Government
Name of country:
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form:
Belgium
local long form:
Royaume de Belgique
local short form:
Belgique
Data code:
BE
Type of government:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Brussels
Administrative divisions:
9 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Flemish: provincien, singular - provincie); Antwerpen, Brabant, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, West-Vlaanderen
note:
constitutional reforms passed by Parliament in 1993 increased the number of provinces to 10 by splitting the province of Brabant into two new provinces, Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant
Independence:
4 October 1830 (from the Netherlands)
National holiday:
National Day, 21 July (ascension of King LEOPOLD to the throne in 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
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state:
King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993) is a constitutional monarch
head of government:
Prime Minister Jean-Luc DEHAENE (since 6 March 1992) was appointed by the king and then approved by Parliament
cabinet:
Cabinet is appointed by the king and approved by Parliament
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament
Senate (Flemish - Senaat French - Senat):
elections last held 21 May 1995 (next to be held by the end of 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (71 total, 40 directly elected; 31 will be indirectly elected at a later date) CVP 7, SP 6, VLD 6, VU 2, AGALEV 1, VB 3, PS 5, PRL 5, PSC 3, ECOLO 2; note - before the 1995 elections, there were 184 seats
Chamber of Deputies(Flemish - Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordig:
elections last held 21 May 1995 (next to be held by the end of 1999); results - CVP 17.2%, PS 11.9%, SP 12.6%, VLD 13.1%, PRL 10.3%, PSC 7.7%, VB 7.8%, VU 4.7%, ECOLO 4.0%, AGALEV 4.4%, FN 2.3%; seats - (150 total) CVP 29, PS 21, SP 20, VLD 21, PRL 18, PSC 12, VB 11, VU 5, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, FN 2; note - before the 1995 elections, there were 212 seats
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice (Flemish - Hof van Cassatie, French - Cour de Cassation), judges are appointed for life by the Belgian monarch
Political parties and leaders:
Flemish Christian Democrats (CVP - Christian People's Party), Johan VAN HECKE, president; Francophone Christian Democrats (PSC - Social Christian Party), Gerard DEPREZ, president; Flemish Socialist Party (SP), Louis TOBBACK, president; Francophone Socialist Party (PS), Philippe BUSQUIN, president; Flemish Liberal Democrats (VLD), Herman DE CROO, president; Francophone Liberal Reformation Party (PRL), Louis MICHEL, president; Francophone Democratic Front (FDF), Olivier MAINGAIN, president; Volksunie (VU), Bert ANCIAUX, president; Vlaams Blok (VB), Karel DILLEN, chairman; National Front (FN), Daniel FERET, president; AGALEV (Flemish Greens), no president; ECOLO (Francophone Greens), no president; other minor parties
Other political or pressure groups:
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 the Flemish Action Committee Against Nuclear Weapons and Pax Christi
International organization participation:
ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOGIP, UNPROFOR, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Andre ADAM
chancery:
3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 333-6900
FAX:
[1] (202) 333-3079
consulate(s) general:
Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Alan J. BLINKEN
embassy:
27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
mailing address:
APO AE 09724, PSC 82, Box 002, Brussels
telephone:
[32] (2) 508-2111
FAX:
[32] (2) 511-2725
Flag:
three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France
