Belgium

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Belgium Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Constitution Monarchy King Albert II Prince Philippe Federal Parliament Senate Chamber of Representatives Federal Government Prime Minister Yves Leterme Federal Judiciary Constitutional Court Court of Cassation Council of State Elections 2007 federal 2006 municipal 2004 regional 2003 federal 2000 municipal Subdivisions Communities and regions Provinces Related subjects Politics of the European Union Foreign relations Political parties

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Politics of Belgium takes place in a framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy, whereby the King of the Belgians is the Head of State and the Prime Minister of Belgium is the head of government in a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Federal legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the Senate and the Chamber of Representatives. The federation is made up of (cultural/political) communities and (territorial) regions. The Constitution of Belgium dates back to 1831. ... Successive Belgian kings are Regents 1830-1831: Erasme Louis Surlet de Chokier 1944-1950: Charles, Count of Flanders None of these were King of Belgium: their title is King of the Belgians. ... Albert II, King of the Belgians (Albert Félix Humbert Théodore Chrétien Eugène Marie), (born June 6, 1934), is the current King of the Belgians and a constitutional monarch. ... His Royal Highness Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant (Philippe Léopold Louis Marie Wettin), styled HRH The Duke of Brabant (born 15 April 1960), is the eldest son and heir apparent of Albert II, King of the Belgians. ... The Belgian Federal Parliament is a bicameral parliament. ... The Belgian Senate (Dutch: de Senaat, French: le Sénat) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ... The Belgian Chamber of Representatives (Dutch: de Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers, French: la Chambre des Représentants) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ... The executive branch of the Belgian federal government consists of ministers and secretaries of state (junior ministers or smaller departments) drawn from the political parties which form the government coalition. ... This is a list of Prime Ministers of Belgium, known regionally as: Premier Ministre in French, Eerste Minister in Dutch, and Premierminister in German. ... Yves Camille Désiré Leterme (born October 6, 1960 in Wervik, Belgium) is a Belgian Senator, a former Minister-President of Flanders and Flemish Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. ... The Constitutional Court of Belgium (Dutch: Grondwettelijk Hof, French: Cour constitutionelle, German: Verfassungsgerichtshof) plays a central role within the federal Belgian state. ... The Cour de cassation is the main court of last resort in France. ... Council of State (Dutch: Raad van State, French: Conseil dÉtat), in Belgium, is an organ of the Belgian government. ... Elections in Belgium gives information on election and election results in Belgium. ... The next Belgian general election is scheduled to take place on Sunday June 24, 2007. ... The Belgian municipal elections, 2006 took place on Sunday October 8, 2006. ... On June 13, 2004, regional elections were held in Belgium, to choose representatives in the regional councils of Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels, as well as in the German Community Council. ... The May 18, 2003 Belgian general elections were the first Belgian elections to be held under a new electoral code. ... The Belgian municipal elections, 2000 took place on Sunday October 8, 2000. ... Belgium is a federal state and is composed of three communities, three regions, and four linguistic regions. ... Administrative division. ... Belgium is a federal state and is composed of three communities, three regions, and four linguistic regions. ... The European Union or EU is a supranational and international organization of 27 member states. ... The Concert of Europe sanctioned the creation of Belgium in 1830 on the condition that the country remain strictly neutral. ... Belgium has a multi-party political system, with numerous parties in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties must work with each other to form coalition governments. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... A map displaying todays federations. ... States currently utilizing parliamentary systems are denoted in red and orange—the former being constitutional monarchies where authority is vested in a parliament, the the latter being parliamentary republics whose parliaments are effectively supreme over a separate head of state. ... Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of popular sovereignty by the peoples representatives. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A constitutional monarchy or limited monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges an elected or hereditary monarch as head of state, as opposed to an absolute monarchy, where the monarch is not... Successive Belgian kings are 1831-1865: Léopold I (34) 1865-1909: Léopold II (44) 1909-1934: Albert I (25) 1934-1951: Léopold III (16) 1944-1950: Charles, reigned as Prince Regent 1951-1993: Baudouin I (42) Since 1993: Albert II (13) None of these were King of... This is a list of Prime Ministers of Belgium, known regionally as: Premier Ministre in French, Eerste Minister in Dutch, and Premierminister in German. ... The head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. ... Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... The Belgian Senate (Dutch: de Senaat, French: le Sénat) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ... The Belgian Chamber of Representatives (Dutch: de Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers, French: la Chambre des Représentants) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ... A map displaying todays federations. ... Map of Belgium, its four language areasthree regions ; two of the latter have provinces . Belgium is a federal state comprising three communities, three regions, and four language areas. ...

