Prime Minister of Belgium
| Prime Minister of Belgium Eerste Minister van België Premier Ministre de Belgique Premierminister von Belgien Premier |
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State Ensign
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| Executive branch of the Belgian Federal Government |
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| Member of |
Belgian Federal Cabinet European Council |
| Residence | Number 16, Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat |
| Appointer | Monarch of Belgium |
| Term length | No term limit |
| Inaugural holder |
Étienne de Gerlache (as Chief of Government) Léon Delacroix (as Prime Minister) |
| Formation | 26 February 1831 |
| Website | premier.fgov.be |
The Prime Minister of Belgium (Dutch: Eerste minister van België; French: Premier ministre de la Belgique; German: Premierminister von Belgien) or the Premier of Belgium is the head of the federal government in the Kingdom of Belgium.
Although Leaders of Government (French: Chefs de Cabinet) had been appointed since the independence of the country, until 1918 the King often presided over the Council of Ministers, so the modern era of the "Premiership" started after World War I with Léon Delacroix. The political importance of the King of the Belgians has decreased over time, whereas the position of Prime Minister has gradually become more important.
Since the independence of Belgium in 1830, governments have been designated with the name of the minister who formed the government as formateur, but that position did not have a specific status. Originally, from 1831 the King of the Belgians presided over the Council of Ministers, but when he was absent, the presidency was taken by the chef de cabinet (Head of Cabinet), usually the oldest or most influential minister. This position gradually became more prominent, and the minister with this title then soon acquired the competency to present the King with the proposed allocation of the various ministerial departments among the ministers.
The title of Prime Minister or Premier was used for the first time in 1918 in official documents and it is at this time that the position was assigned to its own cabinet. Only in 1970 the title was incorporated in the Belgian Constitution with the first state reform. Gradually, the Head of Cabinet replaced the King more often during the first half of the twentieth century, and as such gained importance within government. Nevertheless, given his newly acquired prominence, as a member of the cabinet the Head of Cabinet continued to lead a ministerial department.
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