Government

Belgium is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. Its main political units are called communities and regions. The communities are based on language (French, Dutch, or German), the regions on geography (the historic areas of Flanders and Wallonia and the Brussels metropolitan area).

The Belgian constitution, as amended in 1993, limits the responsibilities of the national government to foreign policy, national defense, social security, and monetary and fiscal policy. The communities have responsibilities in cultural matters, including education and language policies. The regions have broad responsibilities, including economic development, housing policy, public works, and rural development.

The sovereign is the head of state. The head of government is the prime minister, who holds executive powers together with the cabinet, called the Council of Ministers. The cabinet consists of an equal number of Dutch and French speaking members.

The national legislature is made up of the Senate (71 members) and the Chamber of Representatives (150 members), with members serving four-year terms. All members of the Chamber are elected popularly, and of the 71 members of the Senate, 40 are elected by people, 21 are chosen by provincial councils, and the remaining 10 are elected by the remaining senators.

Belgium is a federal state made up of three regions and three separate language communities. The communities and the regions have their own legislative and executive bodies, the regions having its own parliament, called the regional council, and the communities having their own community councils.

Apart from this, the local government system includes two additional levels, the 10 provinces and almost 600 communes (cities and towns), each governed by its respective governor, and mayor.

There are three major political groups in Belgium, which include two Socialist parties, the Liberal parties, and the Christian Social parties. There are also smaller parties that represent regional, social, or economic concerns.

Belgian citizens who are 18 years old or more are required to vote in national elections, and failure to do so may result in their being fined.

The highest court in Belgium is the Court of Cassation, apart from which there are five regional courts that hear appeals of lower courts. Special courts are meant to deal with labor disputes, commercial agreements, and military justice. There are, in addition, an administrative superior court and a court of arbitration to rule on the conflicts that might arise between national and regional laws.

The Belgian defense forces include an army, a navy, and an air force, where people serve voluntarily.