Belgium's political institutions are complex; most political power is organised around the need to represent the main cultural (and political) communities. Since around 1970, the significant national Belgian political parties have split into distinct representations for each communities' interests besides defenders of their ideologies. These parties belong to three main political families, though close to the centre: the right-wing Liberals, the social conservative Christian Democrats, and Socialists forming the left-wing. Other important younger parties are the Green parties and, nowadays mainly in Flanders, the nationalist and far-right parties. Politics is influenced by lobby groups, such as trade unions and employers' organizations such as the Federation of Belgian Enterprises. Majority rule is often superseded by a de facto confederal decision making process where the minority (the French-speakers) enjoy important protections through specialty majorities (2/3 overall and majority in each of the 2 main communities). A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain political power within a government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns. ... In politics, centrism usually refers to the political ideal of promoting moderate policies which land in the middle ground between different political extremes. ... “Right wing” redirects here. ... In politics, the term liberal refers to: an adherent of the ideology of liberalism or a state or quality of this ideology. ... Social conservatism generally refers to a political ideology or personal belief system that advocates the conservation or resurrection of what one, or ones community, considers to be traditional morality and social structure. ... Christian democracy is a diverse political ideology and movement. ... Social democracy is a political ideology emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from supporters of Marxism who believed that the transition to a socialist society could be achieved through democratic evolutionary rather than revolutionary means. ... Left wing redirects here. ... Green parties around the world are formally organized political parties based on the principles of Green politics. ... Eugène Delacroixs Liberty Leading the People, symbolising French nationalism during the July Revolution 1830. ... Far right, extreme right, ultra-right, or radical right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitive position a group or person occupies within a political spectrum. ... The Lawrence textile strike (1912), with soldiers surrounding peaceful demonstrators A trade union or labor union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas of wages, hours, and working conditions. ... An employers organization, employers association or employers federation is an association of employers. ... The Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (Dutch: Verbond van Belgische Ondernemingen, VBO, French: Fédération des Entreprises de Belgique, FEB) is the only Belgian non-profit organization representing companies in all three regions of Belgium. ...

Constitution

Main article: Constitution of Belgium

The Constitution of Belgium was established on February 7, 1831. Its first major revision was in 1970 when, in response to a growing civil conflict between the Dutch-speaking and French-speaking communities in Brussels, the Government declared that "the unitary state, its structure and functioning as laid down by law, had become obsolete". The new constitution recognised the existence of strong communautarian and regional differences within Belgium, but sought to reconcile these differences through a diffusion of power to the communities and the regions. It was last revised on July 14, 1993, when the parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state. The constitution is the primary source of law and the basis of the political system in Belgium. The Constitution of Belgium dates back to 1831. ... is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Leopold I 1831 (MDCCCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... is the 195th day of the year (196th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...

Government

Executive

The royal palace in Brussels Successive Belgian kings are Leopold I (1831-1865) Leopold II (1865-1909) Albert I (1909-1934) Leopold III (1934-1951) abdicated Prince Charles of Belgium (1944-1950) Prince Regent Baudouin I (1951-1993) Albert II (1993- ) None of these were King of Belgium: their title... Albert II, King of the Belgians (Albert Félix Humbert Théodore Chrétien Eugène Marie), (born June 6, 1934), is the current King of the Belgians and a constitutional monarch. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of Prime Ministers of Belgium, known regionally as: Premier Ministre in French, Eerste Minister in Dutch, and Premierminister in German. ... Yves Camille Désiré Leterme (born October 6, 1960 in Wervik, Belgium) is a Belgian Senator, a former Minister-President of Flanders and Flemish Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. ... Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) (Christian Democratic and Flemish) is a political party in Belgium, formerly called Christelijke Volkspartij (CVP) (Christian Peoples Party). ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Open Vld is the name under which a cartel of Belgian political parties VLD, Vivant and Liberaal Appèl, will participate in the 2007 elections. ... The Mouvement Réformateur (MR) is a Belgian French-speaking liberal party, favoring a united Belgium. ... siège du Parti Socialiste, boulevard de lEmpereur à Bruxelles The Socialist Party (French: , PS) is a Francophone social democratic political party in Belgium. ... The Humanist Democratic Centre (French: Centre D mocrate Humaniste or CDH) is a centrist, christian-democrat, Belgian French-speaking political party. ...

Head of state

Main article: King of the Belgians

The King of the Belgians is the constitutional head of the Belgian state and holds office for life. The duties of the king are laid out by the Belgian Constitution and other laws enforced under it. The royal palace in Brussels Successive Belgian kings are Leopold I (1831-1865) Leopold II (1865-1909) Albert I (1909-1934) Leopold III (1934-1951) abdicated Prince Charles of Belgium (1944-1950) Prince Regent Baudouin I (1951-1993) Albert II (1993- ) None of these were King of Belgium: their title...

