Transformation of the Political Executive in Belgian Local Government

Abstract

In 2001, the responsibility for municipality legislation was transferred from the Belgian federal state to the regions. The Flemish, Walloon and Brussels regions are granted the power to settle the structure of local government and organise their municipalities, including the form of their local political structures, bureaucracies and relations with citizens. Today, the Flemish region is the most advanced in developing new arrangements for local governance. This chapter reviews the traditional system of local government before examining the main features of the proposed transformation and its consequences for the roles of lay politicians.