Suchergebnisse

THIS ARTICLE EXAMINES THE CAMPAIGN IN BELGIUM WHICH WAS CONDUCTED IN PARALLEL WITH THE ELECTION OF THE FIRST REGIONAL COUNCIL FOR BRUSSELS THAT TOOK PLACE ON THE SAME DAY. THE CAMPAIGN WAS FOUND TO BE ABLE TO EMPHASIZE CONSENSUS RATHER THAN DIFFERENCE AS THERE WAS SEEN LITTLE TO BE AT STAKE IN NATIONAL POLITICS. THE COMPULSORY VOTING LAW IS EXAMINED AND IT IS CONCLUDED THAT BELGIUM HAS ENTERED A PERIOD OF RELATIVE STABILITY.

Intro -- CONTENTS -- BELGIAN HOUSE PRICES: EVOLUTION AND RISKS -- A. Are House Prices Overvalued and by How Much? -- B. What are the Factors that Could Trigger a Rapid Adjustment? -- C. What Would be the Effect of a House Price Shock on the Real Economy? -- D. Policy Risks and Recommendations -- E. Conclusion -- BOXES -- 1. Regression Based Overvaluation -- 2. House Prices and the Real Economy -- FIGURES -- 1. Belgium: House Price Developments -- 2. Household Balance Sheet and Real Factors -- 3. Belgian Mortgage Lending -- TOWARD A GROWTH-FRIENDLY FISCAL CONSOLIDATION IN BELGIUM -- A. Belgium's Record of Fiscal Consolidation -- B. A Growth-Friendly Expenditure-Based Fiscal Consolidation in Belgium -- C. Implications for the Burden-Sharing Agreement between Levels of Governments -- D. Conclusion -- FIGURES -- 1. Fiscal Consolidation Efforts, 1995-2013 -- 2. Belgian Tax Primer -- 3. Options for a Lasting, Growth and Equity-Friendly Fiscal Consolidation -- 4. Potential for Rebalancing the Tax System -- 5. General Government Spending, 1995-2013 -- 6. General Government Social Spending, 1995-2013 -- 7. Fiscal Cost of Business Subsidies, 1995-2013 -- 8. Employee Compensation, 2002-13 -- 9. Fiscal Federalism -- TABLES -- 1. Announced Fiscal Measures, 2015-18 -- 2. Public Social Expenditure by Broad Social Policy Area in 2010 -- APPENDIX -- I. Reforms of Unemployment Benefits and Pension (2010-15) -- REFERENCES -- References.

Cover Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- BOXES -- FIGURES -- FIGURES -- TABLES -- APPENDIX -- A. Are House Prices Overvalued and by How Much? -- 1. Belgium: House Price Developments -- 1. Regression Based Overvaluation -- B. What are the Factors that Could Trigger a Rapid Adjustment? -- 2. Household Balance Sheet and Real Factors -- 3. Belgian Mortgage Lending -- C. What Would be the Effect of a House Price Shock on the Real Economy? -- 2. House Prices and the Real Economy -- D. Policy Risks and Recommendations -- E. Conclusion -- A. Belgium's Record of Fiscal Consolidation -- 1. Fiscal Consolidation Efforts, 1995-2013 -- B. A Growth-Friendly Expenditure-Based Fiscal Consolidation in Belgium -- 1. Announced Fiscal Measures, 2015-18 -- 2. Belgian Tax Primer -- 3. Options for a Lasting, Growth and Equity-Friendly Fiscal Consolidation -- 4. Potential for Rebalancing the Tax System -- 5. General Government Spending, 1995-2013 -- 6. General Government Social Spending, 1995-2013 -- 2. Public Social Expenditure by Broad Social Policy Area in 2010 -- 7. Fiscal Cost of Business Subsidies, 1995-2013 -- 8. Employee Compensation, 2002-13 -- C. Implications for the Burden-Sharing Agreement between Levels of Governments -- 9. Fiscal Federalism -- D. Conclusion -- I. Reforms of Unemployment Benefits and Pension (2010-15) -- References -- TOWARD A GROWTH-FRIENDLY FISCAL CONSOLIDATION IN BELGIUM -- BELGIAN HOUSE PRICES: EVOLUTION AND RISKS -- Footnotes

Provides an overview of politics in Belgium in 2000, highlighting election results & national issues. 1 Table, 12 References. Adapted from the source document.

Belgium illustrates the traditional European civil law tradition of emphasis on principles of civil litigation based on individual rights and standing. That tradition, requiring legislative rather than judicial authorization, has blocked general reform of collective representation and led to gradual recognition of individual and rather complex exceptions, overlaid by EU measures. No innovative reforms have yet crystallized. [Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications Inc., copyright The American Academy of Political and Social Science.]

Despite the relative scarcity of polls, political polling becomes more and more important in Belgium. Reasons for this increase are threefold: The foremost reason is the occurence of a number of crises, which are said to have made politicians more sensitive to public opinion: a 300.000-people protest march against the malfunctioning of the justice system in the aftermath of the Dutroux phaedopilia scandal, and the occurence of a food safety crisis just before the 1999 election which had a deep impact on election results and lead to the ousting from power of the christian-democrats for the first time since 1958. In general, the traditional party-landscape has undergone profound changes, which is threatening the dominance of the traditional parties (liberals, socialist, christian-democrats), and makes voting behaviour very volatile and unpredictable. Finally, the present government (Verhofstadt I) devotes more attention to communication and image.

Analyzes election results and cabinet changes in Belgium during 2004. Tables, References.

Cover -- CONTENTS -- CONTEXT-A HEALTHY RECOVERY AND RENEWED REFORM EFFORTS -- OUTLOOK-RECOVERY GAINING MOMENTUM BUT RISKS DOWN THE ROAD -- POLICY DISCUSSIONS-MAINTAINING THE REFORM MOMENTUM -- A. Rebuilding Fiscal Buffers -- B. Boosting Productivity -- C. Addressing the Fragmentation of the Labor Market -- D. Preserving Financial Stability -- STAFF APPRAISAL -- BOXES -- 1. Corporate Income Tax Reform -- 2. Simulating an Increase in Public Investment -- FIGURES -- 1. Macroeconomic Context -- 2. Fiscal Context -- 3. Productivity -- 4. Labor Market Fragmentation -- 5. Financial Sector Developments -- TABLES -- 1. Budget and Projected Outturns -- 2. Reform Agenda -- 3. Selected Economic Indicators, 2014-23 -- 4. Balance of Payments, 2014-23 -- 5. General Government Statement of Operations, 2014-23 -- 6. General Government Consolidated Balance Sheet, 2009-16 -- 7. Financial Soundness Indicators for the Banking Sector, 2009-16 -- ANNEXES -- I. Main Recommendations of the 2017 Article IV Consultation and Authorities' Response -- II. External Sector Report -- III. Risk Assessment Matrix -- IV. Debt Sustainability Analysis -- V. Labor Market and Pension Reform Measures -- CONTENTS -- FUND RELATIONS -- STATISTICAL ISSUES.

Provides an overview of Belgian politics in 1999, highlighting election results & prominent issues. 3 Tables, 17 References.