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

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5. 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

6. 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

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

8. 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. 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

10. 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 7.500 during period 2009-2014 ! 10

11. 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 2014 11

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. THE FLEMISH PARLIAMENT ‘THE DAY AFTER’ 15

16. 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

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

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21. THE FLEMISH PARLIAMENT ‘THE WEEKS AHEAD’ 21

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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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28. The ‘Weeks Ahead’  September 22th : Opening of the parliamentary session 2014-2015 :  Flemish Parliament takes up its ‘normal’ functions :  Voting decrees  Budget approval  Controlling the Flemish Government 28