Local Authority in Belgium Identity card of Belgium

Local Authority in Belgium

Identity card of Belgium § Surface : 30. 528 km 2 § Population : 10, 7 Million inhabitants § Federal Capital : Brussels § National Festival : Political July 21 § System : Constitutional monarchy constitutional § Structure : Federal State § Federate Entities : 3 regions (Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels) and 3 communities (French-speaking, Dutch-speaking and German-speaking) § Languages : German, French, Dutch

Belgium, a federal state in crisis Recall : The federate entities wish to obtain their cultural and economic autonomy Historic context : § Will of Flemish to link itself institutionnal with Dutch-speakers of Brussels and will for the Walloons to also link itself with Frenchspeakers of Brussels § Four great successive phases of institutional reforms (1970, 1980 -8, 1992 -3, 2001) History of decentralization : § It is explained by the cultural, political and economic aspects Historical source of the conflicts : § Country divided into French-speaking and Dutch-speaking community, separated by social statuses (elites, middle-class…. )

Belgium, a federal state in crisis Linguistic context : § The French language is the official language considered as factor of union between the communities § Pb : Minority French language in the country Claims : § Cultural autonomy of the Flemings § Economic Autonomy of the Walloons Chronology : § Constitution of 1831: Decentralized unit State § After 1970 : Federal State moving § 1980 : Federal State made up § 1992 : Total revision of the Belgian constitution § 28 September 92 : Belgium is a federal state § 1994 : New constitutional reform. The federal state is organized according to various qualification levels.

Belgium, federal state Operating mode : § Three great communities : Flemish, German-speaking and Frenchspeaking § Three great administrative areas: Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels. Capital Flemish community French community Germanspeaking community Flanders Wallonia Brussels. Capital

Belgium, federal state Common characteristics of the federate entities : The communities and the areas are each one controls by legislative bodies and executive: a Parliament and a government → The Parliament : § Elected for 5 years § Have the legislative power: it votes the decrees (they are ordinances in the Area of Brussels-Capital), which has the force of law on the territory of competence of the federate entity. It votes the budget, and elects the Government (except in the French-speaking Community) not inevitably in its centre, and controls it. § The Parliament elects in its centre a President. → The Executive: § Is responsable before the Parliament § Is responsable for the execution for the decrees and daily management. share with the Parliament the capacity of initiative of the decrees. § The treaties are negotiated and concluded by the Government but they acquire legal effect only after having obtained the approval of the Parliament, ratified by

Belgium, a local authority decentralized authorities 1 - Towns (589) Legislative body : the communal council Executive body : the college burgomaster and of the aldermen (or communal college) → commune council : § The aldermen and the burgomasters are appointed differently according to the Region § It chaired by the Burgomaster (or by a president elected within the council in Flanders) § It lays out from 6 to 55 communal councillors elected officials with proportional for six years according to the size of the commune § It meets at least 10 times per annum at public sittings § The Council Decision is made in the majority § The lists of elections respect the principle of parity

. Belgium, a local authority decentralized authorities 2 - provinces (10) Each province is divided into districts where is named representatives by list system proportion • Province council : § It is the Parliament of the province and meets 10 times per annum § The number of councillors, elected for 6 years, varies from 56 to 84 according to the population § To be able of the provinces : any decision-making power in the interest of the province § It votes the provincial payments § It draws up the provincial budget

. Local authority in Belgium decentralized authorities: Provinces

The local public action : Competences of the Areas The Regions are competent for : - economy, employement - agriculture, - the policy of water, environment, nature conservation - housing, - public works, of energy, transport, regional planning and town planning - the credit, foreign trade - the supervision on the provinces, the communes and the intercommune ones.

The local public action : competences of the Communities The Communities are competent for: § the culture (theatre, library, audio-visual. . ), § education, use of the languages § matters known as “personnalisables” 1) the policy of health (preventive medicine and curative) 2) assistance with the people (the protection of youth, social assistance, assistance with the families, the reception of the immigrants, …) § scientific research in the field of their competences

The local public action : competence of the Provinces The Provinces have a capacity of initiative out of matter : § education, § social and cultural infrastructures, § of preventive medicine and social policy. They are also occupied : § of environment, or of roads and river § of economy, § of transport, § of public works, § of housing, § of use of languages. They are autonomous but exert their competences under supervision of the higher authorities. Example : § A provincial school will be under the control of the community § The regional planning will be under the authority of the Region.

The local public action : Competence of the Communes Competences of common concerns “the communal interest”, i. e. collective needs for the inhabitants. - Installation of the commune under supervision of the higher authorities (adjustment of the roadway systems, constructions of sporting hall. . . ) - All missions ordered by the higher authorities - They are in charge of the maintenance of law and order, of the management of the marital status, the behaviour of the registers of the population, the residences, public works and teaching - The burgomaster is the chief of the communal police force in the exercise of his missions of administrative police force. - The commune is in load of the social assistance and created the public Center of Assistance.