Mainstream media and Internet users like to imagine that Wallonia and Flanders will become independent from each other or join their respective neighbouring country (France or the Netherlands), but it cannot be that simple to separate two entities with such a shared centuries-long history like this. This article will focus on hypotetical reforms in Belgium on territory and powers.
Intricate combination of powers
Right now, the countries comprises the following entities:
- a Federal State
- Walloon, Flemish and Brussels Capital Regions
- Francophone (self-called "Wallonia-Brussels Federation", constitutionally "French Community"), Flemish and German-speaking Communities
- ten Provinces (Brussels being a Province-less Region although it exercises the same power as a Province)
- 43 administrative arrondissements
- many smaller Communes (municipalities)
Some explanation...
A language border was created in 1961-1963 to delimitate territories where the three national languages should be spoken. Then, the Province of Brabant got divided in a Brussels-Capital
Region, a Walloon Brabant
and a Flemish Brabant.
In addition, Communities were mainly created for bilingual territories like Brussels or the German-speakers who don't have a Region on their own but are included in the Walloon Region... Political parties which used to be multilingual got divided as well, so that sp.a (Flemish Socialist party) separated from PS (Francophone Socialist party) and SP (its German-speaking counterpart). At all elections (even the Federal ones), you can only vote for someone that speaks the language of your electoral district. So it isn't possible for a Walloon to vote for a Fleming and vice versa, but if you live in the Brussels-Capital Region, you can
choose!
A divided power between Federal State, Communities and Regions results in the use of no less than seven Governments for such a small country! In theory, all have a Parliament, a Senate, a Government and an Administration. However, since 1980 the Flemish Community and Region have shared an Administration, a Parliament and a Senate. Communitary and regional matters are voted by Senate and Parliament from their respective point of views with a different President and approach.
Some people argue that this organisation is too complex (for more information, you can watch
this YouTube video), with different powers attributed to each of these entities.
What ideas have been given yet?
Most of the following ideas of reforms come from minoritary or non-mainstream parties. Big parties seem to favour other issues than this one (economy, nature, immigration, etc.). This doesn't mean that they would necessarily like to preserve a status quo. Yet, the debate hasn't moved on much for the last decades as it implies a fundamental change in the Belgian Constitution.
A fourth Region?
The Minister-President of the Government of the German-speaking Community would like to create a four Region for his Community (with only nine Communes), which would be Province-less, a bit like Brussels-Capital. The idea is not recent and German-speakers, included in the Walloon Region, may feel as if they weren't really part of it and ProDG, an outspoken regionalist party, exists since 1971. Note that earlier Volksunie (the ancestor of N-VA, a Flemish nationalist party) proposed that these could be turned into a Province called Eupen-St-Vith but the idea didn't go further.
Official Regions following this reform.
Removing Communities and Provinces?
Two members of MR (Liberal party) and three members of PS (Socialist party) imagine getting rid of linguistic Communities or at least reducing their powers, by regionalising teaching and culture for a start. Accordingly, it could simplify Belgian institutions for citizens. Some of these politicians are heirs of the Walloon Movement that wants to promote a Walloon identity.
Following this reform, Brussels wouldn't be under both the Francophone and Flemish communities but simply a bilingual Region. It would also mean the creation of a German-speaking Region, making Belgium a four-Region country.
Moreover, some consider Provinces as outdated entities and they think administrative arrondissements should be favoured to reflect local identities better.
A bigger Brussels-Capital Region?
FDF (Francophone federalist party) argues that Belgian Francophones do share a common culture and identity. The party opposes the removal of Communities or any cut-off in their powers, saying that it could make education and job search more complicated on both sides, and further divide Francophones. The same types of argument have been put forward by other members of MR and PS, who do not necessarily agree with Walloon regionalism.
Along with UF (Union of Francophones' party in Flanders), FDF also want to encourage the privileges of Francophones living in Flanders to use their mother tongue, possibly by extending the Capital's bilingualism to these municipalities.
Back to Provinces only?
BUB
(Belgian
Union party) - one of the only bilingual parties left - wants to
abolish Communities and Regions, and go back to a Federal State divided
in Provinces, with no divide of the Brabant into three entities. This party is minoritary and those who want so-called "Daddy's Belgium" back are often seen as nostalgic fans of an outdated monarchy, which doesn't give them many votes at elections.
What a Province-only Belgium with a unitary Brabant would look like.
Confederalism?
N-VA's (Flemish nationalist
party) idea is to have a clearer separation between Wallonia
and
Flanders. They would like to initiate the process by making Belgium a
Confederal State
(instead of a Federal one), with Flanders and Wallonia owning all powers but voluntarily partnering on some issues. These years, N-VA has been very popular in Flanders and have more political weight, although it is not sure whether their electorate is precisely in favour of such a constitutional reform.
PP (Francophone liberal conservative party) also announced their intention to encourage a Confederal State, although it should comprise three or four independent Regions. The number of separate entities depends on the status of Brussels: as part
of Flanders, as a separate entity or as co-managed by Wallonia and
Flanders, and that of the German-speaking territories.
Only one Federal electoral district
Politicians from different parties, especially Groen! (Flemish green party), Ecolo (Francophone green party) and Open Vld (Flemish liberal party), have given the idea to reduce the number of electoral districts to one for Federal elections. This means allowing citizens to vote for anyone in the country, even if that person doesn't speak the same language. They believe it could be a good way to strengthen links between the different communities after the recent institutional reform for a regionalisation of powers. Other parties like PS have brought it up as well but no change has been operated yet...
So should we keep the same system, use one of the solutions above or find a new one? The debate is open...
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