Belgium will eliminate the Senate

The Belgian coalition government, led by Flemish nationalist Bart de Wever, has secured the support it needs to abolish the Senate.

According to the coalition government, it has secured support to eliminate this body, arguing that it delays legislative decisions and increases management costs, public broadcaster RTBF and the daily Le Soir reported today in other Belgian media.

The measure requires a constitutional reform supported by two-thirds of the lower house, so the coalition of nationalists, liberals, humanists, socialists, and Christian democrats that governs Belgium also needed to garner votes from the opposition , Efe reports.

The abolition of the Senate is part of the governing agreement in a country with a parliamentary monarchy with a House of Representatives (equivalent to Congress) and a Senate, where the government is the executive branch and the chambers of deputies and senators act as legislators. Once the Constitution is reformed, all senators would have to be removed from office, as the Senate's powers would be transferred entirely to Parliament .

The Belgian Senate has 60 seats elected by the regional parliaments and is responsible for examining and supervising laws adopted by the Chamber of Representatives. It can propose amendments or even reject new laws, although the lower house always has the final say.

Some believe the Senate only slows down legislative processes and also costs taxpayers money in operating expenses and senators' salaries , while others believe a second chamber allows for the necessary time to thoroughly review new laws.