The current challenges on the Belgian federalism and the sixth reform of the state

Abstract

Since 1993, Belgium is officially a federal state, composed of three communities and three regions, as the first-new at the time-article of the Constitution proclaims. The history of federalism in Belgium is therefore quite recent. Nevertheless, the story is-much-longer since it starts with the independence of Belgium from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1830. The inception of a state and the underlying causes of its creation, as well as its place on the map, the timing of its creation and the characteristics of the elites who take the lead and define the new state's nature are of crucial importance and these elements shape the country's political development for centuries. Nonetheless, although the beginning of any state sets up a path of dependency, there are also critical junctures along its political development that in turn influences the course of history. This is especially true for Belgium. Here, history and politics are intrinsically interrelated. Indeed, the current challenges on the Belgian federalism find their roots in the country's history.