FlipBook_A5_Welkom in het VP_ENG_versie 2023

Welcome to
the Flemish
Parliament

Welcome to the Flemish
Parliament
In 1995 the Flemish people elected their own
parliament for the first time. A milestone in
the evolution of Flanders into an autonomous
federated state within federal Belgium. A
year later, Flemish MPs moved into their own
parliament building.
The glass dome that spans the hemicycle is
the most recognisable element of our Flemish
Parliament. It symbolises the connectedness
- everyone should feel at home under this roof - but
also the openness, the transparency of this house.
Because you are entitled to see what happens here.
This is where the people you elected have their
workplace and where they give you a voice.
This brochure is an introduction to the functioning
of the Flemish Parliament. Parliament is a
forum of democracy: the place where the people
who represent you debate and make decisions.
Parliament also monitors the functioning of the
Government of Flanders and approves the budget.
After all, you want to know if those you elected
are doing a good job. Therefore, I invite you to
attend a meeting in this open house yourself. Or
you can just take a look inside the building, after
the interactive trail through our visitor centre. You
can be kept informed of this Parliament’s activities
through the various (social) media channels. You
can follow the plenary sessions and committee
meetings on vlaamsparlement.tv. Our current
affairs and debate programmes cover all topical
subjects and issues.
The Flemish Parliament aims to stimulate and
contribute to the dialogue between MPs and
citizens. Because an open dialogue is the essence of
a thriving democracy. This brochure is one element
of that dialogue. I hope you enjoy reading it!
Liesbeth Homans
Speaker of the Flemish Parliament
As Speaker of the Flemish Parliament, I am in
favour of passionate, ideological debate. With
differences of opinion, critical questions, strong
arguments for and against, but always with respect
for each other’s convictions.
The decisions taken by the Flemish Parliament
affect the lives of all those who reside, work and
live in Flanders. Our education, our environment,
our care services, our childcare, our industry, our
cultural centres and sports clubs: the
Flemish Parliament takes decisions in all these
areas. With your input and your voice.
It is important that you, as a citizen, stay
informed about what is happening in the Flemish
Parliament.
2 3

The Flemish Parliament,
forum of democracy
What is democracy?
Democracy comes from Greek and
means: 'the power of the people'.
That means that citizens themselves
decide how their society operates.
Parliamentary democracy means
that every adult in the country
elects their representatives. For a
number of years they have decided
the policy in a (federated) state.
THE SEPARATION OF POWERS
What is the separation of
powers?
The modern democracies in the world are still
young. Several have existed for a couple of
centuries, the majority for just several decades. In
the past, most governments were simple: the king
or emperor had all the power. He made the laws,
governed the country, demanded taxes, was
Parliament = the legislative branch
is the meeting of representatives elected by the citizens. Parliament
establishes the rules for everybody. In the federal parliament, these
are called laws, in the federated states, decrees and in the Brussels-
Capital Region, ordinances. Each year, the parliament approves the
budget and holds the government to account.
supreme commander of the army and played
judge and jury. People were not citizens, they were
subjects. Fortunately, people gradually realised
that one person cannot govern a country.
Democracy made its entrance. A modern
democracy is divided into three branches which
hold each other in equilibrium.
DISCUSSION
The parliament thus represents a wide range of
opinions. In a true democracy, there is room for
differences of opinion, for critical arguments.
Parliament is the perfect place for political debate.
DÉCISION
After the debate, the parliament must reach a
decision. For that, the broadest possible support is
sought, a majority. A proposal only becomes a law -
in Flanders it is called a Flemish Parliament Decree
- when a majority approves the proposal.
The gouvernement = the executive branch
implements the approved laws and governs the country with the
help of its civil servants. The government has considerable power. Yet
that power has limits, because the government constantly needs the
approval of parliament.
MINORITY
No majority without a minority. That minority has the right, the duty in fact, to be critical. It offers
opposition. Pluralism, differences of opinion and conflicts are also aspects of a democracy. But everybody
has to comply with what the majority in the parliament has approved. That is the theory. But how does
the Flemish Parliament put all this into practice? Who, after the elections, are represented in Flanders'
forum of democracy? How does the parliament work? What are its duties? And how are the duties divided
between parliament and Government?
The courts = the judiciary
rules independently and impartially in conflicts and in offences
under the law. It convicts and punishes if that is necessary. Thanks to
the independence of the judiciary, all citizens have equal rights.
4 5

