SEEN FROM BELGIUM UNDER THE TEST OF THE CORONAVIRUS - La Fondation Robert Schuman
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MANAGING COVID-19, A JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE
At the onset of the crisis in January,
Belgium was still trying to establish a
BELGIUM fully-fledged government. As early as
February 28, the chairman of the CD&V
(Flemish Christian Democrats) saw the
opportunity to take advantage of this crisis
and the sense of urgency it inspired to
SEEN FROM BELGIUM
finally form a federal government. A
UNDER THE TEST OF THE government that he called the "Corona
CORONAVIRUS coalition", which was as clear as it was ill-
timed in terms of communication. A few
weeks later, this coalition almost became a
T he way Belgium dealt with the
Covid-19 epidemic presents several
specific features. Firstly, we should
remember that it was particularly exposed
at the beginning of the epidemic, with a
reality. On March 13, the intractable
enemies -PS and N-VA- agreed to begin
negotiations to form such a government. It
was even agreed that Sophie Wilmès
would remain as head of this supposedly
multitude of outbreaks resulting from
provisional government while the Covid-
exchanges with other European countries.
19 epidemic and the economic and social
This is primarily due to the status of
consequences of containment were
Brussels, the seat of several European
addressed. Indeed, Sophie Wilmès had
Union institutions and, therefore, the centre
already distinguished herself through her
of human flows on the continent. In
leadership and communication skills,
addition, several families returned in
combining clarity, empathy and
February from holidays spent in northern
determination. However, the establishment
Italy. Faced with this situation, it has to be
of this coalition finally failed due to a lack
said that the Belgian Government was not
of support within the PS, the leading
a priori in the ideal political position to
French-speaking party. The result was a
pursue an energetic policy. The country
hybrid and degraded formula: the caretaker
was in fact emerging from a political crisis
government, unchanged in its composition,
that had witnessed leadership by a
would henceforth be supported from
caretaker government for more than a year.
outside by all the political parties, with the
The federal government no longer held a
exception of the Vlaams Belang (Flemish
majority since the departure of the N-VA
extreme right) and the PTB (extreme left).
(Flemish Nationalists) in December 2018
This government continued as three parties
due to disagreement over the migration
only (MR, VLD and CD&V), without any
policy. Since the parliamentary elections of
change of ministerial portfolio. While this
May 2019, attempts to form a new
minority government formula is common
government had been unsuccessful. While
in some parliamentary democracies, it is
this initial weakness was temporarily
very rare in Belgium. In addition to this,
overcome, political circumstances and
the Wilmès government was given special
institutional characteristics fundamentally
powers for it to be able to take the
influence the way in which the current
necessary decisions to deal with the health
crisis has been managed. To understand
crisis. To complicate matters, the N-VA,
this, the political and health perspectives
the country's largest party, voted for
have to be considered jointly, since these
special powers but refused to support the
two aspects influence each other.
establishment of a full government. This
initial fragility went almost unnoticed both
The establishment of the Wilmès II because of the urgency of the crisis and the
government
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Robert Schuman Foundation | July 2020MANAGING COVID-19, A JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE
personality of Sophie Wilmès, who seemed Council. This body has the particularity of
to rise above these political quarrels. including, in addition to the Prime Minister
and some competent federal ministers, all
Strict lockdown – in theory the Minister-Presidents of the country's
As they faced the pandemic and the federated entities. Decisions are taken by
emergency situation, the authorities' consensus and it was decided from the
response was twofold. From March 12 outset to pursue a uniform policy
onwards, strong, specific measures were throughout Belgium. This led in practice to
taken: there was a ban on all gatherings, suspend Belgian federalism. Indeed, the
schools and universities were closed, interest of federalism is to have
likewise cafés and restaurants. On March differentiated policies according to the
17, the epidemic reached the so-called realities of each federated entity. In the
phase 3 stage, with the lockdown and Covid-19 crisis, Germany demonstrated
closure of non-essential businesses. In the advantages of decentralized action. In
detailing these measures, it is tempting to Belgium, the governments of the different
make a comparison with France. Indeed, power levels were keen to have uniform
the Belgian measures were taken a few action throughout the national territory.
hours after Emmanuel Macron's first Thus, like unitary countries such as France,
speech on March 12, and the day after the Belgium was unable to take action that
announcement of the French lockdown on matched local realities as close as possible.
