Constitutional Court (Belgium)

The Constitutional Court (Dutch: Grondwettelijk Hofⓘ; French: Cour constitutionelle; German: Verfassungsgerichtshof) plays a central role within the federal Belgian state.

The original name that had been given to the Court already says a lot about its mission, which is to supervise the observance of the constitutional division of powers between the federal state, the communities and the regions.

When the Court finds a breach of these articles, it will pronounce its decision inter partes, meaning the ruling has effect only between the parties of the specific case.

Such a judgement, however, has great moral value and will force the parliament which made the targeted law, decree or ordinance in question to amend it.

The list to fill a vacancy contains two candidates proposed alternately by the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate by a majority of at least two-thirds of the members present.

The Court is currently composed as follows: † denotes that judge served as President of his linguistic group An appeal to cancel a law, decree or ordinance may be submitted to the Court by the Council of Ministers, by the Government of a Community or Region of Belgium, by the Presidents of the Chamber of Representatives, Senate and the Community and Regional Parliaments, at the request of two thirds of its members, and by any person who can demonstrate an interest in the cancellation.

The party submitting the appeal can also request that the law, decree or ordinance in question be suspended pending a final ruling by the Court.