State reform in Belgium
Belgium portal |
State reform, in the context of
Short overview
- First state reform (1970) – Cultural communitiesestablished (Flemish demand). Constitutional foundations for territorial regions (Walloon demand).
- Second state reform (1980) – Cultural communities become communities, with more competences related to personal matters. Territorial Flemish and Walloon regions established (Brussels Region later). Communities and regions get their own parliaments and governments.
- Third state reform (1988–1989) – Education transferred to communities. Brussels Regionestablished.
- Fourth state reform (1993) – Belgium becomes a fully-fledged federal state. Communities and regions get more freedom and their parliaments are now directly elected.
- Fifth state reform (2001) – More competences to the regions (agriculture and oversight over local government). Refinancing of the communities and regions.
- Sixth state reform (2011) – More competences to the regions and communities. The constituency of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde was split. Refinancing of the communities and regions.
Background
Language problems
The tensions between the communities of Belgium arose around a struggle between the two main language communities of the country: Dutch and French. That resulted in extensive language legislation but did not solve the conflicts between Flanders and Wallonia, the two main regions of the country. Widespread discrimination against Flemings, symbolized by the bad treatment of Flemish soldiers during World War I, made the Flemish organise against the mostly French-speaking government. After World War II, the differences between Dutch-speaking Belgians and French-speaking Belgians became clear in a number of conflicts.
In 1950, a referendum on the position of
In 1960, the Catholic–Liberal government of Prime Minister Gaston Eyskens introduced a number of budget cuts. French-language trade unions went on strike against the cuts and against the government. They felt that a more regionalized system was needed to take the measures that Wallonia needed and that the Walloon interests were hurt by a Flemish majority in Belgium. They spoke of un état belgo-flamand, a Belgian-Flemish state. In response to the strikes, the government announced a regionalization of socio-economic policies.
Another tension between the language communities involved the
History
1970: First state reform
In 1970 was a first state reform, which resulted in the establishment of three cultural communities:
1980: Second state reform
The second state reform took place in 1980, when the cultural communities became
Two regions were established as well in 1980: the
1988–1989: Third state reform
During the third state reform in 1988 and 1989, under Prime Minister
1993: Fourth state reform
The fourth state reform, which took place in 1993 under Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene, consolidated the previous state reforms and turned Belgium into a full-fledged federal state.[3] The first article of the Belgian Constitution was amended to read as follows, “Belgium is a Federal State which consists of communities and regions”. During the fourth state reform, the responsibilities of the Communities and the Regions were expanded again, their resources were increased and they were given more fiscal responsibilities.
Other major changes included the direct election of the parliaments of the Communities and the Regions, the splitting up of the
2001: Fifth state reform
Two accords came into effect following two special laws enacted on 13 July 2001.[4] However, the fourth state reform was not the end of the process of federalization. In 2001, a fifth state reform took place, under Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt (Verhofstadt I Government), with the Lambermont and the Lombard accords.
Lambermont Accord
During the fifth state reform, more powers were transferred to the Communities and the Regions, with regard to agriculture, fisheries, foreign trade, development cooperation, auditing of electoral expenses and the supplementary financing of the political parties.
Lombard Accord
The functioning of the Brussels institutions was also amended during the fifth state reform,[4] which resulted among other things in a guaranteed representation of the Flemish inhabitants of Brussels in the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region.
2011: Sixth state reform
- The electoral and judicial arrondissement of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde was divided.
- Competences worth €17 billion will be transferred from the federal level to the communities and regions. Regions will manage economic and employment matters, and communities will be responsible for family policy.
- The Belgian Senatewill no longer be directly elected but instead become an assembly of regional parliaments, with fewer members.
References
- ^ "Belgium is a federal State composed of Communities and Regions." – Article 1 of the Belgian Constitution
- ^ a b c d The first and second State reforms, belgium.be
- ^ a b The third and fourth State reforms, belgium.be
- ^ a b c The Fifth State Reform, belgium.be