Politics of Belgium

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Politics of Belgium Politiek in België (Dutch) Politique en Belgique (French) Politisches System Belgiens (German)
Coat of arms of Belgium
Polity type	Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Constitution	Constitution of Belgium
Legislative branch
Name	Federal Parliament
Type	Bicameral
Meeting place	Palace of the Nation
Upper house
Name	Senate
Presiding officer	Stephanie D'Hose, President of the Senate
Lower house
Name	Chamber of Representatives
Presiding officer	Eliane Tillieux, President of the Chamber of Representatives
Executive branch
Head of state
Title	Monarch
Currently	Philippe
Appointer	Hereditary
Head of government
Title	Prime Minister
Currently	Alexander De Croo
Appointer	Monarch
Cabinet
Name	Council of Ministers
Current cabinet	De Croo Government
Leader	Prime Minister
Deputy leader	Deputy Prime Minister
Appointer	Monarch
Judicial branch
Name	Judiciary of Belgium
Court of Cassation
Chief judge	Jean de Codt
Constitutional Court
Chief judge	François Daout André Alen
Council of State
Chief judge	Yves Kreins

Politics of Belgium
Constitution Taxation Constitutional Court
Monarchy Monarch (list) Philippe Duchess of Brabant Elisabeth of Belgium Crown Council Royal Family
Federal Parliament Senate President: Stephanie D'Hose Chamber of Representatives President: Eliane Tillieux
Federal Cabinet De Croo Government Prime Minister: Alexander De Croo
Judiciary Administrative jurisdictions Council of State Highest court Court of Cassation Appellate courts Court of appeal Court of labour Trial courts Court of assizes Tribunal of first instance Civil tribunal Correctional tribunal Family and juvenile tribunal Sentence enforcement tribunal Labour tribunal Enterprise tribunal Minor crimes Minor claims Police tribunal Justice of the peace
Recent elections European 2009 2014 2019 2024 Federal 2010 2014 2019 2024 Regional 2009 2014 2019 2024 Local 2006 2012 2018 2024 Political parties
Subdivisions Communities and regions Provinces Arrondissements Municipalities
Foreign relations France-Belgium relations Belgium-Germany relations Belgium-United Kingdom relations Belgium-Netherlands relations Belgium–Luxembourg relations Politics of the European Union
Belgium portal Other countries
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The politics of Belgium take place in the framework of a federal, representative democratic, constitutional monarchy. The King of the Belgians is the head of state, and the prime minister of Belgium is the head of government, in a 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 (language-based) communities and (territorial) regions. Philippe is the seventh and current King of the Belgians, having ascended the throne on 21 July 2013.

Since around 1970, the significant Belgian national political parties have split into distinct representations for each communities' interests, besides defense of their ideologies. These parties belong to three main political families, though all close to the centre: the right-wing Liberals, the social conservative Christian Democrats and the Socialists forming the left-wing. Other important newer 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). According to the V-Dem Democracy indices Belgium was 2023 the 8th most electoral democratic country in the world.^[1]