HOW DO YOU BECOME A FLEMISH REPRESENTATIVE?
When you vote, you elect the people who will
represent you in parliament. You can't vote just
anybody into parliament. The political parties
submit their lists with candidates to the voters.
Your vote decides the strength of each party.
The Flemish Parliament is thus elected for a
5-year term of office and cannot be dissolved
during that term of office. In other words, no early
elections can take place. If parliament no longer
has confidence in the government or in a specific
minister, parliament must elect a replacement.
When are there
elections?
EVERY
5 years
1. the federal parliament
(The Chamber of Representatives)
2. the parliaments of the federated states
(so also the Flemish Parliament)
3. the European Parliament
EVERY
6 years
Who has a seat in the
Flemish Parliament?
118
6
+
=
124
The residents of the Flemish Region
elect 118 members
The residents of the Brussels Capital
Region elect 6 members
124 Flemish representatives
1. the town councils
2. the provincial councils
What happens after the
elections?
The distribution of seats according to constituency
After the elections, the seats in parliament are
distributed among the parties. In our system, a
single party hardly ever gains a majority during an
election.
No party is large enough or strong enough for that.
Parties therefore have to collaborate. They form a
coalition. Parties who together have at least half
of the seats + 1 negotiate to form and majority and
to govern together. Generally the party that has
gained the most seats takes the initiative in the
negotiations. A majority in the Flemish Parliament
consists of at least 63 members: half of the 124
Flemish representatives + 1.
22 27
West Flanders
East Flanders
6
33
Antwerp
Brussels
20
Flemish Brabant
16
Limburg
6 7

Distribution of political parties
Representatives are members of a political party. The Flemish Parliament has 124 representatives
who sit for one of the seven political parties or as an independent in the 2019-2024 period.
14
Greens
13
Vooruit
4
PVDA
Workers Party of Belgium
35
N-VA
(New Flemish Alliance)
Group
If a party has three or more members it
achieves group status. A group with at least
five representatives receives resources to set
up a group secretariat. The group leader acts as
spokesman for the group.
Seat distribution
plenary meeting
Each representative can appoint an assistant to
support them in their duties. This assistant is paid
by the Flemish Parliament.
1
Independent
15
Open Vld
(Flemish Liberals en Democrats)
23
Vlaams Belang
19
CD&V
(Flemish Christian Democrats)
8 9

Who governs the Flemish Parliament?
Each year, the Flemish Parliament
chooses its own management: the Bureau.
The speaker of the Flemish Parliament is
also a member of that Bureau, and is thus
elected each year.
The speaker chairs the plenary meetings of
the Flemish Parliament and represents the
parliament.
The Bureau is responsible for the day-to-day
management of the Flemish Parliament. The
members are representatives from various
groups.
The Extended Bureau (the Bureau together
with the group leaders) arranges political
matters such as the agenda of the meetings
of the Flemish Parliament.
He decides whether an initiative from the
representatives is admissible. He chairs the
Bureau and the Extended Bureau.
What does the Flemish Parliament do?
The Flemish Parliament appoints the
Government of Flanders and holds it to
account.
After the elections, the parties of the majority
commit their agreements to paper in a
coalition agreement. This states what the new
government will do in the following five years.
The parties of the majority also propose their
ministers.
The first task of the new parliament is
to appoint the government and give that
government its confidence, based on the
coalition agreement.
The Flemish Parliament works on all
important matters in our lives. In a society,
agreements must be made on these
matters, in other words laws.
The Flemish Parliament
• appoints the Government of Flanders and
holds it to account;
• approves the budget of the Flemish
federated state ;
• debates proposed Flemish laws (which are
called decrees) and votes on them.
10 11

