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Chapter 6 Belgium and the Netherlands

Belgium and the Netherlands. Belgium and the Netherlands

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Chapter 6 Belgium and the Netherlands

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    1. Chapter 6 Belgium and the Netherlands Steven B. Wolinetz

    2. Belgium and the Netherlands Belgium and the Netherlands – similar or different? History and institutions Segmentation and its impact Parties and the party systems Governing and policy processes Consensus democracy: sharing space External dynamics

    3. Belgium and the Netherlands – similar or different? Both are parliamentary democracies with fragmented multiparty systems Less similar than they appear Belgium is a consociational democracy Netherlands is an ex-consociational democracy

    4. History and Institutions Netherlands and Belgium united under Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815) Belgium declared independence in 1830 Belgium industrialized earlier than the Netherlands Post-WW2: both countries joined European and international organizations Netherlands is a unitary state Belgium has become a federal state

    5. Segmentation and its impact Both Netherlands and Belgium characterized by pillarization/segmentation Belgium divided into Catholic, Liberal and Socialist pillars Netherlands divided into Calvinist, Catholic, Socialist and Liberal pillars Divides managed through consociationalism Belgian linguistic conflicts prevail Clientelism ensures strong parties in Belgian state

    6. Parties and the party system Both countries have complex multiparty systems Both countries have proportional representation with low thresholds Parties divide around religious cleavages, class/ideology cleavages Rise of anti-immigration and anti-EU sentiment in Netherlands Rise in electoral volatility Coalition politics prevails

    7. Governing and policy processes Holding coalitions together requires tactical sensitivity Ministers enjoy a large degree of autonomy in the Netherlands In Belgium parties retain a greater degree of control over their ministers

    8. Consensus democracy: sharing space National governments share space in both countries: In the Netherlands, with para-public agencies and social partners In Belgium, with regional governments Consensual government; policy change is difficult and slow Organized capitalism The Netherlands is a consensus democracy Belgium is a consociational and consensus democracy Consensus democracy has prompted a rise in the populist right and anti-establishment parties

    9. External dynamics Both original members of the EU Both historically pro-integration, in part as legacy of German invasion Both economies highly dependent on trade

    10. Conclusions Dutch citizens appear concerned with government’s governing ability In Belgium there are concerns over the effectiveness of the police and justice system Dutch have become more sceptical about EU

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