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Country Name

Conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium

Conventional short form: Belgium

Local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie

Administrative Divisions

10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincien, singular - provincie) and 1 region* (French: region; Dutch: gewest); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles), Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, West-Vlaanderen

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

Independence Day, 21 July (1831)

Constitution

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

Legal System

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

International Law Organization Participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive Branch

Chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch

Head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999)

Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch and approved by Parliament

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

Note: government coalition - VLD, PRL-FDF, PS, MCC, SP, AGALEV, and ECOLO

Legislative Branch

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

Elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held in NA 2003)

Note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other acronyms of the listed parties see the Political parties and leaders entry

Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - VLD 15.4%, CVP 14.7%, PRL 10.6%, PS 9.7%, VB 9.4%, SP 8.9%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.1%, PSC 6.0%, VU 5.1%; seats by party - VLD 11, CVP 10, PS 10, PRL 9, VB 6, SP 6, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, PSC 5, VU 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD 14.3%, CVP 14.1%, PS 10.2%, PRL 10.1%, VB 9.9%, SP 9.5%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.0%, PSC 5.9%, VU 5.6%; seats by party - VLD 23, CVP 22, PS 19, PRL 18, VB 15, SP 14, ECOLO 11, PSC 10, AGALEV 9, VU 8, FN 1

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 monarch, although selected by the Government)

Political Parties and Leaders

AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [Jos GEYSELS]; Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Stefaan DE CLERCK, president]; note - used to be the Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP; ECOLO (Francophone Greens) [no president; led by three person federal secretariat]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT, president]; Francophone Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian Party) [Joelle MILQUET, president]; Francophone Liberal Reformation Party or PRL [Daniel DUCARME, president]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO, president]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Geert BOURGEOIS]; note - new party that emerged after the demise of the People's Union or VU; Social Progressive Alternative Party or SP.A [Patrick JANSSENS, president]; note - was Flemish Socialist Party or SP; Spirit [Annemie VAN DE CASTEELE]; note - new party that emerged after the demise of the People's Union or VU; Vlaams Blok or VB [Frank VANHECKE]; other minor parties

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

Christian and Socialist Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants

Flag Description

Three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France

National Anthem

Year	2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Government Type

Federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch

Capital

Brussels

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Chief Of Mission
Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
Chancery
3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Consulate(s) General
Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
FAX
[1] (202) 333-3079
Telephone
[1] (202) 333-6900

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Chief Of Mission
Ambassador Stephen Franklin BRAUER
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

International Organization Participation

ACCT
AfDB
AsDB
Australia Group
Benelux
BIS
CCC
CE
CERN
EAPC
EBRD
ECE
EIB
EMU
ESA
EU
FAO
G- 9
G-10
IADB
IAEA
IBRD
ICAO
ICC
ICFTU
ICRM
IDA
IEA
IFAD
IFC
IFRCS
IHO
ILO
IMF
IMO

Interpol
IOC
IOM
ISO
ITU
MINURSO
MONUC
NATO
NEA
NSG
OAS (observer)
OECD
OPCW
OSCE
PCA
UN
UNCTAD
UNESCO
UNHCR
UNIDO
UNMIK
UNMOGIP
UNMOP
UNRWA
UNTSO
UPU
WADB (nonregional)
WCL
WEU
WHO
WIPO
WMO
WTrO
ZC

Belgium