Why does each Brussels commune have its own local government?

The existence of local government in each of the 19 communes of Brussels is rooted in the "organic" communal law passed by the Belgian parliament in 1836. This legislation established the autonomy of each commune, which resulted in Greater Brussels being governed by separate communal authorities rather than a single, unified municipal administration.1

While these 19 communes now collectively form the Brussels-Capital Region—one of Belgium's three federal regions—they have retained their own councils and municipal establishments. Historically, this decentralized structure meant that individual communal interests and priorities often took precedence over those of the broader urban agglomeration. Although the regional government has since assumed responsibility for many public services, such as land-use regulations and regional transit, the communes continue to maintain their administrative autonomy and local governance.123