| Capitale | nom: Brussels coordonnées géographiques: 50 50 N, 4 20 E différence de temps: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: may derive from the Old Dutch "bruoc/broek," meaning "marsh" and "sella/zele/sel" signifying "home" to express the meaning "home in the marsh" |
| Fête de l'Indépendance | 4 Octobre 1830 (a provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands); 21 Juillet 1831 (King LEOPOLD I ascended to the throne) |
| Fête nationale | Belgian National Day (ascension to the throne of King LEOPOLD I), 21 Juillet (1831) |
| Constitution | history: drafted 25 Novembre 1830, approved 7 Février 1831, entered into force 26 Juillet 1831, revised 14 Juillet 1993 (creating a federal state) amendments: "revisions" proposed as declarations by the federal government in accord with the king or by Parliament followed by dissolution of Parliament and new elections; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in both houses of the next elected Parliament; amended many times, last in 2014 (2016) |
| Suffrage - Age minimum de l'électeur | 18 ans; universal et forcé |
| Pouvoir exécutif | chef d'état (Président): King PHILIPPE (depuis 21 July 2013); Heir Apparent Princess ELISABETH (daughter of the monarch, born 25 October 2001) chef de gouvernement (1er ministre): Prime Minister Sophie WILMES (depuis 26 October 2019); Deputy Prime Ministers Alexander DE CROO (depuis 22 October 2012), Kris PEETERS (depuis 11 October 2014), Didier REYNDERS (depuis 30 December 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary and constitutional; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and approved by Parliament |
Source: CIA World Factbook - Version du décembre 31, 2019
