Changes

The remaining category, the 10 "co-opted" senators, are elected by the first two groups of senators. The princes and princesses of the royal line are also members of the Senate—currently Prince Phillippe, Prince Laurent, and Princess Astrid.  

The remaining category, the 10 "co-opted" senators, are elected by the first two groups of senators. The princes and princesses of the royal line are also members of the Senate—currently Prince Phillippe, Prince Laurent, and Princess Astrid.  

Several months before an election, the parties form a list of candidates for each district. Parties are allowed to place as many candidates on their "list" as there are seats available. The formation of the list is an internal process that varies with each party. The number of seats each party receives and where on a list a candidate is placed, or how many individual votes a candidate receives, determines whether a candidate is elected. Since no single party holds an absolute majority in Parliament, after each election the strongest party or "party family" will create a coalition with other parties to form the government. Voting is compulsory in Belgium; more than 90% of eligible voters participate.  Voters have five options when voting: 1) vote for a party list as a whole (thus agreeing with the party's ranking of candidates), 2) vote for one or more candidates regardless of list ranking, 3) vote for one or more "alternates" (substitute candidates), 4) vote for one or more candidates AND one or more alternates, or 5) vote invalid or blank so that no party or candidate is chosen.

Several months before an election, the parties form a list of candidates for each district. Parties are allowed to place as many candidates on their "list" as there are seats available. The formation of the list is an internal process that varies with each party. The number of seats each party receives and where on a list a candidate is placed, or how many individual votes a candidate receives, determines whether a candidate is elected. Since no single party holds an absolute majority in Parliament, after each election the strongest party or "party family" will create a coalition with other parties to form the government. Voting is compulsory in Belgium; more than 90% of eligible voters participate.  Voters have five options when voting: 1) vote for a party list as a whole (thus agreeing with the party's ranking of candidates), 2) vote for one or more candidates regardless of list ranking, 3) vote for one or more "alternates" (substitute candidates), 4) vote for one or more candidates AND one or more alternates, or 5) vote invalid or blank so that no party or candidate is chosen.

===Political Parties===

===Political Parties===

As mentioned above, there are no truly "national" parties representing all interests in the country: voters either vote for Flemish or Francophone (or minor German) parties depending on their region of residence, except in Brussels where voters can choose between Flemish or Francophone parties.

In Belgium, there are no "national" parties operating on both sides of the linguistic border. Consequently, elections are a contest among Flemish parties in Dutch-speaking Flanders and Francophone parties in Wallonia.<ref>The small German community, primarily located in the Constituency of Liege, also has its own set of minor parties; however, for national interests Liege is considered a Francophone region, and traditionally in national elections the German parties in Liege have run on a joint list with the respective Francophone party representing its political viewpoint.</ref>  Only in officially bilingual Brussels can voters choose from either Flemish or Francophone parties.<ref>Though rare, joint lists between Flemish and Francophone parties are permitted, most recently in the 2014 election, the Flemish and Francophone Green Parties ran a joint list in Brussels.</ref>

From the creation of the Belgian state in 1830 and throughout most of the 19th century, two political parties dominated Belgian politics: the Catholic Party and the Liberal Party. In the late 19th century the Socialist Party arose, representing the emerging industrial working class. These three groups still dominate Belgian governments, but they have evolved substantially in character and face new electoral challengers.  

There are three main groups of parties in Belgium: the Christian Democratic parties, the Liberal parties, and the Socialist parties, along with Green and Communist parties and other, minor ones. The parties share generally similar political views but maintain separate organizations for each linguistic group.

====The Christian Democratic Parties====

====The Christian Democratic Parties====

After World War II, the Catholic (subsequently Christian Democratic) Party severed its formal ties with the Church. It became a mass party of the center (more like a political party in the United States). In 1968, the Christian Democratic Party responded to linguistic tensions in the country by dividing into two independent parties, now known as the Center Democratic and Humanistic (CDH) in Francophone Wallonia and the Flemish Christian Democrats (CD&V) in Flanders. The two parties share similar policies but maintain separate organizations.  

After World War II, the Catholic (subsequently Christian Democratic) Party severed its formal ties with the Church. It became a mass party of the center (more like a political party in the United States). In 1968, the Christian Democratic Party responded to linguistic tensions in the country by dividing into two independent parties: Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V, English: Christian Democratic and Flemish) and Centre démocrate humaniste (cdH, English: Humanist Democratic Centre). The small, German-linguistic party in this grouping is Christlich-Soziale Partei (CSP, English: Christian Socialist Party), which works with cdH on the national level but has managed since 1994 to gain the sole European Parliament seat allocated to German-speaking Belgians.

 

====The Socialist Parties====

====The Socialist Parties====

The modern Belgian Socialist parties are labor-based parties. Despite the post-World War II dominance of the Christian Democrats, the Socialists headed several postwar governments. The Socialists also split along linguistic lines in 1978. The francophone Socialists dominate the cities and towns of Wallonia and Brussels. The Flemish Socialists' support is less concentrated.  

Despite the post-World War II dominance of the Christian Democrats, the Socialists headed several postwar governments. The Socialists also split along linguistic lines in 1978: Socialistische Partij Anders (SP.a, English: Socialist Party Differently) and Parti Socialiste (PS, English: Socialist Party).  PS has strong showings in the industrial towns of Wallonia, while SP.a has less regional concentration. The small, German-linguistic party in this grouping is Sozialistische Partei (SP, English: Socialist Party).

====The Liberal Parties====

====The Liberal Parties====

In modern times, the Liberal Parties in Belgium have chiefly appealed to business people, property owners, shopkeepers, and the self-employed.  The two current Liberal parties were formed in 1971, after the original all-Belgium Liberal Party split along linguistic lines. They are the Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) (Prime Minister Verhofstadt's party) in Flanders and the Reform Movement (MR) in Wallonia.

In modern times, the Liberal Parties in Belgium have chiefly appealed to business people, property owners, shopkeepers, and the self-employed.  The parties maintain a more conservative free market oriented economic ideology on economic issues and a non-interventionist ideology in social issues, as reflected in their strong support for gay marriage, homosexual adoption, and euthanasia, similar to the Libertarian Party of the United States.

The parties maintain a non-interventionist ideology in social issues, as reflected in their strong support for gay marriage, homosexual adoption, and euthanasia.  In

The two current Liberal parties were formed in 1971, after the original all-Belgium Liberal Party split along linguistic lines: Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten (VLD or Open VLD, English: Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats) and Mouvement Réformateur (MR, English: Reformist Movement), which is more of a federation than a party and includes the German-linguistic Partei für Freiheit und Fortschritt (PFF, English: Party for Freedom and Progress).

American terms, the Liberals' positions could be considered to reflect a more conservative free market oriented economic ideology and a liberal social one similar to the Libertarian Party of the United States.

====Greens====

====Greens====