Flanders

Flanders in Belgium

Somewhere in the 19th century it became commonplace to call the area now known as Flanders, from Maasmechelen to De Panne as "Flanders", including parts of the Duchy of Brabant and the Bishopric of Liège (Belgian Limburg). This usage started to find its modern usage in a "disambiguation" of the northern part of Belgium (la partie septentrionale), from 1831, the establishment of the Belgian monarchy, on.

Related Topics:
19th century - Maasmechelen - De Panne - Duchy of Brabant - Bishopric of Liège - Belgian Limburg - 1831

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At this time, for most, the term Flanders is normally taken to refer to either the political, social, cultural and linguistic community (and the corresponding official institution, the Flemish Community), either the geographical area, one of the three regions in Belgium, namely the Flemish Region. Given that the community absorbed all legal powers of the region, and that the community corresponds with all the Flemish organisations (parties, cultural foundations, ...), this might be the dominant meaning.

Related Topics:
Flemish Community - Flemish Region

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Institutional Flanders

Both the Flemish Community as the Flemish region are federal units of the Kingdom of Belgium. Institutionally, it is the Flemish Community which has most contemporary relevance as it has its own parliament and governement, whereas the region has nearly no proper institutions anymore, as it was absorbed by the community.

Related Topics:
Flemish Community - Flemish region - Flemish Community

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The area of the Flemish Community is represented on the maps above plus the area of the Brussels region (seen as a white hole on the same map). Roughly, the Flemish Community is responsible for all cultural issues as education, culture, language, sports, ...

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The area of the Flemish region is represented on the maps above. The Flemish Region has a population of around over 6 million. Roughly, the Flemish Region is responsible for all economic issues which are not relevant of the federal Belgian government.

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The number of Flemings in Brussels (region) is estimated to be between 11% and 15% (official figures do not exist as there is no language census and no official subnationality). They are under the rule of the Brussels Region for economics affairs and under the rule of the of the Flemish Community for educational and cultural issues.

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As of 2005, the Flemish institutions as its government, parliament, etc. represent the Flemish Community, which absorbed all constitutional competencies of the Flemish region. The region and the community thus de facto share the same parliament and the same government. All these institutions are based in Brussels. Nevertheless, both bodies (the community and the region) are still existing and the distinction between both is important for the people living in Brussels.

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The official language for all Flemish institutions is Dutch. In private, several minorities speak other languages as French, Yiddish, Italian, Polish, Turkish, Berber, Arabic and other languages. French enjoys a limited official recognition in a few municipalities along the border with French-speaking Wallonia and the bilingual Brussels Region.

Related Topics:
Official language - Dutch - French - Yiddish - Italian - Polish - Turkish - Berber - Arabic - Wallonia

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The Flemish Region covers 13,522 km² and contains over 300 municipalities.

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It is divided into 5 provinces:

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• Antwerp (Antwerpen)
• Limburg (Limburg)
• East Flanders (Oost-Vlaanderen)
• Flemish Brabant (Vlaams-Brabant)
• West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen)

Independently from the provinces, Flanders has its own local institutions in the Brussels-Capital region, being the Vlaamse GemeenschapsCommissie (VGC), and its municipal antennae (Gemeenschapscentra, community centers for the Flemish community in Brussels). These institutions are independent from the educational, cultural and social institutions which depend directly from the Flemish governement. They exert, among others, all those cultural competencies that outside Brussels fall under the provinces.

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Political Flanders (in Belgium)

Main article: Politics of Flanders

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Many new political parties during the last half century were founded in Flanders and most often in Antwerp: Daensism, progressive Christian-Democrats; Frontpartij & Volksunie, moderate nationalism; Green!, alternative/Green; Vlaams Belang: far-right nationalism; and ROSSEM, a short-lived anarchistic spark).

Related Topics:
Daensism - Frontpartij - Volksunie - Green! - Vlaams Belang - ROSSEM

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Flemish nation

A more controversial designation for Flanders is those parts of Belgium where Dutch is (or was) spoken. This is the root of many communautary quibbles in Belgium. This designation finds its root in the romantic nationalism of the 19th century but later got a more pejorative meaning, which is now overcome. For some, Flanders is more than just a geographical area (Flemish Region) or a federal institution (Flemish Community). Some even call it a nation: a people of over 6 million living in the Flemish Region ánd in the Brussels-Capital Region, where they form a minority. Flemings share the same political, cultural, scientific, educational and many social institutions (the main exceptions being those where the Belgian legislator imposes a Belgian-scale organisation). Many Flemings identify themselves more with Flanders than with Belgium.

Related Topics:
Romantic nationalism - 19th century - Flemish Region - Flemish Community - Brussels-Capital Region - Flemings

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