Abolition of police councils is a democratic step backward, critics say

Police councils in Belgium have been dissolved, marking the end of an era for these bodies composed of municipal councilors. The reform, enacted on May 13 by Interior Minister Bernard Quintin, officially took effect on July 1. The government states the measure will simplify police zone governance and clarify political accountability, while also achieving a modest cost saving of two million euros.

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This reform is a democratic setback. As usual, an elected body of universal suffrage is being abolished. This is not a detail… Belgium remains a country of representative democracy.

However, the move has drawn sharp criticism, with some labeling it an "authoritarian power move" and a "democratic setback." Critics argue that such significant changes should allow for transitional phases, giving stakeholders time to process and critique the decisions. The police councils previously held key responsibilities, including voting on the annual budget, approving recruitments and appointments, and initiating public procurement procedures.

These powers now shift to the police college, which consists solely of mayors. Constitutional law expert Anne-Emmanuelle Bourgaux describes this as a new "executive" form of power. She warns that the reform centralizes authority, potentially diminishing the influence of smaller municipalities within larger police zones. The imbalance of power between mayors of large cities and those of smaller towns could lead to smaller localities' concerns being overlooked.

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I fear that the balance of power between the mayor of a large city and the mayor of a small municipality will be unequal. The latter will have more difficulty making his voice heard and relaying the concerns of decentralized territories.

Furthermore, the reform coincides with plans to merge police zones, which will inevitably expand their territories. This vertical plan, critics fear, risks marginalizing political and territorial minorities. The dissolution of elected bodies like the police councils, along with historical examples like the Senate and provincial assemblies, is seen by some as a trend of limiting control instances and counter-powers in favor of perceived efficiency or budget imperatives.

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This is an attitude of authoritarian power. We must allow for transitional phases so that field actors, researchers, civil society, and journalists can integrate, digest, and criticize these decisions.