Composition
Of the total of 71 elected senators, 40 are elected directly, 21 appointed by the Community parliaments and 10 senators are co-opted. The overall distribution of seats between parties is however determined by the results of the direct election. Prior to the Belgian federal election of May 21, 1995, there were 184 elected senators. The fourth State Reform, which took place in 1993, revised the Belgian Constitution and replaced the provincial senators, who were appointed by the Provincial Councils, with Community senators. The change took effect following the May 21, 1995 federal election.
Read more about this topic: Senate (Belgium)
Famous quotes containing the word composition:
“The proposed Constitution ... is, in strictness, neither a national nor a federal constitution; but a composition of both.”
—James Madison (1751–1836)
“Those Dutchmen had hardly any imagination or fantasy, but their good taste and their scientific knowledge of composition were enormous.”
—Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890)
“The composition of a tragedy requires testicles.”
—Voltaire [François Marie Arouet] (1694–1778)