Latest blog articles

Since the elections of 26 May 2019 for a new Belgian federal government, intensive negotiations have been held and various possible coalitions have been explored.¹ Eventually, the Vivaldi coalition² succeeded in forming a new Belgian federal government on 30 September 2020. ³ This contribution...

After 493 days of intensive negotiations, Belgium has a new federal government¹  The largest amount released for the new policy is invested in social policy, i.e. 2.3 billion euros out of a total of 3.2 billion euros. The federal government's objective is to protect social security and secure long...

Continued disproportionate impact on daily life in the border region

With the circulation of the Coronavirus, governments are trying to restrict the movement of people. Staying at home and limiting unnecessary travel and visits is a frequently used and successful recipe against the flare-ups of...

It is most appropriate that a classroom in our Faculty of Law at University Maastricht has been named after someone who was a legal legend in his own country (Nigeria) and was the first legal luminary of exceptional quality in the African world: Judge Taslim Olawale Elias.

“Those who can make you believe absurdities; can make you commit atrocities” (Voltaire). When reading about the Holocaust or the Rwandan genocide it is difficult to understand how such events could ever have taken place. How can a society turn on a particular group and send them to death camps? How...

Simone Veil passed away on 30 June 2017, just two weeks shy of her 90^th birthday. The fact that her funeral was a national ceremony at the Hȏtel des Invalides, and that her remains have been interred in the Panthéon - as one of the four women who have been bestowed with this honour because of their...

How do we guarantee access to COVID-19 vaccines and therapies, and secure health-related human rights for all? We’ve heard a string of promises in the race for new vaccines and therapies.

The Corona Virus crisis has led many people to reflect on aspects of citizenship and civil rights, ranging from personal privacy in the context of “corona apps” to the right to receive health care and medical treatment without discrimination. This blog examines two elements of citizenship which, in...

Comparing figures on corona infections and mortality can be misleading

The number of people dying in Belgium from the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is higher than in neighbouring countries. This high mortality rate makes it seem as if Belgium is not doing as well as its neighbours. The...

Creativity needed more than ever in the creative industry

The Corona-crisis and the lockdown hits severely, and particularly the cultural and creative industries. Already a traditionally precarious industry not having deep pockets, COVID‑19 knocks out most core activities of the sector. Concerts...