Belgian Chamber Approves First Step to Abolish Senate
The Belgian Chamber of Representatives voted 96 to 16 on Thursday to approve the revision of Article 195 of the Constitution, formally initiating the process to abolish the Senate. The vote, which saw 10 abstentions, marks the completion of the first stage of an institutional reform championed by Prime Minister Bart De Wever that would simplify Belgium’s complex federal parliamentary system by moving toward a unicameral legislature.
The Vote and What It Means
The revision of Article 195 — the constitutional provision governing the procedure for amending the Constitution itself — creates a transitional mechanism that allows all Senate-related constitutional articles to be revised within a single legislative term. Normally, Belgium’s Constitution requires that revisions span two legislatures: one declares which articles are open for revision, and the next actually revises them. Since not all Senate-related articles were declared open in the previous legislature, the government is using this procedural pathway to bypass that requirement.
As RTBF reported, the same procedure was used for the 6th state reform in 2012, despite promises at the time that it would be a one-time measure. Professor Aube Wirtgen of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), an expert in constitutional law, described the maneuver as “a way to move things forward,” noting that it is a procedural “trick” previously deployed for major institutional changes.
Political Alignment and Opposition
The vote revealed a complex political landscape. The governing “Arizona Coalition” — comprising N-VA, MR, Les Engagés, Vooruit, and CD&V — voted in favor, joined by opposition parties Anders, Vlaams Belang, and Groen. Voting against were the Socialist Party (PS), Ecolo, and DéFI. The PTB (PVDA) abstained, along with Luc Frank, a German-speaking deputy from Les Engagés.
Prime Minister De Wever, who has championed the reform, was blunt in his assessment of the upper chamber. “Je ne vois plus rien dans le Sénat qui en ferait la pierre angulaire de quoi que ce soit” (“I no longer see anything in the Senate that would make it the cornerstone of anything”), he told 7sur7. The Senate’s responsibilities have been progressively reduced through successive state reforms, and its current functions are limited to constitutional matters, mediating conflicts between parliaments, and drafting reports on multi-level governance issues, according to The Brussels Times.
The Hardest Part Lies Ahead
While Thursday’s vote cleared the first procedural hurdle, securing the final abolition of the Senate will require a two-thirds majority in the legislature — a significantly higher bar. The government coalition agreement explicitly states that this majority cannot rely on “extremist parties,” meaning Vlaams Belang and PTB are excluded from the equation. This makes the support of the PS potentially decisive.
The PS has attached conditions to its backing, as DHNet reported: the establishment of a citizens’ assembly to replace the Senate and the enshrinement of the right to abortion in the Constitution. The latter demand has drawn opposition from coalition member CD&V, potentially creating friction within the majority.
Coalition partners MR and Les Engagés have also raised conditions, demanding guarantees for the representation of Belgium’s German-speaking community (approximately 77,000 people, primarily in the East Cantons). The community currently has a guaranteed seat in the 60-member Senate but not in the Chamber, where German-speaking candidates must compete in the broader province of Liège.
Broader Implications
If successful, Belgium would move from a bicameral to a unicameral federal system — a significant institutional change for a country whose political architecture has been built through six complex state reforms over decades. The Senate currently serves as a forum where regional and community parliaments are represented at the federal level, and its abolition raises questions about how federated entities will participate in federal decision-making.
Prime Minister De Wever expressed confidence that a compromise can be found. “Si tout le monde respecte sa parole, on pourra trouver un compromis largement soutenu” (“If everyone keeps their word, we can find a broadly supported compromise”), he said. The target date for complete abolition is reportedly 2029, but much will depend on the negotiations ahead.
What to Watch For
The coming months will reveal whether the government can navigate the competing demands of its coalition partners and the opposition PS. Key questions include whether the abortion rights condition can be reconciled with CD&V’s opposition, how the German-speaking community’s representation will be guaranteed, and what mechanism will replace the Senate’s role in representing federated entities. The use of the Article 195 procedural shortcut for the second time also raises broader questions about constitutional safeguards and precedent-setting in Belgian governance.