Diritto Pubblico Comparato ed Europeo

Sommario

1. Premessa. – 2. Un’asimmetria fondatrice. – 3. Un’asimmetria conformatrice. – 3.1. Un’asimmetria verticale. – 3.2. Un’asimmetria orizzontale. – 3.2.1. Le cause. – 3.2.2. Le modalità.

Abstract

The article focuses on federalism in Belgium. Belgian federalism is asymmetrical and its development is characterized by four phases: «division», «transporting», «stratification» and «bipolarisation». Belgian federalism is a process by division because it transformed from a unitary to a federal system as a consequence of centrifugal forces. It can also be defined as a «transporting» because the transformation from a unitary to a federal State has been progressive. Moreover, it is «stratified» because there are several kinds of local governments, and «bipolarised» between the Flemish and the French people. Federalism in Belgium is both «founder» and «conformer». It is «founder» because from an historical point of view, regions have been created for economic and social reasons; but it is also «conformer» because Communities were established for linguistic and cultural reasons. Regions and Communities are not established on the same basis. Finally, Belgian federalism is «vertical» or «horizontal». «Vertical» federalism means that in some events the federal level of government is predominant on the local level of government; while «horizontal» federalism means that some regions have a special status.