Union of Belgian Cities and Municipalities
Federal Secretary: Louise-Marie Bataille

Union des villes et communes belges
53 rue d'Arlon, B 4, 1040 Bruxelles
Tel.: +32 2 233 20 01
Fax: +32 2 231 15 23
E-mail: fed@uvcb-vbsg.be
Web: www.uvcb-vbsg.be

 

 

 

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 mayor and aldermen is composed of the mayor and his aldermen. The President of the Public Centre for Social Welfare (CPAS - see below) is also a member of the college. They are elected from and by the municipal councillors and remain members of the council. This executive body implements municipal council decisions and is in charge of the day-to-day management of the municipality.

 

The mayor (bourgmestre) chairs the college of mayors and aldermenas well as the municipal council. In Flanders and in Brussels, he/she is appointed by the regional government at the recommendation of the municipal council for a six-year mandate. In Wallonia, he/she is directly elected by the population (by "earmarking": the best score on the list with the largest municipal majority), afterwhich he/she is also appointed by the regional government. The mayor is a member of the municipal council. He/she 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 in Dutch), which has an autonomous status, provides social integration income and the right to social assistance, and is in charge of social services (elderly services and care, ...).

. Public order and security (local police and firefighting)
. Registry office
. Spatial planning and urbanism
. Housing

. Environment, water, and waste management
. Road network and mobility

. Culture, sports, and youth
. Social policy
. Local economy and employment
. Education
. Local finance and taxation

 

Intermediary level:  10 provinces

 

The provincial council is the deliberative body of the province. It is composed of councillors elected by universal suffrage for a six-year term, via the proportional representation system.

 

The provincial college is the executive body. It is composed of provincial deputies elected by the council for six years. It is responsible for the province's daily administration. 

 

The governor of the province is the federal government's commissioner (public order, civil security, emergency planning) as well as the regional and community commissioner. He/she chairs the permanent representation and can also attend provincial council sessions.

 

. 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.

 

 

There is no hierarchy between the federal and regional governments: they each have their specific competencies allocated to them by the Constitution. Broadly speaking, the regions' competencies are linked to the land (housing, spatial planning...), the communities' competencies 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 parliament is the regional legislative body. Its members are elected by direct universal suffrage for five-years. The parliament 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 parliament. The government also has legislative power (right of initiative).

 

The minister-President of the government is appointed by the parliament (much like ministers). He/she is responsible for the coordination of regional policies and chairs the government.

 

. Land development
. Urbanism

. Housing
. Agriculture
. Employment
. Environment
. International relations

. External trade
. Scientific research
. Energy
. Public transport

 

 

 

The community parliament is the deliberative body of the community. Its members are elected by universal suffrage for five years. The parliament 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 parliament for five years. The government of the community has also legislative powers (right of initiative).

 

The minister-President of the government is appointed by the Parliament (much like ministers). He/she 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.

 

Articles of the Belgian Constitution related to local and regional government (in French)