The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: Vlaams Parlement, and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural and linguistic community of Belgium. It approves decrees, which are Flemish laws applicable exclusively to the Flemish population. The Flemish Parliament meets in the Flemish Parliament building in central Brussels. Chamber of the Estates-General, the Dutch legislature. ... Flanders - Wikipedia /**/ @import /w/skins-1. ... Law (a loanword from Old Norse lag), in politics and jurisprudence, is a set of rules or norms of conduct which mandate, proscribe or permit specified relationships among people and organizations, provide methods for ensuring the impartial treatment of such people, and provide punishments for those who do not follow... Emblem of the Brussels-Capital Region Flag of The City of Brussels Brussels (Dutch: Brussel, French: Bruxelles, German: Brüssel) is the capital of Belgium and is considered by many to be the headquarters of the European Union, as two of its three main institutions have their headquarters in the...

Competencies

Competencies for the entire Flemish Community

1. Culture: The Flemish parliament is competent for all cultural matters. This includes protection of the cultural heritage (e.g. literature, fine arts), tourism and the media. A current debate is about the status of the official Flemish Radio & television, the VRT.
2. Language use: including language use in schools and universities, in the flemish and local administrations, and in relations between employers and employees in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, with the exception of the communes enjoying ‘language facilities’ (exception limited to the extent of the facilities itself).
3. All ‘matters relating to the person’: youth protection, family policy and childcare, together with policy regarding the handicapped, old age pensioners, equal opportunities and the integration of migrants.
4. Education: from kindergarten to university incl. scholarships, except for the establishment the period of com-pulsory education, minimum conditions for awarding degrees and pension schemes for teachers (remaining at the federal level)
5. Health care: including preventive health care, home care, institutions for mental health care, but excluding health insurance, financing of hospitals and most other competencies that remained federal.

The Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep, or VRT, is a publicly-funded broadcaster of radio and television in Flanders (northern part of Belgium). ...

Competencies for the Flemish Region only

1. Economy, employment and energy policy: includes government support for business, employment policy, agriculture and fisheries, the distribution of electricity and natural gas, the exploitation of new energy sources and the promotion of responsible use of energy
2. Town and country planning, housing, land development & nature conservation : including regional planning, building permits, housing policy, social housing, urban renewal, preservation of monuments and natural sites, land consolidation and nature conservation
3. Environment and water policy: including the reduction of air, land and water pollution, noise control, the purification of waste water, the production and distribution of drinking water and waste disposal policy
4. Scientific research: this field is the full responsibility of the regional authorities, except for aerospace and military research (that remained federal).

Members of the Flemish Parliament

From the 35 seats for CD&V/N-VA, six are taken by the N-VA and 29 by the CD&V. From the 25 from the SP.A-Spirit list, five went to Spirit and 20 to the socialists. Antwerp is the northernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... Limburg is the easternmost province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and is located west of the Meuse river. ... East Flanders is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... West Flanders (Dutch: West-Vlaanderen) is the westernmost province of Flanders and of Belgium. ... The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) (Christian Democratic and Flemish) is a political party in Belgium, formerly called Christelijke Volkspartij (CVP) (Christian Peoples Party). ... The Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (New-Flemish Alliance) is a Belgian political party, founded in the autumn of 2001. ... Vlaams Belang (English: Flemish Interest) is a right-wing Belgian political party. ... Socialist Party - Different or Social Progressive Alternative (Dutch: Socialistische Partij - Anders or Sociaal Progressief Alternatief (sp. ... In religion and spirituality, the term spirit has two core meanings: The nature and essential substance of human souls, through which each is connected to all others, and by the experience of such connection is a primary basis for spiritual belief. ... The Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten or VLD (Flemish Liberals and Democrats) is a Flemish liberal party, created in 1992 from the former PVV and a few other politicians from other parties. ... Vivant is a small Belgian liberal party founded by millionaire Roland Duchâtelet. ... Green! (Groen!) is the Flemish green party in Belgium. ... Century Tower, University of Florida. ...

History

After their creation, the Flemish regional and community institutions were united to form the unified Flemish legislative council, the Vlaamse Raad, now called Vlaams Parlement, after it was officially renamed on June 13, 1995. Members are called "Vlaams Volksvertegenwoordiger". June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Currently, many voices in the Flemish Movement would like the Flemish Parliament to acquire certain sovereign powers as those over language, culture and education. In addition, a consensus is emerging that the Flemish Parliament should also acquire much larger financial and fiscal autonomy.

See also

• Belgian regional elections, 2004
• Brussels Parliament
• Walloon Parliament
• Politics of Flanders

On June 13, 2004, regional elections were held in Belgium, to choose representatives in the regional councils of Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels, as well as in the German Community Council. ... The Council of the Region of Brussels-Capital, or Brussels Regional Parliament (French: Conseil de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale or Parlement Bruxellois, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Parlement or Brusselse Hoofdstedelijke Raad), is the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... The Walloon Parliament, or Walloon Regional Council (French: Parlement wallon or Conseil régional wallon), is the parliament of Wallonia, the southern region of Belgium. ... This article is about the politics of Flanders. ...

External links

• Official webpage
• Milestones in the history of the Flemish Parliament (in Dutch)