Why did the States General of the Spanish Netherlands stop meeting after 1632?

The States General of the Spanish Netherlands ceased meeting after 1632 primarily due to the failure of an aristocratic revolt against the centralizing policies of the Spanish government.

In the early 1630s, provincial governors led a revolt against the administration's efforts to consolidate power. However, this movement lacked the necessary support from the urban centers, forcing the aristocratic leaders to flee the country. Following this failed uprising, the influence of the States General—which had already been in decline since the revolt against Spain—effectively ended, and the body no longer convened.1

While the provincial estates retained authority to levy and collect taxes, the central government in Brussels increasingly asserted its authority through its councils, such as the Privy Council and the Council of Finances, at the expense of regional and local representative bodies. This shift toward central control, combined with the political fallout from the early 1630s, marked the end of the States General as a functional political institution in the region.1