As titular head of state, the King plays a ceremonial and symbolic role in the nation. His main political function is to designate a political leader to form a new cabinet after an election or the resignation of a cabinet. In conditions where there is a "constructive vote of no-confidence," the government has to resign and the Lower House of Parliament proposes a new Prime Minister to the King.^{[citation needed]} The King is also seen as playing a symbolic unifying role, representing a common national Belgian identity. This article is about the political process. ... A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. ... The House of Representatives Chamber of the Parliament of Australia in Canberra. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ...

The present monarch, Albert II, succeeded his brother, Baudouin I, who died July 31, 1993. Albert took the oath of office to become King on August 9, 1993. Albert II, King of the Belgians (Albert Félix Humbert Théodore Chrétien Eugène Marie), (born June 6, 1934), is the current King of the Belgians and a constitutional monarch. ... Baudouin I (French: or Dutch: ) (7 September 1930 – 31 July 1993) reigned as Prince Royal from 1950 to 1951 and as King of the Belgians from 1951 to 1993. ... is the 212th day of the year (213th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...

Federal government

Main article: Belgian federal government

The executive branch of government consists of ministers and secretaries of state ("junior" ministers or smaller departments) drawn from the political parties which form the government coalition. Formally, the ministers are appointed by the King. The number of ministers is limited to 15, 7 at least from each of the two main communities, and they have no seat in Parliament. The Cabinet is chaired by the Prime Minister. Ministers head executive departments of the government. The executive branch of the Belgian federal government consists of ministers and secretaries of state (junior ministers or smaller departments) drawn from the political parties which form the government coalition. ... A minister or a secretary is a politician who heads a government ministry or department (e. ... In several countries, Secretary of State is a senior government position. ... A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain political power within a government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns. ... A coalition government, or coalition cabinet, is a cabinet in parliamentary government in which several parties cooperate. ...

The Prime Minister and his ministers administer the government and the various public services and the ministers must defend their policies and performance in person before the Chamber. Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly (through the public sector) or by financing private provision of services. ...

The federal government, formally nominated by the king, must have the confidence of the Chamber of Representatives. It is led by the Prime Minister. The numbers of Dutch- and French-speaking ministers are equal as prescribed by the Constitution.^[1] The King or Queen is the head of state, though he has limited prerogatives. Actual power is vested in the Prime Minister and the different governments, who govern the country. A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... For the comedy film of the same name, see Head of State (film). ... The Royal Prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognised in common law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the Crown alone. ... This is a list of the Belgian federal, regional, and community governments (as of 13 June 2004). ...

Though since 1993, article 35 of the Constitution demands a list of federal competences, such was never created and the federal government continues to exercise all competences not explicitly dedicated to a regional level.^[2]

The last election produced a government which is in transition and may result in a new coalition and Prime Minister in the near future.

Regional and community governments

The new regional and community councils and governments have jurisdiction over transportation, public works, water policy, cultural matters, education, public health, environment, housing, zoning, and economic and industrial policy. They rely on a system of revenue-sharing for funds. They have the authority to levy a very few taxes (mostly surcharges) and to contract loans. Moreover, they have obtained exclusive treaty-making power for those issues coming under their respective jurisdictions. Of total public spending (interest payments not considered), more than 30% is authorised by the regions and communities, although their financing comes for over 80% from national Belgian budgets; at the same time, the national government controls 100% of social security, and strictly limits the taxation policy by the federalised entities. As a result, Belgian institutions still control over 90% of the effective, global taxation levels on individuals and companies.

The Flemish parties generally favour much larger community (and regional) autonomy, including financial and tax autonomy, while the francophone parties generally oppose it. The Flemish parties generally favour a modern and efficiently working state, whereas the French-speaking parties tend to favour more state control. The new government has decided that these matters will be discussed in the coming months, with a deadline on July 15th, 2008.