What does the Governement of Flanders do?
The ministers must account for every decision
to parliament. The representatives can hold the
ministers to account in various ways:
• During the weekly question hour in the plenary
meeting, the representatives can ask a topical
question. That question must be about a recent
topical issue.
• In the committees, they can ask the minister
under whose authority the matter resides for an
oral explanation.
• They can pose a written question to the minister.
The minister must then respond within twenty
days.
• A parliamentary question is more urgent that a
question. The representatives can use this to call
the minister to account. This often takes place
in a committee. If the parliamentary question
is of major political important, it goes to the
plenary meeting. If the representative raising
the parliamentary question is not satisfied, he
or she can submit a motion, or even a motion of
no confidence. The plenary meeting then has to
vote on it.
Parliament influences the government's policy
and adjusts it
For this, it makes recommendations and asks to
government to adopt specific measures. Parliament
makes use of means such as motions and
resolutions.
The Flemish Parliament approves the budget
A budget is a plan by the government about the
income and expenditure for the following year.
The Flemish Parliament debates the budget each
year in December. Parliament approves the budget;
without that approval, the government may not
spend anything.
The Flemish Parliament debates decrees and
approves them
Laws and decrees regulate how we, as citizens,
deal with each other and how the authorities deal
with the citizens. Laws apply to the entire country.
Flemish Parliament Decrees apply only to Flanders
and the Flemish institutions in Brussels. Flemish
representatives and the Government of Flanders
can propose decrees. The Flemish Parliament
debates proposed decrees and adopts them or
rejects them.
The Government of Flanders takes initiatives
to govern, to spend money well, to solve
social problems, etc. Each minister draws
up a five-year plan for the matters under his
or her authority: this is known as the policy
memorandum.
In addition, each minister draws up an annual
policy paper. In this, the minister gives a summary
of what he or she has achieved and makes plans
for the following year. Ministers can propose a
new decree themselves: they then draw up a draft
decree.
The entire government must first approve a draft
from a minister. Then the entire government
submits the draft to the Flemish Parliament.
The Government of Flanders draws up a
budget
Each year, the ministers draw up a plan for the
income and expenditure of the following year.
They make choices about how they intend to
spend the money. They then submit that budget to
the Flemish Parliament.
The Flemish administration
The Government of Flanders is supported by
the Flemish administration and its 45,000 civil
servants. That number does not include around
150,000 teachers. The departments are largely
based in office buildings near Brussels North
station. Some departments have regional offices.
In addition, specialised agencies perform
governmental tasks. The best known agencies are
the Flemish Public Broadcaster, De Lijn, the Child
and Family Agency, the Public Waste Agency of
Flanders (OVAM) and the Flemish Service for
Employment and Vocational Training (VDAB)
The Flemish Parliament, the Government of
Flanders and the Flemish administration together
form the Flemish public administration. In
the media, the government receives the most
attention. The ministers are under scrutiny
because they are responsible for day-to-day
management. But the parliament approves the
rules, checks whether the rules are implemented
properly by the government and hold the ministers
to account.
12 13

From idea to decision
Politicians are constantly searching for
solutions to problems in society. Politicians
receive questions from organisations of
citizens and interest groups. Because the
decisions of the Flemish Parliament have
so many consequences in our lives, a lot of
preparation is required: it takes a long time
before an idea can be enacted.
of the political groups. If a permanent member
cannot attend the committee, an alternate
with the right to vote can replace them. Other
members of parliament may attend meetings of
the committee. Each committee has a chair, who
convenes and leads the meetings. The committees
meet from Tuesday to Friday.
The representatives of the competent committee
also discuss any changes to the proposed text.
Those changes are called amendments. Requests
from citizens are also handled (see p. 28).
After the discussion, a provisional vote is held.
Only when a majority of the committee members
vote for the proposal does the text go to the plenary
meeting.
STEP 1
Submit a proposal or draft
A Flemish representative who - individually or
together with other representatives - wants to
make a decree, submits a proposed decree. If the
proposal comes from the Government of Flanders,
we call it a draft of decree.
If a Flemish representative only wants parliament
to take a position on a social situation or problem,
he or she can submit a proposal for a resolution.
STEP 2
Discuss in the committee
The draft decree or proposal, or a proposal for
a resolution is discussed in a parliamentary
committee.
Representatives have a busy
agenda
• They are expected to attend the plenary
sessions (on Wednesday afternoon) and the
committee meetings. For this, they follow a
number of subjects with particular attention.
They read the documents, hold conversations
with people in the field, listen to the needs of
citizens and build up a good knowledge of
the file.
• They maintain contact with their rank and file,
they are open for questions from citizens, take
part in meetings or events.
• They participate in meetings with their party
or party bodies, such as the party office, and
prepare the parliamentary work in the group
meetings.
STEP 3
The plenary
A plenary is a meeting bringing together all
of the representatives. Every Wednesday, the
Flemish Parliament meets in a plenary session
in the Koepelzaal, i.e. with all 124 representatives.
The representatives first read the report of
the committee meetings about the approved
proposals. They can then discuss the proposals
again with the whole parliament. They can table
any amendments and hold the final vote about the
proposal.
A vote is only valid if more than half of the
representatives are present at the session.
If parliament approves a proposal for a resolution,
the Government of Flanders must implement the
resolution. For decrees there is an additional step.
STEP 4
Ratification by the Government of Flanders
If a decree is approved in the plenary sessions, it is
signed by the Minister-President of Flanders and
the competent Flemish Minister and is published
in the Belgian Official Gazette.
A committee has fifteen permanent members and
fifteen alternates, drawn to reflect the strength
From that moment on, the Government of
Flanders must ensure that the decree is applied.
14 15

