Flemish government
Encyclopedia
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: ) is the executive branch of the Flemish Community
Flemish Community
The term Flemish Community has two distinct, though related, meanings:...
and the Flemish Region
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Colloquially, it is usually simply referred to as Flanders, of which it is the institutional iteration within the context of the Belgian political system...
. It consists of up to a maximum of eleven ministers, chosen by the Flemish Parliament
Flemish Parliament
The Flemish Parliament constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural community of Belgium The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: , and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the...
. At least one minister must come from Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
.
The executive branch of government consists of a limited number (maximum 11) of ministers drawn from the political parties which, in practice, form the governing coalition. The ministers are appointed by the Flemish Parliament. The Government is chaired by the Flemish Minister-President. Ministers head executive departments of the government. Ministers must defend their policies and performance in person before the Flemish Parliament. The Flemish Government must receive and keep the confidence of the Flemish Parliament.
Peeters II (current)
Leterme I/Peeters I (2004-2009)
Following the 2004 electionBelgian regional elections, 2004
On June 13, 2004, regional elections were held in Belgium, to choose representatives in the regional councils of the Flemish Parliament, the Walloon Parliament, the Brussels Parliament and the German-speaking Community of Belgium...
, (29 seats)/ (6 seats), / (25 seats) and (19 seats) parties formed a coalition.
- From 19 July 2004 to 26 June 2007, the Minister-PresidentMinister-PresidentA minister-president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments, in which a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government prevails, who presides over the council of ministers...
of Flanders was Yves LetermeYves LetermeYves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008...
(CD&V), leading a coalition of CD&V-N-VA, VLD-VivantVivantVivant is a small Belgian social liberal party founded by millionaire Roland Duchâtelet. In the regional elections in June 2004, the party formed a strategic alliance with the Flemish Liberals and Democrats . Both parties are founded on the principle of individualism and can be called liberal...
, and SP.A-Vl.Pro. - On 26 June 2007, in the aftermath of the 2007 Belgian general electionsBelgian general election, 2007The 2007 Belgian general election took place on Sunday 10 June 2007. Voters went to the polls in order to elect new members for the Chamber of Representatives and Senate.Eligible voters were Belgian citizens 18 years and older...
, Yves Leterme and Inge Vervotte resigned as minister-president and minister in the Flemish Government to take their seats in the Belgian Parliament. On June 28, Kris PeetersKris PeetersKris Peeters is a Flemish politician and member of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party who is currently Minister-President of Flanders, the northern region of Belgium....
was sworn in as new minister-president, taking over the responsibilities of Leterme, and Vanackere and Crevits replaced Vervotte and Peeters as Flemish ministers. - On 10 October 2007 Fientje MoermanFientje MoermanJoséphine Rebecca Marie Julienne Bertha "Fientje" Moerman is a Belgian liberal politician.-Education:In 1981 Fientje Moerman obtained a Master degree in law. She studied law at the University of Ghent and at Harvard University .-Professional career:She started her career as a lawyer in New York...
resigned due to the fallout of a hiring scandal; she was replaced as vice-minister-president by Dirk Van Mechelen and as minister by Patricia CeysensPatricia CeysensPatricia Ceysens is a Flemish politician and member of the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats party, being the vice-chairman of the party. She served in the Flemish Government of 2004-2009 as Minister of Economy, Enterprise, Science, Innovation and Foreign Trade...
. - On 22 September 2008 Geert BourgeoisGeert BourgeoisGeert Albert Bourgeois is a Belgian lawyer and politician . He is since 2009 the current Flemish Minister for Administrative Affairs, Local and Provincial Government, Civic Integration, Tourism and the Vlaamse Rand...
