The Flemish Parliament has 124 members, who are responsible for community as well as regional matters (with the exception of the six members from the Brussels region, who can only vote on community matters). These include culture, education, welfare, planning, environment, agriculture, economy, energy, housing, science, public works, interior and international concerns.
Since 1995, the Flemish elections are held every five years, separately from the federal. Before that, Flemish MPs were appointed from representatives in the national parliament.
The imposing Flemish Parliament building on Leuvenseweg in the centre of Brussels dates back to 1905, when it was built as the central post office, and was renovated in the ’90s when parliament moved there from its original home in the federal parliament building.
The Flemish Parliament building’s large assembly hall is a former courtyard, which was fit with a glass ceiling, symbolising the open house policy of the parliament. Across the road are the MP offices, in an equally impressive building, which still includes the window counters of the original post office.
If you want to join the 40th birthday celebrations, check the Flemish Parliament’s website, where there is a link in the left-hand column.
Like Jean-Luc Dehaene, I realized that the 1993 state reform would not be the
last. Therefore, the Flemish Parliament adopted the so called “five resolutions”
in 1996, with our demands for greater autonomy, based on a note I drafted.
The resolutions were the result of long parliamentary debates, which included
hearings of no less than 140 people from civil society. They form the base of all
state reform negotiations to this day.
For 20 long years I stood in national elections, but it took until 2004 to get
elected. Even that was unexpected, as I was only fifth on the Limburg CD&V/
N-VA list. I will always remember the day I took the oath in the Flemish
Parliament. In my office I wrote “I am happy” on a large blackboard. Five years
later, those words were still there. How many politicians can say that?
In 2008 the Flemish Parliament voted an historic decree on the financing of
schools. The “school wars” of the 1950s left one conflict unresolved: Schools
within the state network still received more money. By the time education was
federalised in 1988, this was no longer justifiable. Still, it took another 20 years
to settle this. We decided to treat all school children equally, with extra support
for schools with children from deprived backgrounds.
The Flemish Parliament established its own house in 1996; before that we met
in the Chamber. Having a place of our own physically illustrated what we stood
for. I love the building. Most visitors are impressed by the dome hall and the
art that can be found in and around the parliament. The opening of the new
building was especially memorable to me, as I was newly elected in the first
direct election of Flemish MPs.
The opening of the new Flemish parliament in 1996 was a very formal occasion,
which TV covered live. To liven things up, they had invited some celebrities.
They placed the cartoonist GAL, one of our critics, right in the middle of our
political group. When he lashed out at us, we walked out. This became quite an
incident; in fact it was the only thing the media picked up from the event.
As a minister, I made an agreement that ended the so called “White Anger”
(welfare workers discontent) in 2001. At 11.00, after a long night of negotiating,
I shared some champagne with the union representatives, and we did a little
chicken dance on the street in celebration. At 14.00, however, I had to make a
declaration in front of the Flemish Parliament. By then, I was exhausted, the
one glass of champagne killing me off. As I looked around from the speaker’s
stand, the whole place went wobbly. I could hear my own words coming back
at me. No-one noticed, though, and to this day I have told no-one.
Flanders Today is a 
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