As of 2008, the regional executives are the following:

• Minister-President of Flemish Government (Region+Community): Kris Peeters (CD&V)
• Minister-President of French Community Government: Rudy Demotte (PS)
• Minister-President of Walloon Regional Government: Rudy Demotte (PS)
• Minister-President of Brussels-Capital Regional Government: Charles Picqué (PS)
• Minister-President of German Community Government: Karl-Heinz Lambertz (SP)

This is a list of Minister-Presidents (prime ministers) of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Kris Peeters (May 18, 1962) is a Flemish politician and member of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party who is currently serving as Flemish Minister for Public Works, Energy, the Environment and Nature. ... Rudy Demotte (born June 3, 1963) is a Belgian socialist politician who currently serves as Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health, in the Belgian federal government. ... Rudy Demotte (born June 3, 1963) is a Belgian socialist politician who currently serves as Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health, in the Belgian federal government. ... The regional government of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium, is headed by a Minister-President which acts as the prime minister of this regional government. ... Charles Picqué (b. ... Karl-Heinz Lambertz (born June 4, 1952 at Amel, Belgium), is a jurist and politician, currently the leader (Minister-President) of the community executive of the German-speaking community of Belgium. ...

Provincial and local government

In addition to three regions and three cultural communities, Belgium is also divided into 10 provinces plus Brussels, and 589 municipalities. Provincial and local government is an exclusive competency of the regions. Therefore, one should see the relevant articles for more detailed information on provincial and local government. Belgium is divided into 589 municipalities (Dutch: gemeenten, French: communes, German: Gemeinde) grouped into three regions and 10 provinces, except the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital region which do not belong to any of the 10 provinces. ...

In the Brussels region, there is another form of intermediate government, constituted by institutions from each of the two competent communities. Those institutions (COCOF for the French-speakers and VGC for the Flemings) have similar competencies, although only COCOF has legislative powers. The Commission communautaire française (or COCOF, or, in French Community Commission) is the local representative of the French-speaking authorities in the Brussels_Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... The Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie (or VGC, or, in English, the Flemish Community Commission) is the local representative of the Flemish authorities in the Brussels-Capital Region, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Look up Fleming in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Legislative

Main article: Belgian federal parliament

The Belgian Parliament consists of the Senate (Dutch: Senaat, French: Sénat) and the Chamber of Representatives (Dutch: Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers, French: Chambre des Représentants). The Chamber has 150 directly elected members. The Senate has 71 members. The Belgian Federal Parliament is a bicameral parliament. ... The Belgian Senate (Dutch: de Senaat, French: le Sénat) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ... The Belgian Chamber of Representatives (Dutch: de Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers, French: la Chambre des Représentants) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ...

The Belgian Federal Government is run on the basis of a parliamentary system of government. The government is designated by the King according to the compositions of and will of parliament. The Cabinet therefore presents bills which correspond to the intentions of members of political parties represented in the government.

The influence of the main political parties and party leaders is enormous. Many experts^{[citation needed]} estimate that the presidents of the main parties are considerably more powerful than both ordinary ministers and the entire Parliament. For this reason, the Belgian political system is often called a particracy^{[citation needed]}. Particracy is a form of government where the will of political parties dominates over the will of individual politicians. ...

The Chamber of Representatives is the "political" chamber that votes on motions of confidence and budgets. The Senate deals with long-term issues and votes on an equal footing with the Chamber on a limited range of matters, including constitutional reform bills and international treaties. The Senate is a mix of directly elected senior politicians and representatives of the communities and regions; while the Chamber latter represents all Belgians over the age of eighteen in a proportional voting system. Belgium is one of the few countries that has compulsory voting, thus having one of the highest rates of voter turnout in the world.^[3] Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation, or PR), is an electoral system delivering a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates (grouped by a certain measure) obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive (usually in legislative assemblies). ... Compulsory voting is a practice that requires citizens to vote in elections or to attend a polling place to get their name crossed off the electoral roll. ... Voters lining up outside a Baghdad polling station during the 2005 Iraqi election. ...

Judiciary

Main article : Courts of Belgium

The judicial system is based on civil law and originates from the Napoleonic code. It has a judicial review of legislative acts. It accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations. The Court of Appeals is one level below the Court of Cassation, an institution based on the French Court of Cassation. The Court of Cassation (Dutch: Hof van Cassatie, French: Cour de Cassation) is the most important court in Belgium. Judges are appointed for life by the Belgian monarch. For other uses of civil law, see civil law. ... First page of the 1804 original edition. ... The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ; French: ) is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. ... Court of Appeals or (outside the U.S. and in some American states) Court of Appeal is the title of a court which has the power to consider or hear an appeal. ... The Cour de cassation is the main court of last resort in France. ... The Court of Cassation (Cour de cassation in French) is the main court of last resort in France. ... The Cour de cassation is the main court of last resort in France. ...

Elections and parties

Electoral system

Several months before an election, each party forms a list of candidates for each district. Parties are allowed to place as many candidates on their "ticket" as there are seats available. The formation of the list is an internal process that varies with each party. The place on the list influences the election of a candidate, but its influence has diminished since the last electoral reform.

