (quod licet Iovi and all that), but a Walloon Republic might well choose to become neutral, and the tensions created by a bloody conflict could give the Comunists a perpetual opportunity to cause trouble.

Those of you more versed in Belgian history - what was possible?
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