Is there any benefit to not forming the Netherlands? Should Belgium be an option?

[Nassau]

You seem dutch, im dutch myself. I am tainted by the fact that many of my countrymen have this warped sense of belgium.

Warped?

But reality is different.

The belgians do have a shared culture and history.

Sure one that is intertwined with other people, like the french and the dutch, but also distinct.

Most of that shared culture came after the period of EU4.

Some things in Belgium can be traced back to the celtic Belgae, which they take their name from. Or their history of Roman Occupation, which half of the Netherlands didn't have. Or the later Franks who set up their capital in a few belgian cities while the Netherlands was mostly settled by Frisians.

They lived in about the same area (but not completely). They share what modern Frisians share with the Frisii, almost nothing.

There is plenty of history and shared culture in Belgium. But yes, their shared culture primarily is about catholicism and their history is shared with other European people. But that's the case with everyone.

And again, most of that came after the period of EU4.

 

[Pbhuh]

Flemish/Dutch is the same language. Dutch has features from other languages from both sides of the border.

I didn't say dutch, i said hollandic. Pay attention.

Warped?

Indeed, knowing nothing of belgian history and little of the franks and frisians but everything about the dutch. The dutch history books generally start in 1568.

And again, most of that came after the period of EU4.

Most of that shared culture came after the period of EU4.

Factually wrong. While the identity mostly grew under the Spanish and Austrian Netherlands. There has always been a North South divide, the divide was just further north.