At stake in this election:

• 40 seats in the Senate (Senaat / Senat)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: King ALBERT II *
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT
• Assembly: Belgium has a bicameral Parliament consisting of the Senate (Senaat / Senat) with 71 seats and the Chamber of Deputies (Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des Representants) with 150 seats.

* The monarchy is hereditary and constitutional.

Description of electoral system:

• The King is hereditary N/A.
• In the Senate (Senaat / Senat), 40 members are elected through a party-list proportional representation system to serve 4-year terms and 31 members are elected by indirect vote to serve 4-year terms. In the Chamber of Deputies (Volksvertegenwoordigers / Chambre des Representants) 150 members are elected through a party-list proportional representation system to serve 4-year terms.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Christian Democratic and Flemish (CDV) / New Flemish Alliance (NVA)*
  • Leader: Jo VANDEURZEN (CDV) and Bart DE WEVER (NVA)
  • Seats won in this Senate election: 9
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 6
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 30
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 22
• Party: Flemish Interest (VB)
  • Leader: Frank VANHECKE
  • Seats won in this Senate election: 5
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 5
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 17
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 18
• Party: Socialist Party Difference (SP.A) / Spirit
  • Leader: Johan Vande LANOTTE
  • Seats won in this Senate election: 4
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 7
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 14
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 23
• Party: Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) / Vivant (V)
  • Leader: Bart SOMERS
  • Seats won in this Senate election: 5
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 7
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 18
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 25
• Party: Socialist Party (PS)
  • Leader: Elio DI RUPO
  • Seats won in this Senate election: 4
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 6
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 20
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 25
• Party: Reformist Movement (MR)
  • Leader: Didier REYNDERS
  • Seats won in this Senate election: 6
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 5
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 23
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 24
• Party: Humanist Democratic Centre (CDH)
  • Leader: Joelle MILQUET
  • Seats won in this Senate election: 2
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 2
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 10
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 8

* (21 CDV and 1 NVA)

Last Parliamentary election:

• Elections to the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies were last held on 18 May 2003.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 10,392,226 (July 2007 est.)
• Registered Voters: 7,720,796 (June 2007 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 5,422,769 (2007)

·         Is Belgium a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Belgium ratified CEDAW: Yes (10 July 1985)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 55 (Chamber of Representatives); 23 (Senate) (following 2007 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 21 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Belgium a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Belgium ratified CRPD: Yes (2 July 2009)

·         Population with a disability: 1,558,833 (est.)