National
Senate
- French: Sénat
- German: Senat
- Dutch: Senaat
Governs Belgium · Part of Federal Parliament of Belgium
Official website (senate.be) Report a problem with this page
Source: dekamer.be, checkedSenate in plain words
- What it can't do
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The Senate is not directly elected. Of its 60 members, 50 are appointed by community and regional parliaments and 10 are co-opted by those senators. It is fully competent only for constitutional revision, special-majority laws and a few other matters (Art. 77); on most laws the House of Representatives decides.
Who sits on it
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50 community senators
Elected
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10 Co-opted senators
Elected
Sourced · checked : show the source for each fact
Sources for who sits on it
- Community Senator dekamer.be · checked
- Co-opted Senator dekamer.be · checked
What it can do
- Revision of the Constitution and special-majority laws
The Senate is equally competent with the House for revising the Constitution, special-majority laws, institutions of the German-speaking Community and party financing (Constitution, Art. 77).
Sourced · checked : show the source for each fact
Sources for what it can do
- Revision of the Constitution and special-majority laws dekamer.be · checked
Sources
- dekamer.be · checked Belgian House of Representatives, The Belgian Constitution (English translation), March 2021, read 2026-10-12: Art. 36 (federal legislative power exercised jointly by the King, the House and the Senate), Art. 63 (150 representatives), Art. 67 (60 senators). For: Senate
- dekamer.be · checked Belgian House of Representatives, The Belgian Constitution (English translation), March 2021, read 2026-10-12: Art. 67, 77, 99, 115-117 for the statements in this text. For: What it can't do
- belgium.be · checked Official Dutch, French and German names of Belgian federal and regional bodies as used by their own institutions (Kamer/Chambre, Senaat/Sénat, regional parliaments); names from general knowledge of the official usage, not read page by page on 2026-10-12. official=false pending verification. For: Senate in French, Senate in German, Senate in Dutch
- dekamer.be · checked Belgian House of Representatives, The Belgian Constitution (English translation), March 2021, read 2026-10-12: article cited in each power description. For: Revision of the Constitution and special-majority laws
- dekamer.be · checked Belgian House of Representatives, The Belgian Constitution (English translation), March 2021, read 2026-10-12: Art. 63, 65, 67: number of seats, term and how members are chosen. For: Community Senator, Co-opted Senator
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