In literature, Easton’s conception of diffuse support is a key concept in evaluating the institutional design and structural mechanisms of a political system based on citizen attitudes. Nevertheless, diffuse support as a concept remains a challenge to operationalise. The political system of Belgian federalism, as such, would be served with a custom measure of diffuse support.
The federal system in Belgium is praised by political scientists for its consensus-building mechanisms to appease political conflicts between the regions and language communities, yet the cultural and political separateness between Flanders and Wallonia still remains. Considering the seeming lack of agreement between political elites and difficult decision-making in recent Belgian history and the federal elections of 2019 having the most volatile electoral outcomes in long time, a study examining the level of support Belgian citizens have towards the Belgian federal system and how diffuse support is potentially affected by the regional separateness would be relevant. By constructing a model step-by-step with support for the division of competences between the federal and regional levels as an indicator for diffuse support and several other predictors of political attitudes, we demonstrate that levels of support for the division of competences is significantly lower in Flanders, although levels of support still are appropriate in both regions. Albeit, we did not succeed in determining our measure of support for division of competences being a valid indicator for diffuse support.
Table of Contents
- 1 INTRODUCTION: WHAT ABOUT DIFFUSE SUPPORT IN BELGIAN FEDERALISM?
- 2 IN SEARCH OF A VALID INDICATOR FOR DIFFUSE SUPPORT
- 3 RESEARCH DESIGN
- 3.1 RESEARCH QUESTION AND GOALS
- 3.2 RESEARCH RELEVANCE
- 3.3 IMPORTANT RESEARCH REMARKS
- 4 THE CRITICAL CASE OF BELGIAN FEDERALISM
- 4.1 BELGIUM: FEDERALISM AS OUTCOME WHILE STILL IN PROCESS
- 4.2 AN OVERVIEW OF COMPARATIVE FEDERALISM
- 5 CONCEPTUALIZING DIFFUSE SUPPORT AND OPERATIONALIZING DIVISION OF COMPETENCES
- 6 ASSESSING DIFFERENT PREDICTORS OF DIFFUSE SUPPORT FOR BELGIAN FEDERALISM
- 6.1 POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE
- 6.1.1 Level of Education
- 6.1.2 Factual Political Knowledge
- 6.2 POLITICAL IDEOLOGY
- 6.3 REGIONAL IDENTITY
- 6.4 INTERREGIONAL CONTACT
- 6.5 THE MAIN INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: REGION
- 6.1 POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE
- 7 METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS
- 7.1 OPERATIONALISING THE VARIABLES
- 7.1.1 Region
- 7.1.2 Division of Competences
- 7.1.3 Level of Education
- 7.1.4 Factual Political Knowledge
- 7.1.5 Political Ideology
- 7.1.6 Regional Identity
- 7.1.7 Interregional Contact
- 7.2 VALIDITY OF DIVOCOM AS AN INDICATOR FOR DIFFUSE SUPPORT
- 7.3 CONSTRUCTING THE MODEL STEP‐BY‐STEP
- 7.3.1 Regressing Region
- 7.3.2 Education: a significant value to the model?
- 7.3.3 Factual Political Knowledge: moderation or mediation?
- 7.3.4 Political Ideology: lack of significant mediation
- 7.3.5 Regional Identity and mediation effect
- 7.3.6 Mediation of Interregional Contact
- 7.3.7 The last step to the model and final results
- 7.4 WHEN NEGATIVE TOWARDS DIVOCOM: REGIONALISM OR UNITARIANISM?
- 7.5 ASSESSING THE VALIDITY OF THE STRUCTURAL MODEL
- 7.1 OPERATIONALISING THE VARIABLES
- 8 DISCUSSION, LIMITATIONS AND DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
Objectives and Key Themes
This thesis aims to investigate the impact of region (Flanders vs. Wallonia) on support for the Belgian federal system, specifically focusing on attitudes towards the division of competences between federal and regional levels. It explores whether support for this division serves as a valid indicator of diffuse support for the federal system. The study constructs a path model incorporating several intermediary variables to understand the complex relationship between regional identity, political knowledge, ideology, interregional contact and overall support for the federal structure.
- Diffuse support for Belgian federalism
- The impact of regional identity on political attitudes
- The role of political knowledge and ideology in shaping support for the federal system
- The effect of interregional contact on attitudes towards federalism
- The validity of using support for the division of competences as an indicator of diffuse support
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: what about Diffuse Support in Belgian Federalism?: This chapter introduces the research question, highlighting the 2019 Belgian federal elections' volatility and the ongoing debate about the country's federal structure. It establishes the relevance of studying diffuse support (attitudes towards the federal system itself) as opposed to specific support (attitudes toward current politicians and policies) using Easton's framework. The chapter emphasizes the need to understand how support for federalism varies between Flanders and Wallonia and how regional differences might affect the system's stability.
