List of prime ministers of Belgium

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The prime minister of Belgium (Dutch: Eerste minister van België; French: Premier ministre de 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.

Chiefs of government (1831–1918)[edit]

Political parties

  Independent
  Catholic Party
  Liberal Party

Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Election Term of office Political Party Cabinet Monarch of Belgium
(Reign)
Took office Left office Time in office Name Composition
1 Étienne Constantin de Gerlache
(1785–1871)
1830 27 February 1831 10 March 1831 11 days Independent (Confessional) De Gerlache None (Érasme-Louis as regent of Belgium)
2 Joseph Lebeau
(1794–1865)
10 March 1831 24 July 1831 136 days Independent (Liberal) Lebeau I
Leopold I

(1831–1865)
3 Félix de Muelenaere
(1793–1862)
1831 24 July 1831 20 October 1832 1 year, 88 days Independent (Confessional) De Mûelenaere
4 Albert Joseph Goblet d'Alviella
(1790–1873)
1833 20 October 1832 4 August 1834 1 year, 288 days Independent (Liberal) Goblet d'Alviella—
Rogier
5 Barthélémy de Theux de Meylandt
(1794–1874)
1835
1837
1839
4 August 1834 18 April 1840 5 years, 258 days Independent (Confessional) De Theux de Meylandt I
6 Joseph Lebeau
(1794–1865)
18 April 1840 13 April 1841 360 days Independent (Liberal) Lebeau II
7 Jean-Baptiste Nothomb
(1805–1881)
1841
1843
13 April 1841 30 July 1845 4 years, 108 days Nothomb
8 Sylvain Van de Weyer
(1802–1874)
1845 30 July 1845 31 March 1846 244 days Van de Weyer
9 Barthélémy de Theux de Meylandt
(1794–1874)
31 March 1846 12 August 1847 1 year, 134 days Independent (Confessional) De Theux de Meylandt II
10 Charles Rogier
(1800–1885)
1847
1848
1850
12 August 1847 31 October 1852 5 years, 80 days Liberal Party Rogier I Lib.
11 Henri de Brouckère
(1801–1891)
1852
1854
31 October 1852 30 March 1855 2 years, 150 days De Brouckère
12 Pierre de Decker
(1812–1891)
1855
1856
30 March 1855 9 November 1857 2 years, 224 days Independent (Confessional) De Decker Cath.Lib.
13 Charles Rogier
(1800–1885)
1857
1859
1861
1863
1864
1866
1867
9 November 1857 3 January 1868 10 years, 55 days Liberal Party Rogier II Lib.
Leopold II

(1865–1909)
14 Walthère Frère-Orban
(1812–1896)
1868 3 January 1868 2 July 1870 2 years, 180 days Frère-Orban I
15 Jules d'Anethan
(1803–1888)
Jun.1870
Aug.1870
2 July 1870 7 December 1871 1 year, 158 days Catholic Party D'Anethan Cath.
16 Barthélémy de Theux de Meylandt
(1794–1874)
1872
1874
7 December 1871 21 August 1874
(died in office)
2 years, 257 days Malou I
17 Jules Malou
(1810–1886)
1876 21 August 1874 19 June 1878 3 years, 302 days
18 Walthère Frère-Orban
(1812–1891)
1878
1880
1882
19 June 1878 16 June 1884 5 years, 363 days Liberal Party Frère-Orban II Lib.
19 Jules Malou
(1810–1886)
1884 16 June 1884 26 October 1884 132 days Catholic Party Malou II Cath.
20 Auguste Beernaert
(1829–1912)
1886
1888
1890
1892
26 October 1884 26 March 1894 9 years, 151 days Beernaert
21 Jules de Burlet
(1844–1897)
1894 26 March 1894 25 February 1896 1 year, 336 days De Burlet
22 Paul de Smet de Naeyer
(1843–1913)
1896
1898
25 February 1896 24 January 1899 2 years, 333 days De Smet de Naeyer I
23 Jules Vandenpeereboom
(1843–1917)
24 January 1899 5 August 1899 193 days Vandenpeereboom
24 Paul de Smet de Naeyer
(1843–1913)
1900
1902
1904
1906
5 August 1899 2 May 1907 7 years, 270 days De Smet de Naeyer II
25 Jules de Trooz
(1857–1907)
2 May 1907 31 December 1907
(died in office)
243 days De Trooz
26 Frans Schollaert
(1851–1917)
1908
1910
9 January 1908 17 June 1911 3 years, 159 days Schollaert
Albert I

