Country information
- EU Constitution
Belgian senate adopted the EU Constitution on 29 April 2005. Parliament ratified on 19 May 2005 (more). - The Lisbon Treaty: ratified by Senate on 6 March and by Chamber of Representatives on 9 April; to be ratified by the Federal Parliaments, date to be decided.
- EU Presidency: July-December 2010
- Government Type: federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
- Executive Branch
• HEAD OF STATE
King Albert II (since 9 August 1993)
• HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999)
Prime Minister-Designate: Yves LETERME (since 16 July 2007)
• MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Karel DE GUCHT
• PARTIES IN GOVERNMENT COALITION
VLD, MR, CD&V, PS, CdH - Legislative Branch
• FEDERAL ELECTIONS
Last elections: 10 June 2007
Next elections: June 2011
• ELECTION RESULTS (SENATE)
CD&V-NVA 19.42% (9 seats)
MR 12.31% (6 seats)
Open VLD 12.40% (5 seats)
VB 11.89% (5 seats)
PS 10.24% (4 seats)
SP.A-Spirit 10.04% (4 seats)
CDH 5.90% (2 seats)
Ecolo 5.82% (2 seats)
Other (3 seats)
• ELECTION RESULTS (CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES)
CD&V-NVA 18.51% (30 seats)
MR 12.52% (23 seats)
PS 10.86% (20 seats)
Open VLD 11.83% (18 seats)
VB 11.99% (17 seats)
SP.A-Spirit 10.26% (14 seats)
CDH 6.06% (10 seats)
Ecolo 5.10% (8 seats)
Lijst Dedecker 4.03% (5 seats)
Groen 3.98% (4 seats)
Other (1 seat) - Additional Information
• EXECUTIVE ELECTIONS
None. The monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; 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.