16
17

The Flemish Parliament
represents Flanders
What can the Flemish Parlement decide about?
These are the powers of the Flemish public
administration since the sixth state reform of
2013-2014.
The Flemish Parliament decides on matters that
are close to the people. The Flemish Parliament
thus has a major influence on the life of each
person in Flanders (environment, schools,
welfare, etc.).
The Flemish Parliament is responsible for how
Flanders is shaped, and it does this in the greatest
openness possible.
Your tax money must be spent well. That is why
the Flemish Parliament decides about the budget
every year.
Healthcare
• hospital policy
• preventative healthcare
• home care
• elderly policy and care homes
• mental healthcare
• help to persons with a disability
Support to persons
• youth protection
• youth policy
• family care (Child and Family)
• family allowance, birth benefits and
adoption benefits
• childcare
• elderly policy and disabled person
policy
• equal opportunities policy
• the integration of migrants
• courts
Scientific research in the realms of
Flemish competences
18 19

The Flemish Parliament has set up a number of autonomous
institutions that are charged, among other things, with giving advice to
parliament
Culture
• art
• cultural heritage
• museums
• libraries
• media (VRT)
• sport and tourism
Language legislation
• use of language by authorities
• use of language in corporate life
The Flemish Parliament has a number of
autonomous institutions whose task, among
other things, is to advise parliament.
The Flemish Office of the Children's Rights
Commissioner represents the interests of children
and issues opinions to the Flemish Parliament.
It independently monitors compliance with the
UN treaty on the rights of the child. With the
opinions from the Flemish Office of the Children's
Rights Commissioner, the Flemish Parliament
can develop a child-friendly policy. The Flemish
Office of the Children's Rights Commissioner was
established by the Flemish Parliament Decree of
15 July 1997.
The Flemish Ombudsman Service investigates
complaint about the Flemish administration,
makes proposals and issues opinions. In addition,
the service reports infringements of the code
of ethics of the Flemish representatives and the
Speaker of the Flemish Parliament. The Flemish
Ombudsman Service was established by the
Flemish Parliament Decree of 7 July 1998.
The Flemish Peace Institute undertakes academic
research, gathers information and informs and
advises the Flemish Parliament and the public
about peace issues. The Peace Institute seeks to
develop a culture of peace in Flanders, Europe
and the world. The Flemish Peace Institute was
established by Flemish Parliament Decree on 7
May 2004.
The Flemish Regulator for the Electricity and Gas
Market (VREG) is an autonomous service with
legal personality under the supervision of the
Flemish Parliament. The parliament lays down
rules for the VREG’s operation and organisation in
the Energy Decree, appoints the Board of Directors’
members, holds hearings on the draft business
plan and approves the VREG’s budget. Elected
representatives may pose questions to the VREG.
Public works, mobility and road safety
Education
• All aspects of education policy
• except a number of small issues,
such as compulsory education and
teachers' pensions, which are a federal
competence
• roads
• waterways and inland shipping
• sea ports
• regional airports
• regional transport (De Lijn)
• Belgian Road Safety Institute (BIVV)
and technical inspection in Flanders
• driving instruction, driving schools and
examination centres
Environment and water policy
Municipalities and provinces
• protection of the environment
• waste policy (OVAM [Public Waste
Agency of Flanders])
• drinking water
• waste water purification
• sewers
• financial resources
• administrative supervision
20 21

