Executive branch:
chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Luc DEHAENE (since 6 March
1992)
cabinet: Cabinet; the king appoints the ministers who are approved by
the legislature
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament
Senate: (Flemish - Senaat, French - Senat); elections last held 24
November 1991 (next to be held by the end of 1995); results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (184 total; of which 106 are directly
elected; in the 1995 elections, seats will decrease to 71) CVP 20, SP
14, VLD 13, VU 5, AGALEV 5, VB 5, ROSSEN 1, PS 18, PRL 9, PSC 9, ECOLO
6, FDF 1
Chamber of Deputies: (Flemish - Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers,
French - Chambre des Representants); elections last held 24 November
1991 (next to be held by 21 May 1995); results - CVP 16.7%, PS 13.6%,
SP 12.0%, VLD 11.9%, PRL 8.2%, PSC 7.8%, VB 6.6%, VU 5.9%, ECOLO 5.1%,
AGALEV 4.9%, FDF 2.6%, ROSSEM 3.2%, FN 1.5%; seats - (212 total; in
1995 elections, seats will decrease to 150) CVP 39, PS 35, SP 28, VLD
26, PRL 20, PSC 18, VB 12, VU 10, ECOLO 10, AGALEV 7, FDF 3, ROSSEM 3,
FN 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Flemish - Hof van Cassatie,
French - Cour de Cassation)
Political parties and leaders: Flemish Christian Democrats (CVP -
Christian People's Party), Johan van HECKE, president; Francophone
Christian Democrats (PSC - Social Christian Party), Gerard DEPREZ,
president; Flemish Socialist Party (SP), Louis TOBBACK, president;
Francophone Socialist Party (PS), Philippe BUSQUIN, president; Flemish
Liberal Democrats (VLD), Guy VERHOFSTADT, president; Francophone
Liberal Reform Party (PRL), Jean GOL, president; Francophone
Democratic Front (FDF), Georges CLERFAYT, president; Volksunie (VU),
Bert ANCIAUX, president; Vlaams Blok (VB), Karel DILLEN, chairman;
ROSSEM, Jean Pierre VAN ROSSEM; National Front (FN), Daniel FERET,
president; AGALEV (Flemish Greens), no president; ECOLO (Francophone
Ecologists), no president; other minor parties
Other political or pressure groups: Christian and Socialist Trade
Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations
representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the
legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the
cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such
as the Flemish Action Committee Against Nuclear Weapons and Pax
Christi
Member of: ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux,
BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, G- 9, G-10, GATT,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, MTCR, NACC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOGIP, UNPROFOR, UNRWA,
UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andre ADAM (appointed 3 October 1994) chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. BLINKEN embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: APO AE 09724; PSC 82, Box 002, Brussels telephone: [32] (2) 513 38 30 FAX: [32] (2) 511 27 25
Flag: three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France
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