At stake in this election:

• 71 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.

Description of electoral system:

• The King is hereditary N/A.
• In the Senate (Senaat / Senat), 40 members are elected by direct popular vote 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 by popular vote via proportional representation to serve 4-year terms.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Flemish Liberal Democrats (VLD)
  Leader: Karel DE GUCHT
  Seats won in this Senate election: 7
  Seats won in last Senate election: 6
• Party: Christian Democrats and Flemish (CD&V)*
  Leader: Stefaan DE CLERCK
  Seats won in this Senate election: 6
  Seats won in last Senate election: 6
• Party: Socialist Party - Walloon (PS)
  Leader: Elio DI RUPO
  Seats won in this Senate election: 6
  Seats won in last Senate election: 4
• Party: Reform Movement (MR)*
  Leader: Daniel DUCARME
  Seats won in this Senate election: 5
  Seats won in last Senate election: 5
• Party: Social Progressive Alternative Party (SPA)**
  Leader: Steve STEVAERT
  Seats won in this Senate election: 7
  Seats won in last Senate election: 4
• Bloc: Flemish Block (VL-BLOK)
  Leader: Frank VANHECKE
  Seats won in this Senate election: 5
  Seats won in last Senate election: 4
• Party: Democratic and Humanist Center (CDH)***
  Leader: Joelle MILQUET
  Seats won in this Senate election: 2
  Seats won in last Senate election: 3
• Party: The Greens/Ecologist (Francophone) (ECOLO)
  Seats won in this Senate election: 1
  Seats won in last Senate election: 3
• Party: New Flemish Alliance (N-VA)
  Leader: Geert BOURGEOIS
  Seats won in this Senate election: 0
  Seats won in last Senate election: 2
• Party: Ecologist (Flemish) (AGALEV)
  Leader: Jos GEYSELS
  Seats won in this Senate election: 0
  Seats won in last Senate election: 3
• Party: VIVANT
  Seats won in this Senate election: N/A
  Seats won in last Senate election: N/A
• Other Parties
  Seats won in this Senate election: 1

* Formerly the Flemish Christian People's Party.

** Also translated as "Socialist Party Different". Formed an electoral coalition with the Spirit Party.

** Formerly the Christian Social Party.

Last parliamentary election:

• The last election to the Chamber of Deputies was held on June 13, 1999.

Population and voter registration:

• Population: 10,318,000 (2003 est.)
• Registered Voters: 7,570,637 (2003)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 5,299,665 (2003)

·         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: 53 (Chamber of Representatives); 22 (Senate) (following 2003 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 21

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

Disability Data:

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

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

·         Population with a disability: 1,547,700 (est.)