Employment
Land use planning and nature
conservation
• labour market policy and labour
mediation (VDAB)
• job opportunity programmes
Housing
• social housing
• financial support for housing
• trade rental and housing rental,
tenancies, expropriation
Energy
• distribution of electricity and natural
gas
• promotion of rational energy use
• land consolidation
• parks
• forests
• hunting
• fishing
• animal welfare
Economy
• support to companies
• permits for trade branches
• foreign trade
• stastical research
Spatial Planning
Agriculture and fishery
International relations
• international treaties relating to Flemish
competences
• foreign trade
• spatial planning
• building permits
• urban renewal
• monuments and landscapes
• support to farms and horticultural
companies
• promotion of food (Flanders'
Agricultural Marketing Board VLAM)
22 23

Who decides about what in Belgium?
As a citizen, you have to deal with six different
authorities: from 'small' to 'large', these are
the municipality, the province, the regions,
the communities, the federal administration
and the European authorities But who exactly
decides on what?
Some examples:
The municipality
In your municipality, you can apply for a new
identity card or passport, for a building permit or
take a book out from the library. The municipality
collects domestic waste, keeps the streets clean
and builds municipal roads. The municipal public
social welfare centre (OCMW) allocates income
support to citizens whose income falls below a
certain threshold.
The province
The province issues, for example, environmental
permits and coordinates drug prevention.
Protected monuments and non-navigable
waterways are also among its duties. The
province gives subsidies to associations and trains
municipal civil servants.
Flanders
The Flemish Community is competent for the
use of language, culture, eduction and the care
for people who need help. The Flemish Region
is responsible for areas such as the economy,
employment, housing, public works, energy,
transport, environment and spatial planning in
Flanders.
Belgium
The federal administration can send troops to
conflict areas (defence) and manages the prisons
(justice). It also pays out pensions (social security),
defends our country against terrorism (public
order) and issues registration plates (road vehicles).
In addition, it manages governmental companies
such as the NMBS, the national debt (finances)
and represents our country at the United Nations
(foreign policy).
European Union
The European Union has influence over our lives
in many ways. The Euro is the currency used in 19
member states of the Union. Europe determines
how many fish may be caught by each member
state. Other European rules deal with the labelling
of food or mobile phone rates.
What if there is a conflict between the various
authorities?
What happens if the Flemish Parliament adopts
a decree about military service, which is a federal
power? Or if the Walloon Parliament should
encroach on a Flemish area by adopting a decree
to protect the sea dunes in Oostduinkerke?
Then the authority that feels it is the aggrieved
party, or any citizen, can lodge a complaint with
the Constitutional Court. The Court can vacate a
decree or a law.
24

Communities and Regions
How many does that
make
THE COMMUNITIES
Flemish decisions can be divided into two main
areas of competence: community matters
(that have to do with people) and the regional
matters (that have to do with territory).
THE COMMUNITIES
There is a Flemish, a French and a Germanspeaking
Community.
Each Community and each Region
has its own parliament and
government. Have you added them
all up? In total, you should get seven
parliaments and governments in
Belgium:
COMMUNITY AREAS OF COMPETENCE
• Help to persons
• Healthcare
• Culture
• Language legislation
• Education
REGIONAL AREAS OF COMPETENCE
• Environment and water policy
• Municipalities and provinces
• Public works and transport
• Employment
• Economy
• Energy
• Agriculture and fishery
• Housing
• Spatial Planning
• Land use planning and nature conservation
• The Flemish Community includes all residents
of Flanders and the Flemish residents of
Brussels.
Flemish residents of Brussels are people living
in the bi-lingual Brussels Capital Region who
speak Dutch.
• The French Community includes all residents of
Wallonia and the French-speaking residents of
Brussels.
• The German-speaking Community includes
all residents of the nine German-speaking
municipalities in the east of Belgium.
THE REGIONS
Belgium is also divided into three regions: the
Flemish Region, the Walloon Region and the
Brussels Capital Region.
• The Flemish Region covers the territory of the
five Flemish provinces.
• The Walloon Region covers the territory of the
five Walloon provinces. This includes the nine
German-speaking municipalities. They do not
form an independent region.
• The Brussels-Capital Region covers the territory
of the nineteen municipalities of Brussels.
3 communities + 3 regions
+ 1 federal government = 7
parliament and governments.
The reality
The fact there are 'only' six
parliaments and six governments:
the Flemish Parliament and the
Government of Flanders govern both
the Flemish Community and the
Flemish Region.
FLEMISH COMMUNITY
FRENCH COMMUNITY
GERMAN-SPEAKING COMMUNITY
THE REGIONS
FLANDERS
WALLONIA
BRUSSELS
THE FLEMISH FEDERATED STATE
FLANDERS
BRUSSELS
26 27

