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Belgium

https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/

June 2024

Belgium holds regional, federal and European Parliament elections
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On 9 June, voters elected regional and federal parliaments, and Belgium’s members of the European Parliament. Right-leaning, reformist parties gained more support over the far right and far left. The right-wing New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) remained the largest group in the Federal Parliament with 24 seats, followed by the Francophone liberal Reformist Movement (MR) and the far-right Vlaams Belang, both holding 20 seats. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD) party dropped from twelve to seven seats. De Croo resigned but will remain as caretaker prime minister until a new coalition is formed. Voter turnout for the federal elections was 87.4 per cent, down from 88.3 per cent in 2019, with a record 12.5 per cent abstaining.

Sources: Brussels Times (1), Brussels Times (2), Euronews, Federal Public Services Home Affairs, Politico, International IDEA

September 2023

Arsonists target eight schools following sex education curriculum approval
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More than a thousand people gathered in Brussels to protest a new decree, known as Evras (education for relational, emotional and sexual life), approved this month in French-speaking parts of Belgium. In parallel, there have been eight separate cases of vandalization or arson in Liège and Charleroi, which appear to be linked to the approval of the Evras programme. The decree mandates minimal two-hour sex education sessions and is estimated to impact 85,000 students in Wallonia and 25,000 students in Brussels. The decree, together with the publication of a detailed manual for instructors delivering Evras material, have been met with firm opposition by religious associations as well as civil society organisations. Members of the Coordination Council of Islamic Institutions of Belgium (CIB) have filed an appeal to annul the decree with the Constitutional Court. Education Minister Caroline Désir pointed to widespread dis- and misinformation around the programme, accusing Evras of promoting hypersexualisation of children, or encouraging young people to identify with a particular sexual orientation or gender.

Sources: Le Monde (1), Le Monde (2), RTBF (1), RTBF (2), RTBF (3), Le Point, BFM TV, Evras, The Brussels Times

August 2023

Government suspends places for single male asylum-seekers in reception facilities

The government imposed a temporary ban on the provision of shelter to single male asylum-seekers, arguing that women, children and families should be prioritised for access to shelter in overstretched reception facilities. Despite efforts to boost capacity, including the opening of new reception centres, shelters for asylum-seekers have been overwhelmed for the past two years, with arrivals of asylum-seekers expected to increase over the winter, according to the State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor. The decision has been criticised by the Council of Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner and human rights NGOs, as well as by Belgian public officials. In June, a Brussels court ruled that Belgium has violated commitments binding EU member states to guarantee asylum-seekers’ rights to an adequate standard of living and protect the applicants’ physical and mental health.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Fedasil, VRT, European Council on Refugees and Exiles, DW, EUR-Lex, Tribunal de première instance francophone de Bruxelles

November 2022

Government approves bans on conversion practices and adopts femicide law

A new law banning conversion practices was approved by the Belgian Cabinet, introducing a maximum punishment of two years in prison. Conversion practices involve attempts to force a change in a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, with methods ranging from psychotherapy, electroshock therapy, medication, and physical violence. Conversion practices are condemned by the European Union, and the European Parliament has called on member states to implement bans. The Council of Ministers also adopted a framework law which defines femicide as a crime and establishes a system for the official collection and analysis of data related to femicides. State Secretary for Gender Equality Sarah Schlitz, who sponsored the law, has said that it intends to create “effective tools to better understand the phenomenon and protect the victims.”

Sources: Brussels Times, European Parliament, Sarah Schlitz, Euractiv

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Global ranking per category of democratic performance in 2023

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Representation
12/173
Rights
5/173
Rule of Law
14/173
Participation
15/173
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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
11 822 592
System of government
Parliamentary system
Head of government
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (since 2020)
Head of government party
Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD)
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
41.3%
Women in upper chamber
47.5%
Last legislative election
2024
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
10.25
Head of state
King Philippe
Selection process for head of state
Hereditary or election by hereditary state rulers
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
05/05/2021
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
75.32%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
No Action
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
State Party
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 4 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 6 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 7 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 12 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Signatory
Protocol No. 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
in
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Performance by category over the last 6 months

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Representation neutral Rule of law
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Representation neutral Participation
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Global State of Democracy Indices

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Explore the indices
Representation
Representation
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
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/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
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/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

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