Belgium
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
- CONSTITUTION
- February 7, 1831; revised on July 14, 1993 to create a federal state; amended several times, last in 2019
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- civil law system based on the French civil code; recognizes ICJ jurisdiction as compulsory with reservations
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral Parliament, Senate (Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French) and Chamber of Representatives (Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Constitutional Court or Grondwettelijk Hof (in Dutch) and Cour Constitutionelle (in French) (composed of 12 judges - 6 Dutch-speaking and 6 French-speaking); Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) and Cour de Cassation (in French) (court organized into 3 chambers: civil and commercial; criminal; social, tax, and military; each chamber includes a Dutch division and a French division, each with a president and 5-6 judges); Courts of Appeal; regional courts; specialized courts for administrative, commercial, labor, immigration, and audit matters; magistrate courts; justices of the peace
RELIGIONS
Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 2.3%, other Christian 2.8%, Muslim 6.8%, other 1.7%, atheist 9.1%, non-believer/agnostic 20.2% (estimate 2018)
From the country
- MAY 10, 2022BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Belgian Court of Appeals’ Sentence on Bomb Plot at Iranian Resistance Rally in Paris
- FEBRUARY 14, 2020BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
BELGIUM: LAST REFERENCE TO DEATH PENALTY REMOVED FROM LAW
The Chamber of Representatives on 13 February 2020 unanimously approved the bill that proposed to remove the last reference to the death penalty in Belgian legislation.
- JANUARY 1, 2020BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
- JANUARY 1, 2019BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
- JANUARY 1, 2018BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
- JANUARY 1, 2017BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
- JANUARY 1, 2016BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
- JANUARY 1, 2015BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
- JANUARY 1, 2014BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
- OCTOBER 3, 2013BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
Nizar Trabelsi, a Tunisian man jailed in Belgium in 2003 for planning to attack a Nato air base, was
Nizar Trabelsi, a Tunisian man jailed in Belgium in 2003 for planning to attack a Nato air base, was
- JANUARY 1, 2013BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
- JANUARY 1, 2012BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.
Belgium abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1996.