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Six Policy analysis in the Belgian legislatures: the marginal role of a structurally weak parliament in a partitocracy with no scientific and political tradition of policy analysis

  • Lieven De Winter and Wouter Wolfs
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Policy Analysis in Belgium
This chapter is in the book Policy Analysis in Belgium

Abstract

This chapter examines the formal existence and actual use of resources relevant for policy analysis that individual parliamentarians, parliamentary groups and the parliament, as a whole, have at their disposal in the federal House of Representatives, the Flemish and the Walloon parliament since the mid-1990s. The use and effectiveness of these comparatively meagre resources are strongly constrained by the structural need of majority MPs and groups to offer continuous and unconditional support to inherently unstable coalition governments composed of four to six parties.

Abstract

This chapter examines the formal existence and actual use of resources relevant for policy analysis that individual parliamentarians, parliamentary groups and the parliament, as a whole, have at their disposal in the federal House of Representatives, the Flemish and the Walloon parliament since the mid-1990s. The use and effectiveness of these comparatively meagre resources are strongly constrained by the structural need of majority MPs and groups to offer continuous and unconditional support to inherently unstable coalition governments composed of four to six parties.

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of tables and figures vii
  4. List of abbreviations ix
  5. Notes on contributors xiii
  6. Acknowledgements xx
  7. Editors’ introduction to the series xxi
  8. Introduction: policy analysis in Belgium – tradition, comparative features and trends 1
  9. Policy styles and methods in Belgium
  10. The policy-analytical profession in Belgium 13
  11. Analytical techniques in Belgian policy analysis 35
  12. Political control and bureaucratic expertise: policy analysis by ministerial cabinet members 57
  13. Policy analysis in the government and legislature
  14. Policy analysis in the central and regional governments 81
  15. Local planning in Belgium: A myriad of policy styles? 107
  16. Policy analysis in the Belgian legislatures: the marginal role of a structurally weak parliament in a partitocracy with no scientific and political tradition of policy analysis 129
  17. Policy advisory bodies in Belgium 151
  18. Policy analysis by political parties and interest groups
  19. Ideas as close as possible to power: Belgian political parties and their study centres 173
  20. Interest groups and policy analysis in Belgium: examining the policy-analytical capacities and practices of prominent citizen and economic groups 193
  21. Policy analysis and the public
  22. Public consultation and participation in Belgium: directly engaging citizens beyond the ballot box? 215
  23. The role of news media in the policy process in Belgium 235
  24. Policy analysis by advocates and academics
  25. Thinking in splendid isolation? The organisation and policy engagement of think tanks in Belgium 257
  26. Policy analysis by academics 275
  27. Policy analysis instruction in Belgium 295
  28. Index 311
https://doi.org/10.56687/9781447317265-012

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of tables and figures vii
  4. List of abbreviations ix
  5. Notes on contributors xiii
  6. Acknowledgements xx
  7. Editors’ introduction to the series xxi
  8. Introduction: policy analysis in Belgium – tradition, comparative features and trends 1
  9. Policy styles and methods in Belgium
  10. The policy-analytical profession in Belgium 13
  11. Analytical techniques in Belgian policy analysis 35
  12. Political control and bureaucratic expertise: policy analysis by ministerial cabinet members 57
  13. Policy analysis in the government and legislature
  14. Policy analysis in the central and regional governments 81
  15. Local planning in Belgium: A myriad of policy styles? 107
  16. Policy analysis in the Belgian legislatures: the marginal role of a structurally weak parliament in a partitocracy with no scientific and political tradition of policy analysis 129
  17. Policy advisory bodies in Belgium 151
  18. Policy analysis by political parties and interest groups
  19. Ideas as close as possible to power: Belgian political parties and their study centres 173
  20. Interest groups and policy analysis in Belgium: examining the policy-analytical capacities and practices of prominent citizen and economic groups 193
  21. Policy analysis and the public
  22. Public consultation and participation in Belgium: directly engaging citizens beyond the ballot box? 215
  23. The role of news media in the policy process in Belgium 235
  24. Policy analysis by advocates and academics
  25. Thinking in splendid isolation? The organisation and policy engagement of think tanks in Belgium 257
  26. Policy analysis by academics 275
  27. Policy analysis instruction in Belgium 295
  28. Index 311
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