Belgium · Government
Government and administration in Belgium
How the executive, legislature and administrative state are organised, and which body is responsible for what.
The three branches
- Head of State — The King
- Reigns but does not rule; every act requires a countersigning minister.
- Executive — Federal Government
- Led by the Prime Minister; by convention linguistically balanced between Dutch and French speakers.
- Legislative — Chamber of Representatives and Senate
- 150 directly elected representatives; the Senate is a 60-member body of the Regions and Communities since 2014.
- Judicial — Judiciary and the High Council of Justice
- The High Council of Justice vets judicial appointments and handles complaints about court operation.
- Federated — Regional and Community governments
- Six legislatures and governments with their own decree-making power.
How legislation is made
Most federal bills now follow a monocameral procedure in the Chamber of Representatives; the Senate intervenes only in the matters the Constitution reserves to bicameral treatment, such as constitutional revision and the institutional framework. The Council of State Legislation Section gives a prior opinion on drafts. A text is sanctioned and promulgated by the King and enters into force after publication in the Moniteur belge / Belgisch Staatsblad.
Enforcement institutions
- Public prosecution service
- Ministère public / openbaar ministerie, organised per judicial area.
- Federal Police and Local Police
- An integrated service structured on two autonomous levels since the 1998 reform.
- Investigating judge
- Juge d’instruction / onderzoeksrechter directs judicial investigations and authorises coercive measures.
Government bodies and regulators
- executiveFPS JusticeFederal department responsible for justice, prisons and the courts’ administration.
- independentHigh Council of JusticeVets judicial appointments and audits how the courts operate.
- independentData Protection AuthoritySupervises GDPR compliance in Belgium.
- executiveFPS EconomyRegulates business, competition and consumer rights, and runs the enterprise register.
- executiveFPS FinanceAssesses and collects federal taxes and customs duties.
- independentUniaIndependent public body combating discrimination and promoting equal opportunity.
- legislativeChamber of RepresentativesDirectly elected lower house of the Federal Parliament.
- independentAVOCATS.BEFederation of the French- and German-speaking bars of Belgium.
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