ABSTRACT
Belgium's local government system has repeatedly been labelled as an example of the so-called 'Franco' type (Hesse and Sharpe 1991). This label suggests that Belgian local government has few competences on the basis of which it primarily fulfils territorially oriented tasks. It has little discretion as far as its own organization, management and task execution are concerned, a result of considerable central regulation. On the other hand, it has ready access to central government. albeit primarily via party political contacts, giving rise to a strong political localism (Wayenberg 2003).