(N-VA) was forced to resign due to pressure by the SP.A-Vl.Pro and Open VLD coalition partners because of his party's no confidence vote in the federal government of Leterme and their lack of trust in further negotiations by the Regions regarding the state reform. His portfolio's of Administrative Affairs, Foreign Policy, Media and Tourism were taken over by minister-president Peeters. - On December 30, 2008 Steven VanackereSteven VanackereSteven Vanackere, born 4 February 1964 in Wevelgem, Belgium, is a Flemish politician, member of the Christian Democratic and Flemish Party . He holds the portfolios of Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Institutional Reform in the Leterme II Government...
resigned to become federal Minister of Civil Service and Public Enterprises. He was replaced in the Flemish Government by Veerle Heeren.
The composition at the end of the legislature:
Dewael I (1999-2003)/Somers I (2003-2004)
After the regional elections of 1999Belgian regional elections, 1999
Regional elections were held in Belgium, to choose representatives in the regional councils of Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels and the German-speaking Community on 13 June 1999...
, a coalition of VLD, SP, Agalev and the VU was formed with Patrick Dewael
Patrick Dewael
Patrick Yvonne Hugo Dewael, in Lier, Belgium is a liberal Belgian politician. He is a member of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats, or Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten . He is the nephew of the late liberal minister Herman Vanderpoorten and the cousin of Marleen Vanderpoorten, who also served as...
(VLD) as Minister-President.
After the federal elections of June 2003, Patrick Dewael resigned as Minister-President and went to the federal political level. He was succeeded by Bart Somers
Bart Somers
Bartolomeus Jozef Lodewijk Rosalia "Bart" Somers is a Belgian, Flemish politician. He is currently the mayor of Mechelen...
as Flemish Minister-President until the end of term in 2004. Due to changes in political parties, the coalition was different:
- Volksunie (VU) fell apart. Instead, SpiritSpirit (Belgium)' was a Belgian Flemish political party formed after dissolution of the moderate nationalist People's Union party. Prior to 19 April 2008 it was known as Spirit, and intermediately as Flemish Progressives...
entered the coalition - the SP was renamed to SP.a
- Agalev was renamed to Groen!
Van den Brande IV (1995-1999)
After the regional elections of 1995Belgian regional elections, 1995
On May 21, 1995, regional elections were held in Belgium, to choose representatives in the regional councils of Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels and the German-speaking Community of Belgium. It also was the first time elections were held for the Flemish and the Walloon Council...
(which were the first direct elections for the Flemish Parliament), a coalition of CVP and SP was formed.
List of Flemish Minister-Presidents
| Name | Period | Party | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rika De Backer | 1974 - 1981 | CVP | Only of Flemish Community Flemish Community The term Flemish Community has two distinct, though related, meanings:... |
| Gaston Geens Gaston Geens Gaston C.S.A. Geens was a Flemish politician and minister-president of Flanders.... |
22 December 1981-21 January 1992 | CVP | |
| Luc Van den Brande Luc Van den Brande Luc Van den Brande is a Flemish politician, member of the CD&V and was Minister-president of Flanders from 21 February 1992 until 13 July 1999. He took the initiative to create the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology... |
21 February 1992-1999 | CVP | |
| Patrick Dewael Patrick Dewael Patrick Yvonne Hugo Dewael, in Lier, Belgium is a liberal Belgian politician. He is a member of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats, or Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten . He is the nephew of the late liberal minister Herman Vanderpoorten and the cousin of Marleen Vanderpoorten, who also served as... |
13 July 1999-5 June 2003 | VLD | |
| Bart Somers Bart Somers Bartolomeus Jozef Lodewijk Rosalia "Bart" Somers is a Belgian, Flemish politician. He is currently the mayor of Mechelen... |
11 June 2003-20 July 2004 | VLD | |
| Yves Leterme Yves Leterme Yves Camille Désiré Leterme is a Flemish Belgian politician, a leader of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party , and the 48th Prime Minister of Belgium.Leterme was the Prime Minister of Belgium from March 2008 to December 2008... |
20 July 2004-28 June 2007 | CD&V | |
| Kris Peeters Kris Peeters Kris Peeters is a Flemish politician and member of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party who is currently Minister-President of Flanders, the northern region of Belgium.... |
28 June 2007-present | CD&V |
Flemish government
Flemish government (without a capital G, Dutch: Vlaamse overheid) denotes the Flemish civil service. With the reform program Better Administrative Policy (Dutch: Beter Bestuurlijk Beleid), the Flemish civil service is designed to make the Flemish public administration more efficient and transparent.The tasks of the Flemish public administration are now organised in 13 policy areas. Each policy area comprises a department and a number of (semi-) independent government agencies.