March 17. Similarly, the confinement The same restrictions applied whether one
measures taken in Belgium were fairly was in a large city where the epidemic was
similar to those in force in France: citizens rampant or in rural areas that were little
had to stay at home on pain of a fine, with affected. In the end, Belgium accumulated
strictly enumerated exceptions. But this the defects of the unitary and federal
similarity with the French situation was in systems. The advantage of a unitary
fact very theoretical. In practice, the country is indeed that it can take strong
lockdown practised in Belgium was much decisions quickly. With the exception of
more flexible than in France. People did the first decisions in March to implement
not have to carry a certificate when they the confinement, this was not the case in
went out and, above all, police repression Belgium. It was necessary to reach
mainly concerned gatherings or breaches agreement between seven governments,
of confinement that were considered each of which comprises coalitions of
excessive. Here, as in other areas, different parties. Moreover, a body set up
Belgium's confinement policy placed it on for this specific purpose took the decisions
the borderline between the particularly falling within the remit of the federal
strict policies pursued in the Latin government: the kern+10. Usually, the
countries (France, Italy, Spain) and the "kern" (restricted government) consists of
much more flexible policies pursued in the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime
Germany or the Netherlands. It was Ministers. The presidents of the 10 parties
nevertheless clearly in the first group supporting this government were added to
rather than the second. the kern to take account of this particular
situation. This institution underlines both
the importance of party chairmen in
Belgian federalism: peculiarities and
Belgium and the ability to create ad hoc
parenthesis
bodies with no constitutional basis. It is
Before looking at the results of this policy,
above all a source of additional constraint
let us consider the particular decision-
for public action in the context of the
making process during the period
pandemic.
beginning on March 12. A specific body
took the decisions: the National Security
2 Robert Schuman Foundation | July 2020MANAGING COVID-19, A JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE
The effectiveness of the fight against the in the media or in decision-making bodies.
pandemic In any case, it raises questions about the
Despite all of these political and effectiveness of the containment strategy.
institutional handicaps, Belgium fought Indeed, these structures followed the
effectively against the Covid-19 epidemic. containment measures to the letter.
In terms of hospital infrastructure, we However, the strict observance of these
should remember that it was much better instructions did not prevent both the staff
equipped than most other European States, and the residents of these establishments
with 16 intensive care beds per 100,000 from being heavily contaminated.
inhabitants. In addition, the appropriate
messages were very quickly communicated More generally, the result is a sad record
to the population, which, at least at the for Belgium: with 84 deaths from Covid-
beginning, largely respected them. These 19 per 100,000 inhabitants, Belgium is
included instructions on what to do in case proportionally the country most affected by
of symptoms similar to Covid-19, namely the disease in the world. Admittedly, this
to consult one's general practitioner by very high figure must be put into
telephone and above all to avoid going perspective due to a particularly broad
directly to the emergency room. These method used to count the number of
instructions, coupled with the work of deaths. But these methodological subtleties
primary care medicine, helped to avoid an do not explain everything. Indeed, if the
influx of patients to hospitals and excess mortality rate during the crisis is
contamination in waiting rooms. In taken into account Belgium is placed
Belgium, as elsewhere, the initial objective among the most affected countries in
was to avoid overcrowding in the intensive Europe. It thus ranks on the same level as
care units. The fear of any government was Spain, which had less hospital capacity. In
indeed to witness a repeat of the scenes any case, these observations tend to
seen in Lombardy. Belgium was never challenge the idea that strict confinement
really affected by this. Thus, while some prevents more deaths.
hospitals (especially in Brussels) may have
been saturated at one point, a national Experts in office?
distribution plan prevented this local The lockdown period in Belgium was
overcrowding from becoming a problem. marked by the emergence in the media of a
At national level, 1,900 intensive care beds series of public health experts: virologists,
were devoted to potential Covid-19 epidemiologists and doctors. This media
patients. At the height of the crisis, only presence was quickly coupled with an
1,285 (68%) of these were occupied. institutionalisation of their influence.
