ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the general importance of constituency work of Belgian Member of Parliament. It looks at the structural and individual determinants of this excessive focus on the constituency. Fewer managed to solve urbanisation and housing problems and problems regarding the environment and physical security. Typically, they also intervene in problems related to the linguistic status of communes. Finally, they provide help to local governments. The local office also offers facilities for serving the constituency and can be a way of keeping in touch with the constituency and its problems. The dual mandate often gives a legislator control over the constituency party with regard to the recruitment of activists, the grooming of candidates for office and fund raising. Intra-party pressure groups support the actual election of their candidates by promoting the candidate in their membership periodicals, as well as in the newspapers they control or are affiliated with.
