Nation profile Belgium – BBC Information

For such a small nation, Belgium has been an essential European battlefield over the centuries.

Occupied by Germany throughout each world wars, it skilled an financial growth within the post-war years and developed right into a mannequin Western European liberal democracy.

However there was additionally a rising divide between the primarily Dutch-speaking north and the primarily French-speaking south, in addition to issues concerning the rise of Islamic extremism amongst immigrant communities within the capital Brussels.

Brussels is the headquarters of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Group (NATO), making it the polyglot residence of a military of worldwide diplomats and officers.

Head of State: King Philippe

King Philippe ascended the throne in July 2013 with the abdication of his father Albert II, who stepped down for well being causes.

Respect for the monarchy is likely one of the few components bridging the communal divide in Belgium, and King Albert exercised his constitutional authority by advising political leaders on authorities formation in the course of the 2010–2011 parliamentary stalemate.

Prime Minister: Alexander De Croo

Finance Minister De Croo took over in October 2020 from a transitional authorities led by Sophie Wilmès, later International Minister.

Mr De Croo, a liberal Flemish politician, has been deputy prime minister since 2012 with varied tasks. He leads a seven-party coalition of Liberals, Socialists, Greens and Christian Democrats.

Belgian broadcasting displays the nation's distinctive political and linguistic nature. The cultural communities and never the federal authorities are liable for regulating radio and tv.

Some essential dates within the historical past of Belgium:

1830 – Declaration of Independence from the Netherlands.

1914-18 World Battle I: Germany invades and conquers a lot of the nation, the Belgian military retreats and holds its place behind the Yser River till 1918.

1920 – Belgium provides up its neutrality and indicators a army alliance with France.

1930 – Flanders and Wallonia develop into monolingual areas by regulation.

1940 – Second World Battle. Germany invades Belgium and Holland. The Belgian authorities evacuates to London. King Leopold surrenders to the German forces.

1944 – Allied forces liberate Belgium.

1948 – Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg kind a Benelux customs union to advertise the free motion of staff, items and companies within the area.

1949 – Belgium is a founding member of NATO.

1950 – Belgian voters vote for Leopold's return, however after strikes and unrest, Leopold appoints his eldest son, Prince Baudouin, to briefly rule in his place.

1951 – Baudouin formally takes over the kingship.

1951 – Belgium turns into one of many founding members of the European Coal and Metal Neighborhood

1957 – Belgium indicators the Treaty of Rome as one of many six founders of the European Financial Neighborhood (EEC), now the European Union.

1960 – The Belgian authorities grants independence to the Congo – now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

1962 – Independence for Rwanda-Urundi – now Rwanda and Burundi.

1992 – Belgium ratifies the Maastricht Treaty on European Union.

1993 – The structure was amended to acknowledge the division of the nation into three administrative areas: Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels.

King Baudouin dies and is succeeded by his brother Albert II.

1996 – The arrest of Marc Dutroux on suspicion of kid homicide and rape results in mass protests over perceived police inefficiency in dealing with the case.

2002 – Euro replaces Belgian franc.

2003 – Lawmakers require Belgium to shut its seven nuclear reactors by 2025 and ban the development of recent reactors. The federal government guarantees to spend money on renewable power sources and gasoline.

2004 – Baby assassin Marc Dutroux sentenced to life in jail for the rape and homicide of a number of younger ladies. His conviction comes eight years after his arrest and follows a posh investigation.

The Supreme Court docket declares the right-wing extremist Vlaams Blok racist, withdraws its funding and TV entry rights and forces it to disband. The celebration was re-founded beneath the brand new title Vlaams Belang (Flemish Curiosity).

2007 – Belgium has been with out a authorities for 100 days.

2008 – Amid a deepening world monetary disaster, Fortis Monetary Group's holdings in Belgium and Luxembourg are rescued by French financial institution BNP Paribas, which buys 75% of the group, creating one in every of Europe's largest financial savings banks.

2010 – Belgium's Catholic Church is shocked by an official investigation's discovering that there was widespread sexual abuse of kids by clergymen over many years.

2013 – King Albert II abdicates in favor of his son Philippe.

2015 – Two suspected Islamist militants are shot lifeless by police throughout an operation to dismantle a jihadist cell within the japanese city of Verviers.

2016 – Islamic State suicide bombers assault Brussels' Zaventem airport and Maalbeek metro station. 32 individuals are killed and greater than 300 injured.

2021 – Devastating floods have hit elements of Western Europe. Over 100 die in Germany and 22 in Belgium.

2023 – Brussels courtroom finds six males responsible of terrorist homicide greater than seven years after the suicide assaults.