This study investigates how Belgian political elites perceive the institutionalization of innovations aimed at countering the short-termism inherent in democratic governance. Drawing on 70 semi-structured interviews with Belgian Members of Parliament (MPs) at the federal and regional level, the research evaluates attitudes toward four proposed innovations: parliamentary committees for the future, special representatives for future generations, independent offices for future generations, and deliberative mini-publics. The analysis shows varying levels of support and skepticism, primarily shaped by ideological divides. Left-wing MPs demonstrate greater openness to relinquishing parliamentary authority in favor of participatory innovations, while right-wing MPs stress concerns about redundancy, institutional complexity, and the erosion of parliamentary sovereignty. Despite theoretical support for embedding long-term perspectives into decision-making structures, MPs express reservations about giving these innovations substantive power. This reveals inherent tensions between the goals of fostering intergenerational justice and preserving existing institutional balances. The study contributes to understanding how political dynamics and power structures contribute to the perpetuation of short-term policy-making.
