Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/740

 688 BELGIUM.

(ROTATJME DE BeLGIQUE.)

Reigning King.

Albert? born April 8, 1875, son of the late Prince Philippe de Saxe- Cobnrg and Gotha and of Flanders (died November 17, 1905), and of the late Princess Marie de Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (died Nov. 27, 1912) ; married Oct. 2, 1900, to Princess Elizabeth of Bavaria ; succeeded his uncle Leopold II., Dec. 17, 1909.

Children of the King. — (1) Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant, born Nov. 3, 1901. (2) Prince Charles, Count of Flanders, born Oct. 10, 1903. (3) Princess Marie-Jose", born Aug. 4, 1906.

Sisters of the King. — (1) Princess Henriette, born Nov. 30, 1870; married Feb. 12, 1896, to Prince Emmanuel of Orleans, Duke of Vendome. (2) Princess Josephine, born Oct. 18, 1872 ; married May 28, 1904, to Prince Charles of Hohenzollern.

Aunt of the King. — Princess Charlotte, sister of Leopold II., born June 7, 1840 ; married July 27, 1857, to Archduke Maximilian of Austria, elected Emperor of Mexico July 10, 1863 ; widow June 19, 1867.

King Albert has a civil list of 3,300,000 francs.

The Kingdom of Belgium formed itself into an independent State in 1830, having from 1815 been a part of the Netherlands. The secession was decreed on October 4, 1830, by a Provisional Government, established in consequence of a revolution which broke out at Brussels, on August 25, 1830. A National Congress elected Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg King of the Belgians on June 4, 1831 ; he ascended the throne July 21, 1831. On his death in 1865 he was succeeded by his son, Leopold II., who reigned until 1909.

By the Treaty of London, Nov. 15, 1831, the neutrality of Belgium was guaranteed by Austria, Russia, Great Britain and Prussia. It was not until after the signing of the Treaty of London, April 19, 1839, which established peace between King Leopold I. and the King of the Netherlands, that all the States of Europe recognised the Kingdom of Belgium. In the Treaty of Versailles it is stated that as the treaties of 1839 'no longer conform to the requirements of the situation,' these are abrogated and will be replaced by other treaties.

Constitution and Government.

According to the Constitution of 1831 Belgium is 'a constitutional, representative, and hereditary monarchy.' The legislative power is vested in the King, the Senate, and the Chamber of Representatives. The rojwl succession is in the direct male line in the order of primogeniture. By marriage without the King's consent, however, the right of succession is forfeited, but may be restored by the King with the consent of the two Chambers. No act of the King can have effect unless countersigned by one of his Ministers, who thus becomes responsible for it. The King convokes, prorogues, and dissolves the Chambers. In default of male heirs, the King may nominate his successor with the consent of the Chambers. If the successor be under eighteen years of age, the two Chambers meet together for the purpose of nominating a regent during the minority.

Those sections of the Belgian Constitution which regulate the organisa- tion of the legislative power are now under revision (May, 1921) ; the infor- mation which follows therefore refers to a system which both in regard to