2014

• August 2014

Ever since its beginnings, Belgian public broadcasting has dedicated around fifty hours a year to programmes made by recognised faith communities, including the secular movement. During summer 2014, the Belgian press revealed that an internal conflict within Belgian secularity had led to a disavowal of the producers recognised since 1955. Responding to a request made by the Centre d’Action Laïque (CAL), the representative body at federal level, the relevant minister decided that the CAL would henceforth take charge of the programme. The ousted producer, who was from one of the founding associations of the secular movement, claimed not to have been subject to fair removal proceedings and to be unaware of the underlying reasons. In addition, this association considered itself to be the legitimate representative of secularity as regards the media. What is sure is that Belgian law has not been entirely clear, ever since its regionalisation, about how communities of belief are represented in cultural matters. Is this representation necessarily linked to the recognised body at federal level or does it provide a degree of autonomy for local community authorities? The press is indicating that the case will be referred to both the Council of State and the “arbitration tribunal” of secularity.

See La Libre Belgique of 7 July 2014.