Government and Politics of Belgium

Government Type

federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch

Administrative Divisions

10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions; Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles), Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderen

Legal System

civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Belgium dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: King PHILIPPE (since 21 July 2013); Queen Consort MATHILDE; Heir Apparent Princess ELISABETH, daughter of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Alexander DE CROO (since 1 October 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch note: government coalition - Open VLD, MR, PS, sp.a (now Vooruit), CD&V, cdH (now Les Engagés), and Ecolo-Groen elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by Parliament

Legislative Branch

Bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat (Dutch), Sénat (French) (60 seats; 50 members indirectly elected by the community and regional parliaments, and 10 co-opted senators; members serve five-year terms) and a Chamber of Representatives or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers (Dutch), Chambre des Représentants (French) (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms). Elections: Senate and Chamber of Representatives — last held on 9 June 2024 (next to be held in June 2029). Election results: Chamber of Representatives — percent of vote by party — Vlaams Belang (VB) 13.7%, Mouvement Réformateur (MR) 10.9%, Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) 10.1%, Les Engagés 9.5%, Vooruit 8.9%, Parti Socialiste (PS) 7.6%, Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) 6.5%, Partij van de Arbeid van België/Parti du Travail de Belgique (PVDA-PTB) 7.0%, Open VLD 5.5%, Ecolo 3.2%, Groen 3.1%; seats by party — VB 24, MR 20, N-VA 20, Les Engagés 17, Vooruit 13, PS 16, CD&V 11, PVDA-PTB 10, Open VLD 7, Ecolo 6, Groen 6. Note: Following the 1993 constitutional revision that transformed Belgium into a federal state, there are three levels of government — federal, regional, and linguistic community — with a complex division of responsibilities. This structure encompasses six distinct governments, each with its own legislative assembly. The Senate was substantially reformed in 2014, transitioning from a directly elected body to one composed primarily of members delegated from the regional and community parliaments, reflecting Belgium's ongoing commitment to federal devolution.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council)

Political Parties

Flemish parties: Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo VANDEURZEN]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS]; GROEN! (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Socialist Party.Alternative or SP.A [Johan Vande LANOTTE]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now associated with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Frank VANHECKE] Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Reformist Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties

Head of State

King PHILIPPE

Head of Government

Prime Minister Alexander DE CROO

Cabinet

Council of Ministers are formally appointed by the monarch

Elections

Senate and Chamber of Representatives — last held on 9 June 2024 (next to be held in June 2029).

Election Results

Chamber of Representatives — percent of vote by party — Vlaams Belang (VB) 13.7%, Mouvement Réformateur (MR) 10.9%, Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (N-VA) 10.1%, Les Engagés 9.5%, Vooruit 8.9%, Parti Socialiste (PS) 7.6%, Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) 6.5%, Partij van de Arbeid van België/Parti du Travail de Belgique (PVDA-PTB) 7.0%, Open VLD 5.5%, Ecolo 3.2%, Groen 3.1%; seats by party — VB 24, MR 20, N-VA 20, Les Engagés 17, Vooruit 13, PS 16, CD&V 11, PVDA-PTB 10, Open VLD 7, Ecolo 6, Groen 6. Note: Following the 1993 constitutional revision that transformed Belgium into a federal state, there are three levels of government — federal, regional, and linguistic community — with a complex division of responsibilities. This structure encompasses six distinct governments, each with its own legislative assembly. The Senate was substantially reformed in 2014, transitioning from a directly elected body to one composed primarily of members delegated from the regional and community parliaments, reflecting Belgium's ongoing commitment to federal devolution.

Constitution

7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state

Independence

4 October 1830 a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands; 21 July 1831 the ascension of King Leopold I to the throne

National Holiday

21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I

International Organization Participation

ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Capital City

Brussels

Location

50 50 N, 4 20 E

Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

History

may derive from the Old Dutch bruoc/broek, meaning "marsh" and sella/zele/sel signifying "home" to express the meaning "home in the marsh"

U.S. Embassy Brussels, Belgium 27 Boulevard du Régent (the Consular Section is at 25 Boulevard du Régent) B-1000 Brussels Telephone: 011-32-2-811-4000 (available 24/7) Consular Section Fax: 011-32-2-811-4546 General email: USCitizenBrussels@state.gov

Military Branches

Belgian Armed Forces: Land Operations Command, Naval Operations Command, Air Operations Command

Service Age and Obligation

18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 1994