Political campaigns in Belgium are relatively short, lasting only about one month, and there are restrictions on the use of billboards. For all of their activities, campaigns included, the political parties have to rely on government subsidies and dues paid by their members. An electoral expenditures law restricts expenditures of political parties during an electoral campaign. Because of the huge public bureaucracy, the high politisation of nominations, and the widely accepted practice that political nominees spend many man-months paid for by all tax-payers for partisan electioneering, this arrangement massively favours the ruling political parties. Billboard redirects here. ...

Since no single party holds an absolute majority, after the election the strongest party or party family will usually create a coalition with some of the other parties to form the government.

Voting is compulsory in Belgium (more than 90% of the population participates). Belgian voters are given five options when voting. They may:

• Vote for a list as a whole, thereby showing approval of the order established by the party;
• Vote for one or more individual candidates, regardless of his/her ranking on the list (a "preference vote");
• Vote for one or more of the "alternates" (substitutes);
• Vote for one or more candidates, and one or more alternates;
• Vote invalid or blank so no one receives the vote.

While there are some options to vote on more than one person, it should be noted that voters cannot vote for candidates of more than one candidate list (party). Doing so makes the vote invalid.

Elections for the Federal Parliament are normally held every four years. The community and regional parliaments are elected every five years, and their elections coincide with those for the European Parliament. Elections for the members of Belgium's municipal and provincial councils are held every six. The latest municipal and provincial elections were held in 2006 and the latest general election was held in 2007, the next community and regional elections are expected in 2009. Established 1952, as the Common Assembly President Hans-Gert Pöttering (EPP) Since 16 January 2007 Vice-Presidents 14 Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (EPP) Alejo Vidal-Quadras (EPP) Gérard Onesta (Greens – EFA) Edward McMillan-Scott (ED) Mario Mauro (EPP) Miguel Angel Martínez Martínez (PES) Luigi Cocilovo (ALDE) Mechtild... The Belgian municipal elections, 2006 took place on Sunday October 8, 2006. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Belgium does not have elections similar to presidential elections, where only one person can be elected; rather, seats in the parliament, city council or similar are elected, the occupants of which then vote who gets to be prime minister, mayor, governor, etc. This is probably one of the reasons why Belgium does not have a two-party political system, but that there are more than two influential parties per language region.

The 2003 data are resp. CD&V and N-VA instead of CD&V NVA alliance, Vlaams Blok instead of Vlaams Belang and Agalev in stead of Groen!. The Belgian Chamber of Representatives (Dutch: de Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers, French: la Chambre des Représentants) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ... The Belgian Chamber of Representatives (Dutch: de Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers, French: la Chambre des Représentants) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ... Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) (Christian Democratic and Flemish) is a political party in Belgium, formerly called Christelijke Volkspartij (CVP) (Christian Peoples Party). ... The Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (New-Flemish Alliance) is a Belgian political party, founded in the autumn of 2001. ... The Mouvement Réformateur (MR) is a Belgian French-speaking liberal party, favoring a united Belgium. ... Vlaams Belang (English: Flemish Interest) is a political party in Belgium that supports Flemish independence and strict limits on non-European and non-Christian immigration, whereby immigrants need to adopt to the Western culture. ... Open Vld is the name under which a cartel of Belgian political parties VLD, Vivant and Liberaal Appèl, will participate in the 2007 elections. ... siège du Parti Socialiste, boulevard de lEmpereur à Bruxelles The Socialist Party (French: , PS) is a Francophone social democratic political party in Belgium. ... Socialist Party – Different (Dutch: ) (SP.A) is the Flemish social democratic party in Belgium. ... Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Liberal parties | Belgian political parties-Flanders ... The Humanist Democratic Centre (French: Centre Démocrate Humaniste or CDH) is a centrist, christian-democrat, Belgian French-speaking political party. ... Ecolo (standing for Ecologistes Confédérés pour lorganisation de luttes originales) is a French-speaking Belgian green political party (Wallonia and Brussels). ... List Dedecker (Dutch: ) is a Belgian political party founded in January 2007 by Senator Jean-Marie Dedecker. ... Groen! (English Green!) is the Flemish green party in Belgium. ... The National Front (French: Le Front National) is a small Belgian neo-Nazi political party. ...

