The complex Belgian political system is in the spotlight as the francophone region of Wallonia persists in blocking the EU-Canada free trade agreement (CETA), which has been negotiated for seven years. The parliament of the francophone region of Wallonia, in southern Belgium, rejected last week to give the federal government consent to sign the agreement, seeking additional protection for its products.
On Thursday evening, parallel to the EU summit taking place in Brussels, the Walloons reiterated that they remain firm in their blockade, which prevents the signing of the agreement scheduled for next week, media reports. European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstroem is in constant contact with the Walloon authorities and the Belgian federal government to resolve the situation, but how is it even possible for a small region to question an agreement of immense value?
Once a centralized monarchy with strong national institutions, Belgium slowly transformed into a decentralized federation of entities in the 1970s. This occurred under intense pressure from separatist-oriented Flemish people, fed up with the dominance of the francophone population since the creation of modern Belgium in 1830. The country has turned into a federation of regions and linguistic communities, each with its own parliament and government, and with each constitutional reform increasingly placing executive power in their hands.
Strong Regions
Francophone Wallonia, Dutch-speaking Flanders, and the capital city of Brussels make up the three Belgian regions. They have the authority to make decisions in the areas of agriculture, environment, and economy. The so-called linguistic communities (French, Dutch, and German) control education, culture, and media. Each of the regions and linguistic communities has its own parliament and government. This means that Belgium has seven parliaments: the geographical regions of Wallonia, Flanders, and Brussels, three linguistic communities, and the federal parliament.