The 13 policy areas are:
- Services for the General Government Policy
- Administrative Affairs
- Foreign Affairs
- Finance and Budget
- Education and Training
- Economy, Science and Innovation
- Culture, Youth, Sport and Media
- Welfare, Public Health and Family
- Agriculture and Fisheries
- Work and Social Economy
- Mobility and Public Works
- Environment, Nature and Energy
- Town and Country Planning, Housing Policy and Immovable Heritage
See also
- Government of the Brussels-Capital Region
- Government of the French CommunityGovernment of the French CommunityThe Cabinet of the French Community of Belgium is the executive branch of the French Community of Belgium, and it sits in Brussels. It consists of a number of ministers chosen by the Parliament of the French Community and is headed by a Minister-President....
- FlandersFlandersFlanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
- Flanders in ActionFlanders in ActionFlanders in Action is a social and economic action programme for Flanders which was established by the Flemish government on 11 July 2006. Baron Paul Buysse, is chairman of the board of directors...
- Flanders Investment and TradeFlanders Investment and TradeThe Flanders Investment and Trade was founded by the Flemish government in 2005. The FIT agency helps both Flemish companies with expanding their business abroad as well as to assist foreign companies sourcing Flemish suppliers of quality goods and services. The FIT agency is headed by Christ’l...
(FIT) - Flemish Council for Science Policy (VRWB)
- Flemish Energy AgencyFlemish Energy AgencyFlemish Energy Agency is a government agency of the Flemish Region under the Flemish Ministry of Environment, Nature and Energy, tasked with the preparation and execution of Flemish energy policy.-Overview:...
- Flemish institute for technological researchFlemish institute for technological researchThe Flemish institute for technological research or VITO, is a research centre, located in Mol, Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium. The institute performs contract research and develops products and processes in the fields of energy, environment and materials, for both the public and the private sector...
(VITO) - Flanders Interuniversity Institute of Biotechnology (VIB)
- GIMVGIMVGimv is a European investment company with experience in private equity and venture capital. The company is listed on Euronext Brussels. Gimv currently manages around EUR 2.0 billion of assets ....
- Institute for the promotion of Innovation by Science and TechnologyInstitute for the promotion of Innovation by Science and TechnologyThe Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology is a public institution in Flanders to provide R&D and innovation support. The institute was established by the Flemish government in 1991...
(IWT) - Participatiemaatschappij VlaanderenParticipatiemaatschappij VlaanderenThe Participatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen is an independent organization owned by the Flemish government which supports economic investment initiatives in Flanders.-History:...
- TechnopolisTechnopolis (Belgium)-Flanders Technology International:Technopolis is an initiative which grew out of the Flanders Technology International Foundation, which was an initiative of the Flemish government. Since 7 October 1999, the FTI offices are located within the premises of the Technopolis centre and the name of the...
- Politics of FlandersPolitics of FlandersFlanders is both a cultural community and an economic region within the Belgian state, and has significant autonomy.Historically, the contemporary Flemish community grew out of the Catholic southern part of the medieval XVII provinces of the Low Countries. The contemporary Belgian Flanders area...
External links
- Flemish government (Dutch: Vlaamse overheid), in English
- Flemish government (Dutch: Vlaamse overheid), in Dutch
- Flemish Parliament (Dutch: Vlaams Parlement)
- Flemish Government (Dutch: Vlaamse Regering)
- Composition of the Flemish Government, in English