The 2003 data are resp. CD&V and N-VA instead of CD&V NVA alliance, Vlaams Blok instead of Vlaams Belang and Agalev in stead of Groen!. The Belgian Senate (Dutch: de Senaat, French: le Sénat) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ... The Belgian Senate (Dutch: de Senaat, French: le Sénat) is one of the two chambers of the Belgian Federal Parliament. ... Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) (Christian Democratic and Flemish) is a political party in Belgium, formerly called Christelijke Volkspartij (CVP) (Christian Peoples Party). ... The Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (New-Flemish Alliance) is a Belgian political party, founded in the autumn of 2001. ... Open Vld is the name under which a cartel of Belgian political parties VLD, Vivant and Liberaal Appèl, will participate in the 2007 elections. ... The Mouvement Réformateur (MR) is a Belgian French-speaking liberal party, favoring a united Belgium. ... Vlaams Belang (English: Flemish Interest) is a political party in Belgium that supports Flemish independence and strict limits on non-European and non-Christian immigration, whereby immigrants need to adopt to the Western culture. ... siège du Parti Socialiste, boulevard de lEmpereur à Bruxelles The Socialist Party (French: , PS) is a Francophone social democratic political party in Belgium. ... Socialist Party – Different (Dutch: ) (SP.A) is the Flemish social democratic party in Belgium. ... Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Liberal parties | Belgian political parties-Flanders ... The Humanist Democratic Centre (French: Centre Démocrate Humaniste or CDH) is a centrist, christian-democrat, Belgian French-speaking political party. ... Ecolo (standing for Ecologistes Confédérés pour lorganisation de luttes originales) is a French-speaking Belgian green political party (Wallonia and Brussels). ... For other uses, see Green (disambiguation). ... List Dedecker (Dutch: ) is a Belgian political party founded in January 2007 by Senator Jean-Marie Dedecker. ... The National Front (French: Le Front National) is a small Belgian neo-Nazi political party. ...

Political parties

In Belgium, all important political parties are either "Dutch-speaking" or "French-speaking" (aside from 1 German speaking party). Political parties are thus organised along community lines, especially for the two main communities. There are no representative parties active in both communities. Even in Brussels, all parties presenting candidates are either exclusively Dutch or French speaking. As such, the internal organisation of the political parties reflects the fundamentally dual nature of Belgian society. At the same time, this is, for the French-speaking parties, a serious indication against their own claim for a more regional stress in the Belgian federalisation (as opposed to the community-focus favoured by the Flemings).

Another important characteristic of Belgian national politics is the highly federal nature of decision making. Important decisions require both a national majority (2/3 for constitutional changes), as well as majorities in the two main language groups. On top of that, both these communities can activate 'alarm bell'-procedures, delaying changes. In addition, there are no national parties to speak of. As a result of this, Belgian decision making can be slow and expensive. On top, it tends to significantly favour the more conservative parties. Given the historically very high public expenditure, and the very strict central control over taxation, even for revenues going to regions and communities, the tendency of Belgian governments to lower taxation and especially labour charges has been limited, at least if compared to radical-liberal approaches followed by certain other countries.

History of the political landscape

From the creation of the Belgian state in 1830 and throughout most of the 19th century, two political parties dominated Belgian politics: the Catholic Party (Church-oriented and conservative) and the Liberal Party (anti-clerical and progressive). In the late 19th century the Socialist Party arose to represent the emerging industrial working class. These three groups still dominate Belgian politics, but they have evolved substantially in character. Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 (MDCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The first Catholic Party in Belgium was established in 1869 as the Federation of Catholic Circles and Conservative Associations (French: ; Dutch: ). The Catholic Party, under leader Charles Woeste, gained an absolute majority in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives in 1884, and retained it until 1918. ... Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favor tradition and gradual change, where tradition refers to religious, cultural, or nationally defined beliefs and customs. ... The Liberal Party was a Belgian political party that existed from 1846 until 1961, when it became the Party for Freedom and Progress, Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang/Parti de la Liberté et du Progrès or PVV-PLP, under the leadership of Omer Vanaudenhove. ... Anti-clericalism is a historical movement that opposes religious (generally Catholic) institutional power and influence, real or imagined[1], in all aspects of public and political life, and the involvement of religion in the everyday life of the citizen. ... For other uses, see Progressivism (disambiguation). ... The Workers Party of Belgium (WPB), Partij van de Arbeid van België (PVDA) (in Dutch) or Parti du Travail de Belgique (PTB) (in French) is a Belgian communist party. ...

In the late 1960s with the rise of linguistic problems in Belgium, each of the main political parties of Belgium split into Flemish and a French-speaking parties.

