Summary
Summary Comparison of Belgian and German Law
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This is an executive comparison between the law of two countries: Belgium and Germany.
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N° Question Main aspect Definition Belgium Germany1 Belgium is a Civil Law Civil law jurisdiction consists of YES YES
civil law persuasive authority Belgium is a civil law The German civil code
jurisdiction General rules are laid down/written down jurisdiction, as it is (BGB) is based on roman
in advance in statute based on the French law as well
Deductive process of decision, based on code civil The BGB consist of five
the general rules in codes (unlike common (Napoleonic Code) books with general
law, where the already decided cases are Belgian constitution provisions and important
the base of decisions) is the highest legal rules which are applied
Individual judges remain in the rule in the order, (similar to BE)
background main priority in
BUT, there is a respect of prior decisions Belgian Civil Law
although it isn’t binding It provides general
Civil law is the oldest legal system rules and guidelines
(modern vision of roman law) which are applied to
Core principles codified into a referable cases
system which works as a primary source of
law (e.g. BGB)
2 Belgium is a Constitutional A state which has a constitution and is YES YES
constitutional system based on it Belgium is based on Germany is based on the
state (e.g. rule Rule of Law Rule of law quality label the Belgian Grungesetz (GG)
of law-system) System Citizens as well as authorities are bound Constitution The first article of it says:
by law, the constitution is the supreme rule Arbitrariness by ‘Human dignity shall be
Democratic development of the law, government is inviolable’
including participation by citizens, explicitly excluded in So, it firmly roots all state
decision process Constitution institutions in the protection
Free elections Belgium has an of human rights
Majority rule but certain guarantees for the existing independent Rule of law is supreme
minorities judicial power
Legal protection (by independent court
systems)
Fundamental rights (covered by
constitution and international treaties)
3 Belgium has a Entrenchment Entrenchment: verankerung YES YES
written and of Constitution is firmly established and Belgian constitution The German Grungesetz
1
, entrenched Constitution unlikely/difficult to change art.195 is an example (GG) has an eternity clause
constitution Entrenched clause in constitution of an entrenched and is written
Specific procedure to alter required constitution ‘Any amendment would be
Written constitution inadmissible’
too
4 In Belgium, the Separation of ‘Gewaltenteilung’ YES YES
separation of power Three branches of government Belgian system has German system has the
powers is the Legislative (enacts law), executive the principle of three principle of three branches
guiding (enforces law) and judicial branch (applied branches Further division
principle for law) Power is spread Executive: Bundespräsident
state governance Each of them controls the others horizontal and Steinmeier +
vertically Bundesregierung (Merkel +
Executive: council of Ministers)
ministers Legislative: Bundestag
Legislative: (Wahl durch Bürger) +
parliament Bundesrat (Länder)
Judicial: courts Judiciary:
Bundesverfassungsgericht
5 Belgium is a Parliamentary Hereditary means that the crown is passed YES NO
hereditary, monarchy down from one member to another Filip is King and Dissolved in 1918
parliamentary member of the same royal family head No monarchy anymore
monarchy Parliamentary monarchy means that the Belgium is a No royal family
power of the monarch is limited by the hereditary, Bundespräsident Steinmeier
constitution and that the parliament has the parliamentary is head of state
legislative branch monarchy
King/Queen is the head of state But the monarch is
governed by the
constitution
5bis The head of Ceremonial President has only ceremonial duties YES YES
state’s role is role Mainly symbolic The Belgian King has The Bundespräsident has a
merely Head of state represents a country to the merely a symbolic symbolic function but can
ceremonial outside public but has no big power (or and ceremonial also take action (if the
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