LOCAL AND REGIONAL STRUCTURES IN BELGIUM
Belgium is a federal state composed of municipalities, provinces, regions and communities.
Local level : 589 municipalities
Municipal authorities
The municipal council is elected by direct universal suffrage for a six-year term. The council is the legislative body of the municipality.
The college of the mayor and aldermen is composed of the mayor and his aldermen. They are elected from and by the municipal councillors and they remain members of the council. This executive body implements the decisions of the municipal council and is in charge of the day-to-day management of the municipality.
The mayor chairs the college of the mayor and aldermen as well as the municipal council. (S)he is appointed by the regional government at the recommendation of the municipal council for a six-year mandate. The mayor is a member of the municipal council. (S)he is in charge of the municipal administration and heads the municipal police.
Note: Each municipality has a Public Centre for Social Welfare (CPAS in French, OCMW's in Dutch) that has an autonomous status and is in charge of social services (hospitals, elderly care, integration, poverty, ...).
Municipal competences
. Public order and security (local police)
. Registry office
. Urbanism, housing
. Water, sewage
. Waste
. Culture, sports, youth
. Social policy
. Local economy
. Employment
. Primary school education
. Local finance
Intermediary level: 10 provinces
Provincial authorities
The provincial council is the deliberative body of the province. It is composed of deputies elected by universal suffrage for a six-year term, via the proportional representation system.
The permanent representation is the provincial government. This body holds normative, executive and juridical functions. In addition, the permanent representation is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the province.
The governor of the province chairs the permanent representation. (S)he can also attend sessions of the provincial council.
Provincial competences
. Cultural infrastructures
. Social infrastructures and policies
. Environment
. Economy
. Transport
. Housing
Note: Brussels is not part of any province. However, the "Brussels-Capital Region" has special competences normally allocated to provinces and to regions.
Regional level : 3 regions (Brussels, Flanders, Wallonia)
There is no hierarchy between the federal and regional governments: they each have their specific competences allocated to them by the Constitution. Broadly speaking, the regions' competences are linked to the land (housing, spatial planning...), the communities' competences are more linked to the individual (education, health, culture...), and the federal government's are those not explictly attributed to the regions by the Constitution.
Regional authorities
The regional council is the regional legislative body. Its members are elected by universal direct suffrage for five-years. The council votes decrees (laws), votes the budget and monitors the regional government's actions.
The regional government is the executive body and is composed of regional ministers elected by the council. It is in charge of the implementation of decisions made by the regional council. The government also has legislative power (right of initiative).
The minister-president is appointed by and from within the members of the government. (S)he is responsible for the coordination of regional policies and chairs the government.
Regional competences
. Land development
. Urbanism
. Housing
. Agriculture
. Employment
. Environment
. International relations
. External trade
. Scientific research
. Energy
. Public transport
Community level : 3 communities (Flemish, French, German)
Community authorities
The council of the community is the deliberative body of the community. Its members are elected by universal suffrage for five years. The council also monitors the government of the community and votes the budget.
The government of the community is the executive body composed of ministers appointed by the council for five years. The government of the community has also legislative powers (right of initiative).
The minister-president is appointed by and from within the members of the government. (S)he is responsible for the coordination of community policies and chairs the government.
Community competences
. Education
. Culture
. Social affairs
. Tourism
. Sport
. International relations
. Health
Note: The Flemish community and the Flanders region have merged. Flanders has thus one Parliament and one Government competent for both community and regional matters.