Main political parties

See also List of political parties in Belgium

• CAP
• CDH
• CD&V
• CSP
• Ecolo
• FDF
• Front National
• Groen!
• MCC
• MR
• N-VA
• PFF
• PJUPDB
• PS
• SP
• SP. a
• SPIRIT
• Vlaams Belang
• VLD

Belgium is a federation with a multi-party political system, with numerous parties who factually have no chance of gaining power alone, and therefore must work with each other to form coalition governments. ... The Committee for Another Policy (Comité voor een Andere Politiek - Comité pour une Autre Politique, CAP) is a Belgian left-wing political movement, established in 2005. ... The Humanist Democratic Centre (French: Centre Démocrate Humaniste or CDH) is a centrist, Christian Democrat, Belgian French-speaking political party. ... Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) (Christian Democratic and Flemish) is a political party in Belgium, formerly called Christelijke Volkspartij (CVP) (Christian Peoples Party). ... The Christian Social Party (German: Christlich Soziale Partei) is a party operating in the German_speaking community of Belgium. ... Ecolo (standing for Ecologistes Confédérés pour lorganisation de luttes originales) is a French-speaking Belgian green political party (Wallonia and Brussels). ... The Democratic Front of the Francophones (Front Démocratique des Francophones, or FDF), is a Brussels French-speaking Belgian political party. ... The National Front (French: Le Front National) is a small Belgian neo-Nazi political party. ... Green! (Groen!) is the Flemish green party in Belgium. ... Citizens Movement for Change (French: Mouvement des Citoyens pour le Changement or MCC) is a Christian Democratic political party in the French Community of Belgium founded by Gérard Deprez. ... The Mouvement Réformateur (MR) is a Belgian French-speaking liberal party, favoring a united Belgium. ... The Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (New-Flemish Alliance) is a Belgian political party, founded in the autumn of 2001. ... The Party for Freedom and Progress (Partei für Freiheit und Fortschritt, PFF) is a regional liberal party in Belgium, only active in the German speaking East Cantons. ... siège du Parti Socialiste, boulevard de lEmpereur à Bruxelles The Socialist Party (French: , PS) is a Francophone social democratic political party in Belgium. ... Socialist Party - Different or Social Progressive Alternative (Dutch: Socialistische Partij - Anders or Sociaal Progressief Alternatief (sp. ... Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Liberal parties | Belgian political parties-Flanders ... Vlaams Belang (English: Flemish Interest) is a political party in Belgium that supports Flemish independence and strict limits on non-European and non-Christian immigration, whereby immigrants need to adopt to the Western culture. ... The Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten or VLD (Flemish Liberals and Democrats) is a Flemish liberal party, created in 1992 from the former PVV and a few other politicians from other parties. ...

Latest electoral results and government formation

• Belgian general election, 2003
• 2004 Belgian regional elections
• 2007 Belgian government formation

The May 18, 2003 Belgian general elections were the first Belgian elections to be held under a new electoral code. ... On June 13, 2004, regional elections were held in Belgium, to choose representatives in the regional councils of Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels, as well as in the German Community Council. ... The 2007 Belgian government formation followed the general election of 10 June 2007, and consisted of a period of negotiation in which the Flemish parties Open VLD, CD&V and N-VA and the French-speaking parties MR, FDF and Humanist Democratic Centre tried to form a government coalition. ...

Trade unions

Belgium is a highly unionised country, and organised labour is a powerful influence in politics. About 53% of all private sector and public service employees are labour union members. Not simply a "bread and butter" movement in the American sense, Belgian labour unions take positions on education, public finance, defence spending, environmental protection, women's rights, abortion, and other issues. They also provide a range of services, including the administration of unemployment benefits. The Lawrence textile strike (1912), with soldiers surrounding peaceful demonstrators A trade union or labor union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas of wages, hours, and working conditions. ...

Belgium's three principal trade union organizations are the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (CSC/ACV) (1,705,000 members), the General Federation of Belgian Labour (FGTB/ABVV) (1,198,000 members) and the General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium (CGSLB/ACLVB) which has 230,000 members. The Confederation of Christian Trade Unions is a national trade union federation in Belgium. ... The General Federation of Belgian Labour (ABVV/FGTB) is a national trade union federation in Belgium. ... The General Confederation of Liberal Trade Unions of Belgium (ACLVB/CGSLB) is one of three trade union federations in Belgium. ...

Until the fifties, the FGTB/ABVV was the largest confederation, since then, however, the CSC/ACV has become the leading trade union force. In the most recent works council elections held in 2004 the CSC/ACV garnered close to 53% of the vote, the Socialist confederation obtained 36%, and the Liberal confederation 10%.

The Confederation of Catholic labour Unions (CSC/ACV). Organised in 1912, the CSC/ACV rejects the Marxist concept of "class struggle" and seeks to achieve a just social order based on Christian principles. The CSC/ACV is not formally linked to its party political counterparts, the Christian Democratic parties (CD&V and CDH), but exercises great influence in their councils.

