Seven Policy advisory bodies in Belgium
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Ellen Fobé
Abstract
In Belgium, there are about 250 advisory bodies at the federal level and 46 at the regional level. These advisory bodies tend to be highly integrated into the policy-making cycle. They also seem to rely more on experience-based expertise than on academic expert opinion, which is not surprising in a consensus-based political system with neo-corporatist traits where traditional stakeholder groups possess policy-making powers. This chapter analyses the cross-regional and cross-government variation of the nature and role of advisory bodies. It also discusses how the policy advisory system has become subject of reforms that seek to meet four challenges: restoring political primacy in policy-making, dealing with growing advice competition, addressing the coincidence of expert advice and representative opinion, and securing societal support for policy interventions from groups other than traditional representative organizations.
Abstract
In Belgium, there are about 250 advisory bodies at the federal level and 46 at the regional level. These advisory bodies tend to be highly integrated into the policy-making cycle. They also seem to rely more on experience-based expertise than on academic expert opinion, which is not surprising in a consensus-based political system with neo-corporatist traits where traditional stakeholder groups possess policy-making powers. This chapter analyses the cross-regional and cross-government variation of the nature and role of advisory bodies. It also discusses how the policy advisory system has become subject of reforms that seek to meet four challenges: restoring political primacy in policy-making, dealing with growing advice competition, addressing the coincidence of expert advice and representative opinion, and securing societal support for policy interventions from groups other than traditional representative organizations.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables and figures vii
- List of abbreviations ix
- Notes on contributors xiii
- Acknowledgements xx
- Editors’ introduction to the series xxi
- Introduction: policy analysis in Belgium – tradition, comparative features and trends 1
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Policy styles and methods in Belgium
- The policy-analytical profession in Belgium 13
- Analytical techniques in Belgian policy analysis 35
- Political control and bureaucratic expertise: policy analysis by ministerial cabinet members 57
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Policy analysis in the government and legislature
- Policy analysis in the central and regional governments 81
- Local planning in Belgium: A myriad of policy styles? 107
- 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
- Policy advisory bodies in Belgium 151
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Policy analysis by political parties and interest groups
- Ideas as close as possible to power: Belgian political parties and their study centres 173
- Interest groups and policy analysis in Belgium: examining the policy-analytical capacities and practices of prominent citizen and economic groups 193
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Policy analysis and the public
- Public consultation and participation in Belgium: directly engaging citizens beyond the ballot box? 215
- The role of news media in the policy process in Belgium 235
-
Policy analysis by advocates and academics
- Thinking in splendid isolation? The organisation and policy engagement of think tanks in Belgium 257
- Policy analysis by academics 275
- Policy analysis instruction in Belgium 295
- Index 311
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables and figures vii
- List of abbreviations ix
- Notes on contributors xiii
- Acknowledgements xx
- Editors’ introduction to the series xxi
- Introduction: policy analysis in Belgium – tradition, comparative features and trends 1
-
Policy styles and methods in Belgium
- The policy-analytical profession in Belgium 13
- Analytical techniques in Belgian policy analysis 35
- Political control and bureaucratic expertise: policy analysis by ministerial cabinet members 57
-
Policy analysis in the government and legislature
- Policy analysis in the central and regional governments 81
- Local planning in Belgium: A myriad of policy styles? 107
- 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
- Policy advisory bodies in Belgium 151
-
Policy analysis by political parties and interest groups
- Ideas as close as possible to power: Belgian political parties and their study centres 173
- Interest groups and policy analysis in Belgium: examining the policy-analytical capacities and practices of prominent citizen and economic groups 193
-
Policy analysis and the public
- Public consultation and participation in Belgium: directly engaging citizens beyond the ballot box? 215
- The role of news media in the policy process in Belgium 235
-
Policy analysis by advocates and academics
- Thinking in splendid isolation? The organisation and policy engagement of think tanks in Belgium 257
- Policy analysis by academics 275
- Policy analysis instruction in Belgium 295
- Index 311
