Political Framework

Belgium’s special (cultural) political situation, with three different language communities that are clearly separated from each other, means that the political framework is crucial to understanding the current situation, and also with regard to the form and importance of general music education. Since 1993 Belgium has been a federal state, split into three language communities and into three regions (Flanders, with its capital Brussels, Wallonia with its capital Namur, and the municipal region of Brussels). The population is divided into the three language communities as follows:

• Flemish community – approx. 5.8 million inhabitants
• French community – approx. 4.2 million inhabitants
• German-speaking community – approx. 70,000 inhabitants

Since the end of the 1970s responsibility for culture and education policy has no longer lain with the national government but with the three individual language communities.