The CSC/ACV is the leading union in all Flemish provinces, and in Wallonia's Luxembourg province. It has almost equal strength with the socialist confederation in the Brussels area. Its President is currently Luc Cortebeeck. Luxembourg is the southernmost province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ...

The Belgian Socialist Confederation of labour (FGTB/ABVV). The FGTB/ABVV derives from the Socialist Trade Union Movement, established in the late 19th century in Walloon industrial areas, Brussels, and urban areas of Flanders. Today the FGTB/ABVV is the leading union in the Hainaut, Namur, and Liège provinces and matches the CSC/ACV in Brussels. The FGTB/ABVV is led by President Michel Nollet. Hainaut (French; English traditionally Hainault, Dutch: Henegouwen, German: Hennegau, Walloon: Hinnot) is the westernmost province of Wallonia, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Namur (Dutch: Namen) is a province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ... Liège is the easternmost province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ...

Linguistic challenge

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (September 2007)

Belgium is a country where language is a major political issue. In the 19th and early 20th century, Flemings did not enjoy the same rights as French-speakers, both de facto and de jure. When the country was founded in 1830 under a census voting system, only around 1% of the adult population could vote: nobility, haute-bourgeoisie and higher clerics, all of them French-speaking. A Flemish movement fought peacefully to gain equal rights, obtaining most of these. Minor issues exist also between German speakers and French speakers. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... This is a list of countries where language is a political issue. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Flemings (Dutch: Vlamingen) are inhabitants of Flanders in the widest sense of the term, i. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... Look up De jure in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 (MDCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

In the third century AD, Germanic Franks migrated into what is now Belgium. The less populated northern areas became Germanic, while in the southern part, where the Roman presence had been much stronger, Latin persisted despite the migrations of the Franks. This linguistic frontier has more or less endured. This article is about the Frankish people and society. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ...

The Industrial Revolution of the late 18th and the 19th century further accentuated the North-South division. Francophone Wallonia became an early industrial boom area, affluent and politically dominant. Dutch-speaking Flanders remained agricultural and was economically and politically outdistanced by Wallonia and the capital. The elite during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century spoke French, even in the Dutch speaking area. In the 20th century, and particularly after the Second World War, Flanders saw an economic flowering while Wallonia became economically stagnant. As Flemings became more educated and more well off, and sought a fair and equal share of political power, tensions between the two communities rose. A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ...

Linguistic demonstrations in the early 1960s led in 1962 to the establishment of a formal linguistic border and elaborate rules were made to protect minorities in linguistically mixed border areas. In 1970, the Constitution was amended. Flemish and francophone cultural councils were established with authority in matters relating to language and culture for the two language groups. Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The 1970 constitutional revision did not finally settle the problem, however. A controversial amendment declared that Belgium consists of three cultural communities (the Flemish Community, the French(-speaking) Community and the German-speaking Community) and three economic regions (Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels) each to be granted a significant measure of political autonomy. It was not until 1980, however,that an agreement could be reached on how to implement this new constitutional provision. the Flemish community has jurisdiction over Flanders and over the Dutch language institutions in Brussels. ... The French Community area of Belgium The French Community of Belgium (French: , Dutch: , German: ) is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. ... The Executive (government) of the German-speaking Community meets in Eupen Flag of the German-speaking community in Belgium The German-speaking Community of Belgium (German: , short DGB) is one of the three federal communities in Belgium. ... For other uses, see Flanders (disambiguation). ... Wallonia (French: Wallonie, German: Wallonien, Walloon: Walonreye, Dutch: Wallonië) or the Walloon Region (French: Région Wallonne, Dutch: Waals Gewest) is the predominantly French-speaking region that constitutes one of the three federal regions of Belgium, with its capital at Namur. ... The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ...

In August 1980, the Belgian Parliament passed a devolution bill and amended the Constitution, establishing: The Belgian Federal Parliament is a bicameral parliament. ...

• A Flemish community legislative assembly (council) and Flemish government;
• A Francophone community legislative council and government competent for cultural, language, and educational matters; and
• Walloon and Flemish regional legislative assemblies and governments competent for regional economic matters.

Immediately, the Flemings had their regional legislative council and government transfer its competencies to the community legislative council and government. That became competent for both cultural, language, and educational affairs, and for regional economic matters. Flemings (Dutch: Vlamingen) are inhabitants of Flanders in the widest sense of the term, i. ...

Since 1984 the German language community of Belgium (in the eastern part of Liège Province) has had its own legislative assembly and executive, competent