Brussels, (Unib Rashid) – Belgium’s federal parliament has taken a major step toward abolishing the Belgian Senate after approving an amendment to Article 195 of the Constitution, a prerequisite for the Senate’s eventual dissolution.

The amendment required a two-thirds majority, which was comfortably secured. A total of 110 members of parliament, including lawmakers from the governing coalition and Flemish (Dutch-speaking) opposition parties, voted in favor.

One German-speaking member of parliament did not support the measure, arguing that the abolition of the Senate would immediately remove the German-speaking community’s guaranteed representation at the federal level.

The process of abolishing the Senate will be completed in two major phases, each consisting of four steps. With the approval of the constitutional amendment, the process has now reached its halfway point.

Prior to the vote, there had been uncertainty over whether resistance from French-speaking political circles could turn the outcome into a close contest. However, the amendment ultimately passed with a comfortable margin.

The abolition of the Senate has long been a key objective of the ruling New Flemish Alliance (N-VA). Following successive rounds of decentralization and the transfer of significant powers to regional governments, Flemish nationalists argue that Belgium’s bicameral parliamentary system no longer serves a meaningful purpose.

In practice, the Belgian Senate already retains very limited powers, making the latest constitutional amendment a significant step toward its eventual dissolution.