25 Aug '15

Flemish parliament holds special session to discuss ritual slaughter

Summary

Animal welfare minister Ben Weyts wants to extend the ban to slaughtering animals without stunning them to all slaughterhouse facilities, which conflicts with Muslim and Jewish traditions

 

CD&V against extension

The Flemish parliament’s animal welfare committee will meet this week to discuss the issue surrounding the slaughter of animals without stunning them, a practice required by Jewish and Muslim tradition

The animal welfare committee of the Flemish parliament will hold a special recess session on Wednesday to discuss ritual slaughter in Flanders, with questions for animal welfare minister Ben Weyts.

The minister (pictured) has stated that he wants to extend the ban on the slaughter of animals without stunning – as practised in both halal and kosher rituals – to all slaughterhouses and not just the temporary ones set up to cope with demand during the Muslim Eid el-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) as at present.

Ritual slaughter would then be limited to officially licensed slaughterhouses, which cannot handle the demand during Eid.

Eventually, Weyts would like to see a total ban on slaughter without stunning, a measure that brings the Jewish community into the equation, and which led to Weyts being compared to Hitler earlier this summer for trying to wipe out Jewish traditions. Coalition partner CD&V is against the extension of the ban.

Photo: Jasper Jacobs/BELGA

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Government of Flanders

Belgium is a federal state with several regional governments. The northern, Dutch-speaking region of Flanders is governed by the Flemish government, which was created when the Flemish Region and the Flemish Community joined forces in 1980. A minister-president presides over the government of Flanders, and Brussels is the capital city.
Competences - The government of Flanders is responsible for the economy, foreign trade, health care, energy, housing, agriculture, environmental concerns, public works and transport, employment policy, culture, education and science and innovation. Flanders also has the power to sign international treaties in these competencies.
Sole legislator - The powers of the Flemish government and of the federal government do not overlap. Therefore, only one government serves as legislator for each policy area. Flemish laws are called decrees. Decrees apply in co-ordination with federal laws.
Official holiday - 11 July is the official holiday of the Flemish Community, in commemoration of the Battle of the Golden Spurs in Kortrijk on 11 July 1302, when Flemings defeated the army of the French king. Flanders’ official anthem is “De Vlaamse Leeuw” (The Flemish Lion).
6

million people live in the Flemish Region.

5

provinces constitute the Flemish Region: West Flanders, East Flanders, Flemish Brabant, Antwerp and Limburg.

5

number of years for which the Flemish Parliament is elected. Its elections coincide with those of the European Parliament.

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