Chapter 1: General Introduction
Definition of Law:
Enforceable rules of conduct imposed by public authority structuring
civil society.
Example: Contracts are binding by law, while punctuality is a rule of
civility.
Distinctions in Law:
Mandatory Rules of Law: Apply regardless of chosen governing law.
Default Rules of Law: Can be overridden by legal agreement ("gap
fillers").
Types of Mandatory Rules:
Public Policy Rules (ordre public): Principles underpinning legal
systems, reflecting social, moral, and economic values.
Mandatory Protective Rules: Aim to protect economically weaker
parties in contracts.
Sources of Law:
Legislation: Acts of Parliament, treaties, constitutions, presidential
decrees, government decisions, European regulations.
Jurisprudence (Case Law): Judge's interpretation and application of
general rules in specific cases.
Legal Doctrine: Systematic analytical evaluation of private, criminal,
and public law.
Customary Law: Intrinsic to indigenous peoples and local communities,
limited in modern systems.
Legal Principles: Derived from legal systems with or without statutory
support.
Legal Systems:
Civil Law Systems: Derived from Roman law, laws codified in writing.
Common Law Systems: Based on judges' opinions and customs.
Religious Law Systems: Based on religious texts and principles.
1
Summary Law IBM 2023-2024
, Branches of Law:
Public Law: Governs relationships between individuals and the
government (e.g., constitutional, administrative, tax, criminal, procedural
law).
Private Law: Governs relationships between individual parties (e.g., civil
law, commercial law).
Chapter 2: Constitutional Law
Purpose of Constitutional Law:
Defines the state (boundaries, anthem, flag).
Recognizes citizens' rights.
Attributes and limits power to state institutions.
Belgian Constitution Overview:
Title I: Federal Belgium, its components, and territory.
Title Ibis: General political objectives of federal Belgium, Communities,
and Regions.
Title II: Rights of Belgians.
Title III: Powers of state institutions.
Power and Freedom:
Explores the extent of state interference in individual freedoms.
Idea of 'social contract' as the basis for organizing states.
Distribution of Power:
Trias Politica: Separation of powers among legislative, executive, and
judiciary.
State Structure:
Unitary State: Centralized legislative, executive, and judicial power.
Federation: Self-governing federated areas with autonomy in
legislation and government.
2
Summary Law IBM 2023-2024
, Government Systems:
Monarchy: Power vested in one person, transferred by tradition.
Republic: Power attributed to political bodies within constitutional
boundaries.
Democracy:
Direct Democracy: People involved directly in decision-making.
Representative Democracy: People elect representatives to make
decisions.
Roles of State Entities:
Head of State: Varies by constitution, especially in republics.
Legislature: Typically composed of two houses.
Executive Branch: Led by a prime minister or president, executes laws,
controlled by the legislature.
Judiciary: Different systems include common law (e.g., UK, USA) and
continental law (Western Europe).
Summary of Belgian Constitutional Law (Chapters 1 and 2)
Key Dates in Belgian Constitutional History:
4 October 1830: Temporary Government proclaims Belgium’s independence.
10 November 1830: National Congress is established to draft the
Constitution.
7 February 1831: Belgian Constitution is proclaimed.
21 July 1831: Leopold I takes the constitutional oath as the first King of the
Belgians.
1831: Introduction of the levy-based electoral system.
1893: Universal right of plural voting (compulsory voting) established.
1919: Universal single vote system introduced ('one man one vote').
1948: Women are given the right to vote and to be eligible for office.
1963: Belgium is divided into four language regions.
1993: Amendment of the Constitution establishes Belgium as a federal state
composed of Communities and Regions.
3
Summary Law IBM 2023-2024
Definition of Law:
Enforceable rules of conduct imposed by public authority structuring
civil society.
Example: Contracts are binding by law, while punctuality is a rule of
civility.
Distinctions in Law:
Mandatory Rules of Law: Apply regardless of chosen governing law.
Default Rules of Law: Can be overridden by legal agreement ("gap
fillers").
Types of Mandatory Rules:
Public Policy Rules (ordre public): Principles underpinning legal
systems, reflecting social, moral, and economic values.
Mandatory Protective Rules: Aim to protect economically weaker
parties in contracts.
Sources of Law:
Legislation: Acts of Parliament, treaties, constitutions, presidential
decrees, government decisions, European regulations.
Jurisprudence (Case Law): Judge's interpretation and application of
general rules in specific cases.
Legal Doctrine: Systematic analytical evaluation of private, criminal,
and public law.
Customary Law: Intrinsic to indigenous peoples and local communities,
limited in modern systems.
Legal Principles: Derived from legal systems with or without statutory
support.
Legal Systems:
Civil Law Systems: Derived from Roman law, laws codified in writing.
Common Law Systems: Based on judges' opinions and customs.
Religious Law Systems: Based on religious texts and principles.
1
Summary Law IBM 2023-2024
, Branches of Law:
Public Law: Governs relationships between individuals and the
government (e.g., constitutional, administrative, tax, criminal, procedural
law).
Private Law: Governs relationships between individual parties (e.g., civil
law, commercial law).
Chapter 2: Constitutional Law
Purpose of Constitutional Law:
Defines the state (boundaries, anthem, flag).
Recognizes citizens' rights.
Attributes and limits power to state institutions.
Belgian Constitution Overview:
Title I: Federal Belgium, its components, and territory.
Title Ibis: General political objectives of federal Belgium, Communities,
and Regions.
Title II: Rights of Belgians.
Title III: Powers of state institutions.
Power and Freedom:
Explores the extent of state interference in individual freedoms.
Idea of 'social contract' as the basis for organizing states.
Distribution of Power:
Trias Politica: Separation of powers among legislative, executive, and
judiciary.
State Structure:
Unitary State: Centralized legislative, executive, and judicial power.
Federation: Self-governing federated areas with autonomy in
legislation and government.
2
Summary Law IBM 2023-2024
, Government Systems:
Monarchy: Power vested in one person, transferred by tradition.
Republic: Power attributed to political bodies within constitutional
boundaries.
Democracy:
Direct Democracy: People involved directly in decision-making.
Representative Democracy: People elect representatives to make
decisions.
Roles of State Entities:
Head of State: Varies by constitution, especially in republics.
Legislature: Typically composed of two houses.
Executive Branch: Led by a prime minister or president, executes laws,
controlled by the legislature.
Judiciary: Different systems include common law (e.g., UK, USA) and
continental law (Western Europe).
Summary of Belgian Constitutional Law (Chapters 1 and 2)
Key Dates in Belgian Constitutional History:
4 October 1830: Temporary Government proclaims Belgium’s independence.
10 November 1830: National Congress is established to draft the
Constitution.
7 February 1831: Belgian Constitution is proclaimed.
21 July 1831: Leopold I takes the constitutional oath as the first King of the
Belgians.
1831: Introduction of the levy-based electoral system.
1893: Universal right of plural voting (compulsory voting) established.
1919: Universal single vote system introduced ('one man one vote').
1948: Women are given the right to vote and to be eligible for office.
1963: Belgium is divided into four language regions.
1993: Amendment of the Constitution establishes Belgium as a federal state
composed of Communities and Regions.
3
Summary Law IBM 2023-2024
