20100423

The Localisation of Belgium?

At the same time as the government became more unpopular in the US, around 1970, the break-up of Belgium began. We can see the result of this in the current government coalition problem a couple of months before Belgium is to lead the EU for half a year under its old PM Herman van Rompuy. The Flemish Liberal Party left the coalition. There are speculations that this might depend on the anti-face cover of Muslim women vote.

In 1970, Belgium's first state reform took place. Three cultural communities were established: The Dutch Cultural Community, The French Cultural Community and the German Cultural Community.

In 1980, the second state reform was undertaken. The Cultural Communities became Communities. The Flemish Community, The French Community and The German-speaking Community. These communities took care of cultural matters as well as health and youth matters. Two Regions were also established: The Flemish Region and the Walloon Region.

The third state reform was undertaken in 1988 and 1989. The Brussels-Capital Region was established with its own regional institutions. Education matters were transferred to the Communities.

In 1993, during the fourth state reform, Belgium was turned into a fully-fledged federal state. More power was given to the Communities and the regions which now elected directly to their parliaments. There was also a reformation of the Federal Parliament's bicameral system and the relations between the federal parliament and federal government.

In 2001, the fifth state reform took place with more transfer of duties to the Communities and the Regions. There is now demands of a sixth reform after deliberations in 2007.

I wonder if the "Öresunds Region" in Denmark-Sweden is going to become independent? Like the Brussel's Capital Region. There are 3.7m people living there which is three times the population of Estonia. Maybe this is too large though? Olof Palme was the one that started out in Sweden around 1970. Was his death in 1986 related to the changes he brought?

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