Belgian Politics without Ministerial Cabinets? On the Possibilities and Limitations of a New Political Culture

Abstract

Early 2000, a start was made with a sweep ing reform of the federal political and administrative structures and procedures in Belgium. As a very important element of these reform plans, it was decided that the size of ministers’ personal staff should be reduced quite dramatically. It even appears that the government intends to abolish the ‘almighty’ ministerial cabinets. In this article, we consider the possibilities and difficulties associated with the likely abolition in Belgium of ministerial cabinets. First we deal with the occurrence and the shape of ministerial staffs in other countries. Then we explore why Belgium’s ministerial cabinets have come under such heavy fire. Finally, we try to demonstrate that ministerial cabinets not only display a whole array of dysfunctions, but that they also fulfil a crucial, functional, role in the Belgian policymaking process. This raises the question of who or what will take over their function. If their role is not assumed by other institutions or bodies, the abolition of the ministerial cabinets will not generate better governance, but quite the opposite.

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