State responses to the fiscal crisis: Belgium

Abstract

This article presents a brief description of how the Belgian government responded to the global financial, economic and fiscal crises. Belgium took various measures to support banks in 2008. Following forecasts of a substantial economic decline in 2009 and zero growth in 2010, and increases in unemployment in 2009 and 2010, the federal and regional governments took successful economic recovery measures. Although it might appear that the fiscal crises of state debt and budget deficits were ignored during this time, there were measures in place to tackle them. This article looks at the contents of the government responses, as well as the political and administrative aspects of the governmental decision-making processes.

Keywords:

• Belgium politics
• economic crisis
• financial and banking crisis
• fiscal crisis
• government decision-making
• politics and administration

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Walter Kickert

Walter Kickert is Professor of Public Management at Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.