Political System

Belgium became independent in 1830. Between 1970 and 1993, the country evolved into a more efficient federal structure. This occurred through five state reforms (in 1970, 1980, 1988-89, 1993 and 2001). As a result, Article 1 of the Belgian Constitution reads today: 'Belgium is a federal state, composed of communities and regions'.

The power to make decisions is no longer the exclusive preserve of the Federal Government and the Federal Parliament. The leadership of the country is now in the hands of various partners, who independently exercise their authority within their domains.

The redistribution of power occurred along two lines. The first line relates to language and, in a broader sense, to everything related to culture. The result was several Communities. The concept of 'Community' refers to persons that make up a community and the bond that unifies them, namely their language and culture. Belgium sits across the fault line that separates German and Latin cultures. This explains why the country has three official languages: Dutch, French and German. As a result, Belgium today has three Communities corresponding with the population groups: the Flemish Community, the French Community and the German-speaking Community.

The second line of state reform was historically inspired by economic interests. The regions, which aspired to more economic autonomy, conveyed these interests.  The result was the establishment of three regions: the Flemish Region, the Brussels Capital Region and the Walloon Region. To some extent, the regions can be compared with the states found in the US or the 'Länder' established in Germany.

In 1980, the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region were merged into one common government. This is why there are six governments today, each with specific executive powers: three regional governments, two community governments and one federal government.