Monday, October 3, 2011

Belgium - recordholder government formation. Over 1 year and still no government ...

And why is there no civil war or why don't things start falling apart, like maybe payments can't go on? Because Belgium has several layers of government that get elected at different moments:

RaadNormale duur van de legislatuurLaatste verkiezing
1. At the level of the Communes, elections for the ... = Gemeenteraad (BlackStar.PNG)6 jaar2006+6=2012
2. Idem Provinces = Provincieraad6 jaar2006+6=2012
3. Idem Parliament for the Flemish Region = Vlaams parlement5 jaar2009+5=2014
4. Idem Parliament for Brussels Region = Brussels hoofdstedelijk parlement5 jaar2009+5=2014
5. Idem Parliament of the Region of Wallonia = Waals parlement5 jaar2009+5=2014
6. Idem Parliament of the German speaking region = Parlement van de Duitstalige Gemeenschap5 jaar2009+5=2014
7. Idem European Parliament = Europees parlement5 jaar2009+5=2014
8. Idem Parliament of the Belgian Federal State level where the German, French, Brussels and Flemish meet = Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers4 jaar2010+4=2014
9. Idem but the "Wise" on the level of the Belgian Federal State = Senaat4 jaar2010+4=2014
Now these governments on all levels can "fall", i.e. break apart if one thinks the negotiated agreement with the plan of action, allocation of means (money, people, or laying of people and cutting in budgets or reallocating them) is not in line anymore with the initial spirit of the agreement.
Sometimes people don't make the distinction between something that plays at e.g. the national level and take revenge on the politicians during the election on the local=commune level or visa versa.  Especially on the national=federal level and the regional level it's not in the top of the minds of people of who's responsible of what past policy again.