01353pab a2200169 454500008004000000100001900040245011900059260000900178300001300187362000800200520084700208650001601055650001801071700001701089700002501106773005201131180718b2006   xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d  aBrans, Marleen  aComparative observations on tensions between professional policy advice and political control in the low countries  c2006  ap.57-71.  aMar  aIn politico-administrative relations, there is an always-existing tension between professional policy advice and political control. In this article, we would like to focus on this tension from a comparative perspective. The Netherlands and Belgium have broadly similar state institutions; they vary considerably as to the way in which professional policy advice is combined with political control. The Dutch case is traditionally characterized by a strong involvement of the civil service in the production of policy advice, whereas the Belgian civil service is traditionally marginalized in the policy formulation process. In this article, we shall argue that despite increased pressures towards convergence between both countries the actual balancing of professional policy advice and political control remains path dependent. - Reproduced.  aPoliticians  aCivil service  aHoet, Dieter  aPelgrims, Christophe  aInternational Review of Administrative Sciences