Federalism and the COVID-19 Crisis: Reflections on Competences, Actors and Party Politics in Belgium   [open pdf - 0B]

From the Document: "Belgian federalism is defined by a unique combination of features. It is characterized by a 'falling apart' evolution without a blueprint for a final equilibrium, a competitive logic putting all government levels on equal footing while granting them full powers in allocated competences, a complex division of competences that cross-cuts policy domains, and separate party systems and electoral constituencies resulting in different government coalitions across the levels of government. The Belgian response to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] crisis has been a textbook illustration of how these features (mal) function in practice."