2 In search of a valid indicator for Diffuse Support: This chapter tackles the challenge of operationalizing diffuse support, noting the lack of a universally applicable measure. It proposes using support for the division of competences between federal and regional levels as a potential indicator, arguing that this reflects key aspects of federal legitimacy and public acceptance of the system's structure, particularly relevant given its frequent role in Belgian political debates.
3 Research design: This chapter details the research question and methodology. The primary research question investigates the impact of region on support for the existing federal system. The study aims to construct a path model using structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the effects of region and several intermediary variables (political knowledge, ideology, regional identity, and interregional contact) on support for the division of competences. The chapter also discusses the limitations of the study, focusing specifically on Flanders and Wallonia while excluding Brussels and the German-speaking community.
4 The critical case of Belgian Federalism: This chapter provides background on the historical evolution of Belgian federalism, highlighting its unique characteristics as a federation formed through disaggregation rather than aggregation. It analyzes the complexities of Belgian consociationalism, its successes and failures in managing conflict, and its potential impact on long-term stability. The chapter uses comparative federalism to contextualize the Belgian case, drawing parallels and contrasts with other federations.
5 Conceptualizing Diffuse Support and operationalizing Division of Competences: This chapter further develops the conceptual framework, defining diffuse support according to Easton's distinction between diffuse and specific support, and exploring the multidimensionality of diffuse support in terms of trust and legitimacy. It elaborates on the chosen measure of support for the division of competences, arguing that it captures essential aspects of regional equity and subordination identified in the literature as crucial for evaluating public acceptance of federal systems.
6 Assessing different predictors of Diffuse support for Belgian Federalism: This chapter outlines the theory and hypotheses related to the intermediary variables. It argues that political knowledge (proxied by education and factual political knowledge), political ideology, regional identity, and interregional contact are all likely to influence attitudes toward the division of competences, with potential variations between Flanders and Wallonia. Hypotheses are formulated regarding the expected relationships between these variables and support for the federal system.
Keywords
Diffuse support, Belgium, federalism, division of competences, regional identity, political knowledge, political ideology, interregional contact, Flanders, Wallonia.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Analysis of Diffuse Support in Belgian Federalism
What is the main research question of this thesis?
The thesis investigates the impact of region (Flanders vs. Wallonia) on support for the Belgian federal system, specifically focusing on attitudes towards the division of competences between federal and regional levels. It explores whether support for this division serves as a valid indicator of diffuse support for the federal system.
What is meant by "diffuse support" in this context?
Diffuse support refers to attitudes towards the federal system itself, as opposed to specific support for current politicians or policies. The thesis uses Easton's framework to distinguish between these two types of support. It's about the general acceptance and legitimacy of the federal structure.
Why is the division of competences used as an indicator of diffuse support?
The thesis argues that support for the division of competences reflects key aspects of federal legitimacy and public acceptance of the system's structure. This is particularly relevant given the frequent role this division plays in Belgian political debates. It's considered a practical and relevant measure given the lack of a universally accepted indicator for diffuse support.
What variables are considered besides regional affiliation in the study?
Besides regional affiliation (Flanders vs. Wallonia), the study incorporates several intermediary variables to understand their influence on support for the division of competences. These include: political knowledge (level of education and factual political knowledge), political ideology, regional identity, and interregional contact.
What is the methodology used in this research?
The study employs structural equation modeling (SEM) to construct a path model analyzing the relationships between the region, intermediary variables, and support for the division of competences. This allows the researchers to assess the direct and indirect effects of each variable on support for the federal system.
What are the key findings regarding the impact of political knowledge, ideology, and regional identity?
The study explores how political knowledge (both level of education and factual political knowledge), political ideology, and regional identity influence attitudes towards the division of competences and, consequently, diffuse support for the federal system. The detailed analysis within the thesis reveals the complex interplay of these factors.
What role does interregional contact play in shaping attitudes towards federalism?
The research investigates whether interregional contact influences attitudes towards the division of competences and overall support for the federal system. The findings clarify the impact of interaction across regional lines on shaping perspectives regarding the federal structure.
What are the limitations of the study?
The study focuses specifically on Flanders and Wallonia, excluding Brussels and the German-speaking community. This is a limitation acknowledged by the researchers.
What are the implications of the findings for the stability of the Belgian federal system?
The results provide insights into the factors influencing support for Belgian federalism and its stability, particularly by identifying how regional differences and various mediating factors affect attitudes towards the division of competences. This analysis contributes to a better understanding of the dynamics of the Belgian federal system.
Where can I find more detailed information about the results and methodology?
The complete thesis provides a comprehensive explanation of the methodology, detailed results, and a thorough discussion of the findings, including limitations and suggestions for future research.
- Quote paper
- Florian Mertens (Author), 2015, How does Support for Belgian Federalism differ between Flanders and Wallonia?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/911535
