Belgian Politics...

Belgian politics are quite confusing, and definetly different than the rest of the world. Especially the difference with the US is big. I thought I could tell you a bit about my country...

First of all, We have got a bunch of governments, but we don't call them governments (except the two highest ranks)
From small to big :
- Community (villages) (385)
- Province (bunch of villages) (10)
- *Community (language) (3)
*State () (3)
- Federal Government

Only the two last are really called governments, but the rest is kind of the same.

Comunity (villages) : These governments control one village each. One village may contain several smaller villages (like Big-Rotselaar contains Rotselaar, Werchter (from the famous rock festival), Haacht, Heikant, Wezemaal etc.).
They make small decisions.
Another name : city counsil
Head : the mayor

Province : They are a link between the villages and the states. They make decisions concerning traffic, ...
Head : Gouvernor
N.B. : the Gouvernor is NOT elected, he is appointed for life by a political faction.

State & Community (language)
They are about the same. This is the hardest part to explain...
Belgium is divided in three states : Vlaanderen, Brussels and Wallonië.
In Vlaanderen, the state government and the community (language) goverment are one and the same.
In Wallonië, you have the Waalse Government and the French Community.
The third community is the German Community
the third state is Brussels, which is a part of the French and the Dutch community (= state government of Vlaanderen)
Head : Minister-President

Federal Government
They control the income and expenses of the country, they decide about hospitality, retirements, justice, ...
Head : Premier (Prime Minister)



The election system :
community (villages) : elections every 6 yrs
Province : every 6 yrs
State : every 4 yrs
Fed. Gov. : 4 yrs
Community (languages) : 4 yrs

We have elections every two years, and we don't make a fuss about it like you guys :P
Everyone who's 18 or older HAS to vote. Nearly no exceptions are made !




The political factions :
We go from left to right, form red to brown etc.

Factions from Vlaanderen :
Extreme left = PvdA (Workersfaction) = communists
Left = SP.A & Spirit (Social parties)
Central Left = CD&V (Christen-Democrats)
Central = ///
Central Right = N-VA
Right = ///
Extreme Right = Vlaams Belang & Lijst Dedecker

Factions from Wallonië:
Extreme left = ///
Left = PS (Social faction)
Central Left = CDH (Christen-Democrats)
Central =
Central Right = MR
Right =
Extreme Right = ///



As we all know : extreme left results in Communist Rule and thus another USSR
Extreme right results in the Holocaust and Nazi-Germany



Elections 2 :
After the elections, the factions are allowed to work together to form a majority.
Tha majority is the ruler of the country.
Between 2000 and 2007, that was Rome's Purple (=blue+red)
Starting form 21 march, we will have a Orange-Blue government.

When a faction gets votes, they gain seats in the parliament at the same proportion as their votes.
e.g. : the SP.A gets 21% of the votes ==> they get 21% of the seats in the parliament

The ruling majority can appoint the ministers as they wish, and that is the main problem when negotiating to form a majority...


Ministers:
We have got too much ministers, about 50
for a country with 10.000.000 inhabitants :S

In june 2007, whe held elections for the federal government.
One man had, on his own, 8% of the votes
which is the most
==> he will be the next prime minister.

So he was meant to put together his majority. Since the factions don't want to allow brown to get into the government, they needed what we call a tripartite : three factions joining together.
These were blue, red and yellow.


During the elections, the 800.000 votes man promised a reformation of the constitution, and the entire country.
The people from Wallonië don't whant that, as they want Belgium to keep on existing; and the promises made by Mr.800.000 were to hand more federal 'powers' to the states. Thus making it easier to split Belgium in two...

The most important partner of the faction of Mr.800.000, is a separatist party. Thus, they want to block the factions from Wallonië.

Hereby they created a stalemate, which lasted for 6 months.
The day before Christmass, our old prime minister hopped on stage and made a temporary government. That government was to govern until Mr.800.000 gets his government ready and set up.
That will be 21 march.


Thus, we've been 6 months without government, and now we are waiting for the real one.
If it takes another 6 months at the next elections, I fear that all world maps will have to be updated : Belgium gone...





btw: all separatist parties : NV-A, Vlaams Belang, Lijst Dedecker
note that these are all factions from Vlaanderen ...

Way to much for my short attention span to read lol

Sounds boring, explains why you make all that good beer.