In Belgium, government selects articles of the constitution open to amendment

By Ugo Realfonzo, 7 May
Parliament of Belgium (photo credit: Chrstian Stock via flickr)
Parliament of Belgium (photo credit: Chrstian Stock via flickr)
The Federal Government reached an agreement last Friday over which articles of the Constitution could be subject to revision during the next legislature – clearing the way for a possible Belgian State reform after elections in June. [ . . . ] The main selected articles allow fundamental rights to be modified in the constitution, namely new articles relating to rights already recognised in European and international conventions. The Federal Government has also opened existing articles for revision: to guarantee a more balanced representation of men and women within governments, to modernise the secrecy of correspondence, and to strengthen the freedom of the press. "The intention is to move forward, not backwards on rights and freedoms," said Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open VLD). However, the selection of Article 195 for revision is important as it can allow for institutional change, since it governs the procedure for revising the Constitution itself. This specific article effectively allows for the amendment of the entire Constitution to be revised in the next legislature and could mean both handing more power from federal entities to the regions – but also vice versa.
Read the full article here: The Brussels Times

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