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
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