88 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF FACTS. 



constituent body is similar to that which elects 

 deputies to the Chamber, except that the min- 

 imum age of electors is fixed at thirty years. 

 In 1895-96 the number of electors was 1,186,- 

 000, disposing of 1,92-4,000 votes. Senators 

 elected indirectly are chosen by the provincial 

 councils, two for each province with less than I 

 500,000 inhabitants ; three for each with a ' 

 population up to 1,000,000 ; and four for each 

 with over 1,000,000. No one, during two 

 years preceding the election, must have been a 

 member of the council appointing him. All 

 senators must be at least forty years of age, 

 and those elected directly must pay not less 

 than 1,200 francs in direct taxes, or own im- 

 movable property in Belgium yielding an in- 

 come of 12,000 francs. In provinces, how- 

 ever, where the number eligible for the Sen- 

 ate would be less than one in 5,000 of popula- 

 tion, the list is extended to this proportion by 

 admission of the most highly taxed. Sons of 

 the King, or failing these, Belgian princes of 

 the reigning branch of the Royal Family are 

 by right Senators at the age of eighteen, but 

 have no voice in the deliberations till the age 

 of twenty-five years. 



The members of the Chamber of Represen- 

 tatives are elected directly. Their number 

 is proportioned to the population, and cannot 

 exceed one for every 40,000 inhabitants. 

 They sit for four years, one half retiring 

 every two years, except that after a dissolu- 

 tion a general election takes place. Every 

 citizen over twenty-five years of age, dom- 

 iciled for not less than one year in the 

 same commune, and not legally disqualified, 

 has a vote. Every citizen over thirty-five 

 years of age, married or widower, with legiti- 

 mate issue, and paying at least 5 francs a year 

 in house tax, has a supplementary vote, as has 

 also every citizen over twenty-five years of age 

 owning immovable property to the value of 

 2,000 francs, or having a corresponding in- 

 come from such property, or who for two 

 years has derived at least 100 francs a year 

 from Belgian funds either directly or through 

 the Savings Bank. Two supplementary votes 

 are given to citizens over twenty-five years of 

 age who have received a diploma or certificate 

 of higher instruction, or who fill or have filled 

 offices or engaged in private professional prac- 

 tice, implying at least average higher instruc- 

 tion. No person has more than three votes ; 

 failure to vote is a misdemeanor, punishable 

 by law. There were in 1896-97, 1,401,951 

 electors possessing, in all, 2,141,041 votes. 

 Deputies must be not less than twenty-five 

 years of age, and resident in Belgium. Each 

 deputy has an annual indemnity of 4,000 

 francs (1GO/.), and a free pass over Govern- 



ment railways between his home and the place 

 of Session. 



The Senate and Chamber meet annually in 

 the. month of November, and must sit for at 

 least forty days ; but the King has the power 

 of convoking them on extraordinary occasions, 

 and of dissolving them either simultaneously 

 or separately. In the latter case a new elec- 

 tion must take place within forty days, and a 

 meeting of the Chambers within two months. 

 An adjournment cannot be made for a period 

 exceeding one month without the consent of 

 the Chambers. Money bills and bills relating 

 to the contingent for the army originate in the 

 Chamber of Representatives. 



The Executive Government. consists of eight 

 departments, under the following Ministers : 



President of tlte Cnnnril. 



Minister of Railways. 



Minister of War. 



Minister of Finance. 



^tinister of Foreign Affairs. 



Minister of Justice. 



Minister of Interior and Public Instruction. 



Minister of Agriculture ami I'i/b/ir Works. 



.1 finister of Industry <in<l Lafmr. 



Besides the above responsible heads of de- 

 partments, there are a number ot' Minis- 

 tres d'Etat, " without portfolio, who form a 

 Privy Council called together on special occa- 

 sion by the sovereign. The acting ministers. 

 as such, do not form part of the Privy Council. 



Local Government. The provinces and communes 

 (2,607 in 18%) of Belgium have a large amount of au- 

 tonomous government. The provincial and communal 

 electors are the same as those who elect the senators 

 directly. Communal electors must have been domiciled 

 at least three years in the commune, and :v supplemen- 

 tary vote is given to owners of real property yielding an 

 income of at least 150 francs. No one has more than 4 

 votes. In communes with over '..'O.ooo inhabitants there 

 are councilors elected directly, by single vote, by citizens 

 enrolled on the communal electoral lists, and i 

 in? the qualifications requisite for electors to the Coun- 

 cils of Industry and Labor.: half the councilors an- ap- 

 pointed by the workingmen electors, and half i>\ the 

 electors who are industrial heads idiefs <!' Industrie). 

 In communal elections vote by ballot is suppressed, ex 

 ceptwhen there is merely a single mandate to be con- 

 ferred. Candidates obtaining an absolute majority are 

 declared elected ; others have seats allocated in accord- 

 ance with the system of "Proportional Representa- 

 tion." In the year 1890-97 there were 1,198,206 provincial 

 and 1,124,276 communal electors. To be eligible to the 

 Provincial or Communal Council, persons must be 

 twenty-iive years of age and domiciled in the province 

 or commune. Half the Provincial Council is renewed 

 every four years, and it meets fifteen days each year. 

 There to a permanent deputation of six members elected, 

 which is presided over by the Governor of theprovtaoe 

 All provincial and communal interests, including local 

 linances, are under the care of the Council, as far a- 

 they arc not provided for in the general administration. 

 The Communal Councils are elected for eight years, halt 

 being renewed every four years. In each commune 

 there isa college composed of the. burgomaster, presi- 

 dent, and a certain number of aldermen, corresponding 

 to the permanent deputation of the Provincial Council, 

 and both are the organs of the central administration. 



Religion. The Roman Catholic religion is professed 

 bvnearlv the entire population of Belgium. The Pro- 

 testants' number only 10,000, while the Jews number 

 about 4,000. The State does not interfere in any way 