Why is the Belgian state structure so
complicated
quite an evolution since 1830
From a unitary state...
The Belgium state was founded in 1830. It had one
parliament and one government. The country
was, however, divided into municipalities and
provinces, but the laws of the national parliament
applied to all Belgians. The government's ministers
governed the entire country.
In that time, French was the only official language
for the parliament, the administration, the army
and higher education. That gave rise to tensions
between Flemish speakers and French speakers.
From the second half of the nineteenth century,
the Flemish Movement worked hard to gain
recognition of Dutch as a fully-fledged official
language next to French. That recognition was
achieved with the language laws of 1873 and other
subsequent laws.
... towards a federation
After the Second World War, tensions once again
increased between Flanders and Wallonia. The
awareness grew that Flanders and Wallonia would
be better served taking their own decisions. For
this reason, the Belgian Parliament passed a series
of six state reforms between 1970 and 2014, which
gradually transform the Belgian state from a
unitary to a federal state. In this way, Flanders and
Wallonia gained self-government.
Why is the Belgian state structure so
complicated?
• Belgium has two types of federated states:
regions and communities. That makes our state
structure complicated. The division into regions
and communities came about because the
people of Flanders and Wallonia each had their
own reasons for seeking a federal solution.
• The people of Flanders mainly wanted
cultural autonomy for all Dutch-speakers,
including those in Brussels. That was why
three communities were formed: the Flemish
Community, the French Community and the
German-speaking Community: The word
'community' refers to the population group
which must be able to take its own decisions.
• The people of Wallonia mainly wanted to be
able to follow their own social-economic policy.
For these reasons, three regions were formed:
the Flemish Region, the Walloon Region and the
Brussels Capital Region. The word 'region' refers
to the territory.
28 29

The budget
of Flanders
6.72 billion euros
Other
9.45 billion euros
Flemish surcharges on income tax
REVENUE
€ 57,02
billion
2023
33.19 billion euros
Federal resources
7.66 billion euros
Regional taxes
Flanders gained many powers between 1970
and 2014. If they are to perform all these tasks
well, Flanders needs money, a lot of money.
Take, for example, the costs of education,
supporting people with a disability or the
construction of cultural centres and sports
facilities.
Flanders receives the majority of its funding via
the federal state. Flanders can also raise regional
taxation itself, for example via property tax,
registration fees and inheritance taxes.
Flemish expenditure is around 62.33 billion euros.
You can see how the 2023 budget breaks down
into revenue and expenditure in the graphs. Both
the revenue and expenditure figures are estimates.
5.68 billion euros
Chancellery, Public Governance, Foreign
Affairs and Judiciary
5.13 billion euros
Mobility and Public Works
3.65 billion euros
Environment
0.16 billion euros
Higher Entities
5.34 billion euros
Finance and Budget
0.22 billion euros
Agriculture and Fishery
3.95 billion euros
Work and Social Economy
EXPENDITURE
€ 62,33
billion
2023
3.15 billion euros
Economy, Science and Innovation
17.59 billion euros
Education and Training
1.54 billion euros
Culture, Youth, Sport and Media
15.93 billion euros
Welfare, Public Health and Family
In the 2023 budget, the difference between income and expenditure is -5.31 billion euros. To calculate the receivables balance, ESR
corrections are applied and an amount of 0.99 billion euros and 0.98 billion euros is not included because the Government of Flanders
thinks it will not be spent. What remains is a deficit up to 3.262 billion euros according to the European standard.
In its budget aims, the Government of Flanders does not take into account the investment expenditure with proven payback effect
(Oosterweel) to an amount of 339.3 million euro and the revenue and expenditure in the context of the recovery plan, 639.6 billion
euros netto. In this way, the Government of Flanders comes to a deficit of 1.94 billion euros.
30 31

