Belgium - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Belgium, it was the name derives from the Belgae, an ancient Celtic tribal confederation that inhabited an area between the English Channel and the west bank of the Rhine in the first centuries B.C.. The Government system in this country is the federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 3 regions (French: régions, singular - région; Dutch: gewesten, singular - gewest); Brussels-Capital Region, also known as Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (Dutch), Region de Bruxelles-Capitale (French long form), Bruxelles-Capitale (French short form); Flemish Region (Flanders), also known as Vlaams Gewest (Dutch long form), Vlaanderen (Dutch short form), Région Flamande (French long form), Flandre (French short form); Walloon Region (Wallonia), also known as Région Wallonne (French long form), Wallonie (French short form), Waals Gewest (Dutch long form), Wallonie (Dutch short form)
National symbols
Golden rampant lion.
The flag
The National flag of Belgium has .
Info
The National Anthem
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More about the government of Belgium
| Date of Independence | 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne) |
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| National holiday | Belgian National Day (ascension to the throne of King LEOPOLD I), 21 July (1831) |
| Legal system | civil law system based on the French Civil Code; judicial review of legislative acts |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Constitution | |
| History | Drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state) |
| Amendment process | "revisions" proposed as declarations by the federal government in accord with the king or by Parliament followed by dissolution of Parliament and new elections; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in both houses of the next elected Parliament |
| 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) |
| Head of government | Prime Minister Bart DE WEVER (since 3 February 2025) |
| Cabinet | Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch |
| Election/appointment process | the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the monarch usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister, which the legislature approves |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature name | Federal Parliament (Parlement fédéral - Federaal Parlement - Föderales Parlament) |
| Legislative structure | Bicameral |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Constitutional Court or Grondwettelijk Hof (in Dutch) and Cour Constitutionelle (in French) (consists of 12 judges - 6 Dutch-speaking and 6 French-speaking); Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) and Cour de Cassation (in French) (court organized into 3 chambers: civil and commercial; criminal; social, fiscal, and armed forces; each chamber includes a Dutch division and a French division, each with a chairperson and 5-6 judges) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Constitutional Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by Parliament; judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 70; Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch from candidates submitted by the High Council of Justice, a 44-member independent body of judicial and non-judicial members; judges appointed for life |
| Subordinate courts | Courts of Appeal; regional courts; specialized courts for administrative, commercial, labor, immigration, and audit issues; magistrate's courts; justices of the peace |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Frédéric BERNARD (since 25 February 2025) |
| Chancery | 1430 K Street NW, Washington DC 20005 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 333-6900 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 338-4960 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://unitedstates.diplomatie.belgium.be/en |
| Consulate(s) general | Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Kathleen LIVELY (since July 2025) |
| Embassy | Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels |
| Mailing address | 7600 Brussels Place, Washington DC 20521-7600 |
| Telephone | [32] (2) 811-4000 |
| FAX | [32] (2) 811-4500 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://be.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 16 (15 cultural, 1 natural) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Belfries of Belgium (c); Historic Brugge (c); The Grand Place, Brussels (c); Major Town Houses of Victor Horta (c); Notre-Dame Cathedral, Tournai (c); Spa, Liege (c); Primeval Beech Forests - Sonian Wood (n); Stoclet Palace (c) |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Belgium
Info
International organization participation
All Important Facts about Belgium
Want to know more about Belgium? Check all different factbooks for Belgium below.
