Belgian Federal Parliament facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Belgian Federal ParliamentDutch: Federaal Parlement van België French: Parlement fédéral belge |
|
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses | Senate Chamber of Representatives |
| Leadership | |
|
President of the Senate
|
Christine Defraigne, MR
Since October 14, 2014 |
|
President of the Chamber
|
Siegfried Bracke, N-VA
Since October 14, 2014 |
| Seats | 210 60 senators 150 representatives |
| Elections | |
|
Last election
|
May 25, 2014 |
|
Last election
|
May 25, 2014 |
| Meeting place | |
 |
|
| Palace of the Nation, Brussels | |
| Website | |
| www.fed-parl.be | |
The Belgian Federal Parliament is like the main law-making body for Belgium. It's a "bicameral" parliament, which means it has two main parts or "houses." These are the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate. Both parts meet in a special building called the Palace of the Nation in Brussels.
Contents
What is the Chamber of Representatives?
The Chamber of Representatives is one of the two important parts of the Belgian Parliament. It has 150 members. These members are chosen from 11 different areas across Belgium.
How are members chosen?
The areas are divided based on language. There are 5 areas where people mostly speak Flemish (Dutch). These areas get 79 seats. There are also 5 areas where people mostly speak French (Walloon). These areas get 49 seats. Finally, there is one area, Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde, where people speak both languages. This area has 22 seats.
Who can be a representative?
To become a member of the Chamber, a person must be at least 21 years old. They must also be a citizen of Belgium. And they need to live in Belgium.
What is the Senate?
The Senate is the second part of the Belgian Federal Parliament. It also helps to make laws for the country.
How has the Senate changed?
Before 2014, the Senate had 71 members. These members were chosen in different ways. Some were directly elected by people. Some were chosen by the different language communities. Others were "co-opted," meaning they were chosen by the other senators. Even the children of the King or Queen could be senators!
Since 2014, the Senate has 60 members. Now, there are only two ways to become a senator. Fifty senators are chosen by the different language communities. The other 10 senators are "co-opted" by the other senators.
Who can be a senator?
The rules for becoming a senator are the same as for the Chamber of Representatives. You must be at least 21 years old, be a Belgian citizen, and live in Belgium.
See also
In Spanish: Parlamento Federal de Bélgica para niños