Hence, the Belgian hospital coped very Indeed, at the beginning of April, the
well. But the dramatic number of deaths in Belgian government created the "Group of
nursing homes overshadowed this Experts in charge of the Exit Strategy"
optimistic picture. This situation was of (GEES) to plan the country's end-of-
course witnessed in other European lockdown. This council is unique in two
countries. But Belgium noted a record 64% ways. First of all, it is not a council of
of deaths occurred among residents of specialized experts that would include, for
residential care facilities for the elderly. To example, experts in public health. There
spin the military metaphor, the enemy was are economists, a lawyer and a
contained where it was expected, but hit representative of the social sector. In a
hard on another front. This relative neglect traditional format, the specialized expert
of nursing homes can partly be explained groups inform the political authorities, who
by the importance given to hospital are responsible for reconciling the
medicine and its representatives, whether conflicting demands and interests of
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Robert Schuman Foundation | July 2020MANAGING COVID-19, A JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE
different sectors. Here, however, the GEES This is probably one of the reasons why
carried out this process itself, which the the end of the Belgian lockdown was one
political authorities have had the freedom of the slowest in Europe. From an
to follow or not. The other element, which economic point of view, the relaxation of
is as peculiar as it is disturbing, is the the rules regarding home working allowed
regular media appearances by members of a partial resumption of activity as of May
the GEES, including since their 4, while all non-essential shops reopened
appointment to this strategic council. The on May 11. But it has been the timing of
same experts (virologists, epidemiologists other aspects of end of lockdown, which
or doctors) always intervene to convey the contrasts with that of neighbouring
same message: one must be extremely countries. For example, no schools
cautious and restrictive in the pace of reopened before May 18. And this one was
ending lockdown. On one occasion, the almost symbolic with only three levels
report sent by this GEES to the National taking classes two half-days a week. As for
Security Council was leaked to the press, the kindergarten and primary classes, they
without it being known whether this leak were heading towards closure until the
came from a member of the GEES or from start of the school year in September. But
political leaders. In any case, it seems that an open and mediatized challenged on the
the GEES and some of its members set part of paediatricians changed the
themselves up as autonomous powers situation. They stressed the psychological
trying not only to influence, but also to and social damage of prolonged
compete with a weakened political power. confinement on young children and their
With the height of the crisis over, the low rate of contagion. They relied on
tensions between some GEES experts and foreign examples, particularly from
political leaders came to light1. The Denmark. This public intervention shows
position adopted by the experts is that the problem may not have been the
incomprehensible if one does not bear in power of the experts, but rather the priority
mind the weakening of the political class in given to certain experts. As a result, the
Belgium. Indeed, in addition to the Flemish government decided to proceed
structural mistrust of the Belgian with the complete reopening of its nursery
population towards its political figures, and primary schools. Put under pressure,
there was a context in which the latter were the French-speakers finally decided to
particularly discredited, both because of follow suit.
the repeated failures to form a permanent With regard to social contacts, the initial
federal government and because of their plan was so restrictive that the National
unpreparedness in the face of the health Security Council had to decide, again as a
crisis. It should also be remembered that matter of urgency, to allow home visits by
political power is split between the federal a maximum of four people from May 10.
government and the federated entities. In This decision followed criticism from the
these circumstances, it is understandable French-speaking environmentalist party
that the role of experts might be and fears that the Belgians would largely
preponderant, especially when they violate the instructions on Mother's Day. A
intervene directly in the media or on social last-minute decision was also taken on
networks. access to second homes, under pressure
from the mayors of municipalities on the
Slow and erratic end of lockdown Belgian coast. All these examples are
based on the same operating mode: a very
restrictive initial end of lockdown plan (in
1 On this issue see: « Pressions, lobbys, désaccords which virologists, epidemiologists and
: trois mois de tensions entre experts et politiques », doctors were given a leading role) caused a
La Libre Belgique, 23 June 2020.
4 Robert Schuman Foundation | July 2020MANAGING COVID-19, A JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE
certain amount of pressure to which Hence, the coronavirus crisis has failed to
politicians gave in, most often as a matter unite Belgium, and it has not provided it
of urgency. We must also mention the with a sustainable federal government. The
major inadequacies of the tracking policy,
national union perceived in March will not
which has been both largely ineffective
and apparently contrary to the rules of have survived the passage of the epidemic
respect for private life. The anti-racism peak. On the other hand, the crisis will
demonstration in Brussels at the beginning leave an economic and budgetary slate
of June, which attracted 10,000 people, behind, which will be all the more
gave the final impression that the process substantial in view of the slow pace of end
of ending lockdown was far from under of lockdown. If elections were to be held in
control.
the autumn, one can legitimately fear a rise
After the crisis, further elections? in extremist parties (extreme right in
Although the Belgian end of lockdown has Flanders and extreme left in Wallonia),
been particularly slow, the political game boosted by the economic crisis that is
has quickly regained its rightful place. As a looming and easy criticism of the
sign of the end of this period of national management of the epidemic.
unity, the special powers granted to the
Wilmès II government, initially planned
Vincent Laborderie
for two three-month terms, were finally not
extended beyond June. Negotiations to Lecturer at the UCLouvain
form a fully-fledged federal government
have resumed, but no serious prospects
have emerged for the time being.
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