THE FLEMISH PARLIAMENT The ‘Day After’ Monday May 26th 1

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Content  The Institute ‘Flemish Parliament’ : Corporate & Institutional Organisation  The Flemish Parliament : the ‘Day After’  The Flemish Parliament : the ‘Weeks Ahead’  Formal starting up of the new elected Flemish Parliament 5

Corporate & Institutional Organisation  Flemish Parliament is one of the six parliaments in the federal state of Belgium - since 1993  Understanding the structure of the Belgian federal state  Main characteristic : contrary to other federal states, two kind of member-states : regions and communities -- explains why this model is so complicated  Difference between Regions and Communuties ? 6

Member states of the Belgian Federal State: - Regions : 3 - Communities : 3 7

Corporate and Institutional Organisation  Flemish Parliament :  Parliament of the Flemish Region in Belgium  Territory of the five Flemish provinces  Parliament of the Flemish Community in Belgium  Territory of the five Flemish provinces and the Dutch- speaking inhabitants of the bi-lingual Region of Brussel  One Parliament, one Government and one administration for the Flemish Region and the Flemish Community 8

9 De Vlaamse Volksvertegenwoordiger stelt een regelgevende tekst op Nauwelijks of geen vormvoorschriften Nauwelijks of geen procedurevoorschriften Parlementslid kan beroep doen op legistiek advies Niet verplicht het uitgebrachte advies te volgen

Corporate & Institutional Organisation  GOVERNMENT-MAKING POWER  GOVERNMENT-SUPERVISING POWER  ‘Question time’ in plenary session on wednesday  Interpellations and oral questions in plenary sessions and committee meetings  Written questions : yearly average of during period ! 10

Corporate & Institutional Organisation  LAW-MAKING POWER : VOTING FLEMISH LAWS (decrees)  Parliament of the Flemish Region :  Urban planning, public works and transport,,,  Parliament of the Flemish Community :  Use of languages, culture, media, education,,,  Brussels MP’s : voting-right in plenary session only on decrees concerning community matters !!  VOTING THE BUDGET  28 billion € in

IMPACT OF THE SIXTH STATE-REFORM OF 2014 FOR THE NEW FLEMISH PARLIAMENT  More competencies : child benefits, labour market policies, socio economic permits, price-control, speed control, road safety, health care and care for the elder …  Higher budget : + 11 billion €  Fiscal autonomy

Corporate & Institutional Organisation  Particularity of the Belgian Federal System :  Principle ‘In foro interno, in foro externo’ : political level that has competence for that area – f.i. education is at Flanders’ level – also excercises this competence at international level  Flanders concludes international treaties concerning its competencies, f.e. education, agriculture  International treaties are debated and voted in the Flemish Parliament  Unique situation for federal states 13

Corporate & Institutional Organisation  In foro interno, in foro externo’ in the EU-decision making process : Flemish Parliament acts within its competencies as a national parliament in the EU-decision making process  Standing committees organise debriefings of the Council meetings when participation of Flemish ministers  Standing committees organise meetings and hearings about proposals that are important for Flanders  Flemish Parliament acts as a national parliament in the subsidiarity procedure  Standing committees and m-p’s participate in international Joint Parliamentary Meetings  Role of the European Office of the Flemish Parliament 14

THE FLEMISH PARLIAMENT ‘THE DAY AFTER’ 15

Election of the Flemish Parliament  124 directly elected members :  118 from the territory of the Flanders Region : elected in the five constituencies/provinces of Flanders  6 from the bilingual territory of the Brussels –Capital Region  Proportional representation with 5% election threshold at the level of the constituency  Cannot be dissolved : ‘Legislature parliament’ for five years  Results of the Flemish elections of May 25th :  6 Groups -- Members of the same Party  Gender-analysis : % of women in parliament  % of new members of parliament 16

Member states of the Belgian Federal State: - Regions : 3 - Communities : 3 17

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THE FLEMISH PARLIAMENT ‘THE WEEKS AHEAD’ 21

The ‘Weeks Ahead’  Preparation of the installation of the new Flemish Parliment  Verification of the results of the elections  Verification of credentials of the new elected members of Flemish Parliament  Task of the administration of the Flemish Parliament 22

The ‘Weeks Ahead’  June 17th : Installation of the newly elected Flemish Parliament  Date : according to the special laws on state-reform  Session is opened by the ‘temporary speaker’ : newly chosen member that has been member of the Flemish Parliament for the longest time  Official verification of the results of the elections and the credentials as prepared by the administration  Speaker takes oath of the new elected m-p’s  Formal formation of the groups  Recognised’ Groups : minimum of 5 members –receive resources to establish a secretariat : budget, staff.. 23

The weeks Ahead  Nomination of  the Speaker ?  the Bureau (the Board of the House - proportional) ?  Within 14 days after the installation meeting  Sanction : parliament cannot work !! 24

The weeks Ahead  Nomination of the new Flemish Government ??  Initiative taken by the largest group  Majority in Parliament  Flemish Government : 9 members – max. 11 – impact 6th State Reform ?  One member must live in the bilingual Brussels-Capita Area  Speaker takes the oath of the Flemish ministers and the minister-president  Minister-president : oath also taken by the King  Sanction : parliament without a government can hardly work 25

The ‘Weeks Ahead’  June 18th - ????  Nomination of  Speaker (and Bureau)  Flemish Government are interconnected : political deal  Appointment of the Standing committees of the Flemish Parliament  2009 – 2014 : 12 committees ; 15 members  2014 – 2019 : impact of the 6th State Reform ? 26

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The ‘Weeks Ahead’  September 22th : Opening of the parliamentary session :  Flemish Parliament takes up its ‘normal’ functions :  Voting decrees  Budget approval  Controlling the Flemish Government 28