Confederal

Belgium

Belgium is nevertheless sometimes described in academic literature as an atypical or sui generis federation with some confederal characteristics. Constitutional scholar Patricia Popelier notes that Belgium is commonly described as a federal system with "confederal traits", particularly because of the extensive autonomy of its federated entities and the formal and informal veto mechanisms of the major language groups in federal decision-making. More recent scholarship likewise characterizes Belgium as an atypical, centrifugal federation with far-reaching autonomy for the Communities and Regions. In the traditional constitutional-law definition, however, a confederation consists of sovereign states joined in a treaty-based association, whereas Belgium's Communities and Regions are constituent entities of a single federal state.