The Flemish Parliament authorises the
Government of Flanders to collect revenue
and determines the level of expenditure. The
government may only exceed the expenditure
ceiling with parliamentary approval.
The largest areas of expenditure are the budgets
for Welfare, Public Health and Family Policy and
that for Education and Training.
How is a budget drawn up?
Drawing up a budget involves making choices.
Politics is all about making choices.
Each year, the Government of Flanders draws up
a budget for an entire year. It is then distilled into
budgetary decrees. These contain the estimated
revenue (regional taxes, federal resources,
surcharges on income tax, etc.) and the permitted
expenditure for all of the government's duties.
The Flemish Parliament thoroughly debates these
draft budget decrees and then votes on them, first
in its committees, then in the plenary.
In the spring, the government assesses whether
the budget is working out as planned via the
budgetary control process. The government makes
the necessary adjustments and submits these to
a vote to the Flemish Parliament via decrees that
together constitute the budgetary adjustment.
32 33

The Flemish Parliament,
an open house!
When you elect someone to parliament, you
want to know whether they are doing a good
job and what your representatives are working
on. The dome in our building is the symbol for
the openness of the Flemish Parliament.
The dome is more than just a connection–
everybody has to feel at home under it – it is also
transparent. Do you want to find out what the
Flemish representative are working on? You can
find out via these channels:
Website of the Flemish Parliament
On vlaamsparlement.be you can find all
information about the work of the Flemish
Parliament: agendas and minutes of the meetings,
press releases, parliamentary documents, etc.
You can also find details about the Flemish
representatives, the functioning and the rules of
the Flemish Parliament, and its two buildings. On
the website, you can also follow the plenaries and
most of committee meetings, or watch them back
later.
Attending meetings
Meetings in the Flemish Parliament are
public: this is true off both the meetings of the
committees and the penaries. You can attend
them in the public gallery. The public may not
disrupt the debates. On days when meetings are
held, you should report to the visitors' entrance,
Leuvenseweg 86 (see map, at the back of the
brochure).
Active and articulate citizens
As a citizen, you can lodge a petition, either as an
individual or in a group. This constitutes the right to
petition. If at least 15,000 people sign the petition, a
committee must deal with your question in detail.
The initial signatory of the petition may explain the
question at the committee. Other people are also
allowed to speak in the Flemish Parliament. The
parliament regularly invites specialists or experts
with experience to give an explanation about a
specific subject. This is called a public hearing.
Contacter un député
Vous pouvez communiquer vos avis ou réflexions
aux membres du Parlement. Leurs coordonnées
figurent sur le site web du Parlement flamand.
Contacting a representative
You can inform representatives about your opinion
or concern. The representatives' contact details
can be found on the Flemish Parliament’s website.
The Flemish Parliament also uses social media to 7
keep the public informed. Follow us on Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Information via the media
Journalists inform citizens about what is going on
in the parliament. They critically review politics
and the work taking place in the parliament.
The plenary meetings are broadcast via the
parliamentary channel vlaamsparlement.tv and on
Villa Politica on TV channel Eén.
Come to the parliament
The doors of the Flemish Parliament are open for
everybody, from Monday to Saturday. Drop in for
a visit to the exhibition in the Visitor Centre or for
guided tours in the building. Participate in our
public activities or enrol your class for an educative
programme with a customised simulation game.
Make use of our rooms to organise your own event
in a special setting.
Visitors' Centre
Everybody who visits parliament or participates
in an event, is received in the Visitor Centre. The
Visitor Centre is in the magnificent Counter Hall
of the House of the Flemish Representatives
You can request information, enjoy a snack in
our hospitable and renovated Eetcafé, visit the
exhibition, attend an interview with a politician in
the TV studio.
Visiter l’exposition sur la démocratie
Avec cette exposition, le Parlement flamand s’est
doté d’un atout supplémentaire pour expliquer son
fonctionnement et son histoire à un vaste public.
Ludique et interactive, elle propose une expérience
aussi passionnante que variée: vidéos, animations,
présentations 3D, jeux et même un véritable
hémicycle qui permet de voter pour de vrai. Vous
pouvez tout entendre grâce à un audioguide en
quatre langues.
Exhibition about democracy
The exhibition is an excellent calling card for the
Flemish Parliament and explains its functioning
and history to a wide general public. The set-up is
playful and interactive and ensures a fascinating
and varied experience: films, animations,
3D-presentations, games and a hemisphere where
34 35

