The Political and Administrative System in Belgium

lpols1224  2020-2021  Louvain-la-Neuve

The Political and Administrative System in Belgium
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information below is subject to change, in particular that concerning the teaching mode (presential, distance or in a comodal or hybrid format).
5 credits
37.5 h
Q2
Teacher(s)
De Visscher Christian; De Winter Lieven; Rihoux Benoît;
Language
French
Main themes
During the course, students will: - Study the basic structures of Belgian political society (divisions, pillars, consociationalism, etc.) and analyse the political balance of power, including at election time; - Take a closer look at the electoral and Party systems, the parties as such, Parliament, the government and the political elites; - Study the structures and operation of the public sector.
Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1 By the end of this course, students should have acquired a good knowledge of the socio-political and administrative workings of the Belgian political system and acquired a capacity to analyse the events which govern the country's political landscape. This will be the particular focus of the Current Affairs Seminar.
 
Content
Part 1: AP Frognier (10.) 1. Belgium's national foundations 2. Belgium's socio-political foundations 3. Divisions and Parties 4. The balance of power between the political actors Part 2: L. De Winter(10.) 1. Electoral system and Party system during the post-war period 2. The Belgian political Parties: ideology, organisation and operation 3. Structure and operation of Parliament 4. Formation, structures and decision-making mechanisms of the federal governments 5. Partocracy, clientelism, corruption and political revivals Part 3: Visscher C. of (10.) 1. Analysis of the public sector in Belgium: forms of administrations and public services: methods of organisation, manpower, relations with the political power 2. Resource management within the public administration (budget; public service) 3. The politico-administrative system in action: study of the public policy cycle, from introduction to implementation (using concrete examples)
Other information
Course entry requirements: Students must have taken the Public Law course. Foreign students taking this course during an exchange programme will need to plan for an alternative way of covering this material. Evaluation: written examination Course materials: Students will receive a reading portfolio
Faculty or entity
ESPO


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Aims
Bachelor in Sociology and Anthropology

Minor in Political Sciences

Bachelor in Political Sciences: General

Bachelor in Human and Social Sciences

Approfondissement 'Principes de maîtrise de l'actualité'