you can actually vote. The visitors can listen to
everything via the audio guide in four languages.
Guided tours in the building
The Visitor Centre is also the starting-point for
tours of the parliamentary buildings. The guides
take the group to all the places that illustrate
the importance of how democracy works. The
highlight is a visit to the impressive Koepelzaal. Are
you more interested in the history of the buildings,
the architect and the art works? Then opt for a
special art tour.
Flemish Parliament Visitor Centre
IJzerenkruisstraat 99, 1000 Brussels
+32 2 552 46 11
bezoekerscentrum@vlaamsparlement.be
Educative programmes
Pupils can experience how democracy works
using a simulation game in a committee room.
In addition, the trainings and in-service trainings
organised in the parliament support teachers and
students in teacher training with lessons in civic
education.
Reading material
For many years, the Flemish Parliament has
developed curricula for all educational attainment
levels. This assists teachers and pupils in gaining
knowledge about the rules of our democracy and
the associated skills and attitudes. In addition
to information, the material also contains many
exercises for the pupils.
Events for third parties
Organising an event in the beautiful and wellequipped
rooms of the Flemish Parliament offers
numerous associations a unique and affordable
framework for their study days, congresses or
seminars in the heart of Brussels.
Would you like to know more? Take a look at
our website www.vlaamsparlement.be - 'Pay us
a visit' and 'For schools'. You can also find all
contact information on these pages.
36 37

Koningsstraat
Hertogstraat
Regentlaan
(Kleine ring)
Kunstlaan
Koningsstraat
Address and plan of the Flemish Parliament
The Flemish Parliament is located in Hertogstraat
in the heart of Brussels. The contact details of the
Flemish representatives, the political groups, the
services of the General Secretariat and so on can be
found on www.vlaamsparlement.be. Follow us on
Facebook (/VlaamsParlement), Twitter (@vlaparl),
Instagram (@vlaparl) and Linkedin.
Floor plan:
A detailed route description can be found on the website of the Flemish Parliament:
vlaamsparlement.be
Post
Flemish Parliament, 1011 Brussels
Visitors
Leuvenseweg 86, 1000 Brussels
Flemish Parliament Visitor Centre
IJzerenkruisstraat 99, 1000 Brussels
bezoekerscentrum@vlaamsparlement.be
bezoekerscentrum.vlaamsparlement.be
+ 32 2 552 46 11
Flemish Office of the Children's Rights
Commissioner
Leuvenseweg 86, 1000 Brussels
+ 32 2 552 98 00
fax: + 32 2 552 98 01
kinderrechten@vlaamsparlement.be
kinderrechtencommissariaat.be
Flemish Ombudsman Service
Leuvenseweg 86, 1000 Brussels
+ 32 2 552 98 98
fax: + 32 2 552 98 50
info@vlaamseombudsdienst.be of
klachten@vlaamseombudsdienst.be
vlaamseombudsdienst.be
The Flemish Peace Institute
Leuvenseweg 86, 1000 Brussels
+ 32 2 552 45 91
fax + 32 2 552 44 08
vredesinstituut@vlaamsparlement.be
vlaamsvredesinstituut.eu
1
Flemish Parliament Visitor Centre
IJzerenkruisstraat 99
2
Visitors Flemish Parliament
Flemish Office of the Children's Rights Com-
missioner
Flemish Ombudsman Service
Flemish Peace Institute
Leuvenseweg 86
3
Flemish Parliament
Hertogstraat 6
Koloniënstraat
Leuvenseplein
Congresstraat
IJzerenkruisstraat
Leuvenseweg
Wetstraat
Warandepark
Drukpersstraat
Noordstraat
1
2
3
Hertogstraat
M Madou
Madouplein
M
Kunst-Wet
Centraal
Station
M
Colophon
Coordination : Director of Communication, External Relations and Information, Flemish Parliament
Graphic design : Wim De Ridder, Vlaams Parlement
Printing : Artoos Group, Kampenhout
Publisher : Martine Goossens, Secretary General, Flemish Parliament
All rights of reproduction are explicitly reserved for all countries.
Catalogue number D/2019/3933/1 D/2019/3933/1
Centraal
Station
Kantersteen
Kunstberg
Ravensteinstraat

Flemish Parliament
Leuvenseweg 86, 1000 Brussels
vlaamsparlement.be