(1909–1934)
27 Charles de Broqueville
(1860–1940)
1912
1914
17 June 1911 18 January 1916 6 years, 349 days De Broqueville I
(in exile, 1914–1918)
18 January 1916 1 June 1918 Cath.Lib.BWP/POB
28 Gérard Cooreman
(1852–1926)
1 June 1918 21 November 1918 173 days Cooreman

Timeline from 1831 to 1919[edit]

Gérard CooremanCharles de BroquevilleFrans SchollaertJules de TroozPaul de Smet de NaeyerJules VandenpeereboomPaul de Smet de NaeyerJules de BurletAuguste BeernaertJules MalouWalthère Frère-OrbanJules MalouBarthélémy de Theux de MeylandtJules d'AnethanWalthère Frère-OrbanCharles RogierPierre de DeckerHenri de BrouckèreCharles RogierBarthélémy de Theux de MeylandtSylvain Van de WeyerJean-Baptiste NothombJoseph LebeauBarthélémy de Theux de MeylandtAlbert Joseph Goblet d'AlviellaFélix de MuelenaereJoseph LebeauÉtienne Constantin de Gerlache

Prime ministers (1918–present)[edit]

Political parties
Christian Democrat

  Catholic Party
  Christian Social Party
  Christian Democratic and Flemish

Liberal

  Liberal Party
  Flemish Liberals and Democrats
  Reformist Movement

Socialist

  Belgian Labour Party
  Belgian Socialist Party
  Socialist Party

Portrait Name
(Born–Died)
Election Term of office Political Party Cabinet Monarch of Belgium
(Reign)
Took office Left office Time in office Name Composition
29 Léon Delacroix
(1867–1929)
21 November 1918 2 December 1919 1 year,

365 days

Catholic Party Delacroix I Cath.Lib.BWP/POB Albert I

(1909–1934)
1919 2 December 1919 20 November 1920 Delacroix II
30 Henry Carton de Wiart
(1869–1951)
20 November 1920 16 December 1921 1 year,

26 days

Carton de Wiart
31 Georges Theunis
(1873–1966)
1921 16 December 1921 13 May 1925 3 years,

148 days

Theunis I Cath.Lib.
32 Aloys Van de Vyvere
(1871–1961)
1925 13 May 1925 17 June 1925 35 days Van de Vyvere Cath.
33 Prosper Poullet
(1868–1937)
17 June 1925 20 May 1926 337 days Poullet—
Vandervelde
Cath.BWP/POB
34 Henri Jaspar
(1870–1939)
20 May 1926 22 November 1927 5 years,

17 days

Jaspar I Cath.Lib.BWP/POB
1929 22 November 1927 6 June 1931 Jaspar II Cath.Lib.
35 Jules Renkin
(1862–1934)
6 June 1931 22 October 1932 1 year,

138 days

Renkin
36 Charles de Broqueville
(1860–1940)
1932 22 October 1932 20 November 1934 2 years,

29 days

De Broqueville II
Leopold III

(1934–1951)
37 Georges Theunis
(1873–1966)
20 November 1934 25 March 1935 125 days Theunis II
38 Paul van Zeeland
(1893–1973)
25 March 1935 13 June 1936 2 years,

244 days

Van Zeeland I Cath.Lib.BWP/POB
1936 13 June 1936 24 November 1937 Van Zeeland II
39 Paul-Émile Janson
(1873–1944)
24 November 1937 15 May 1938 172 days Liberal Party Janson
40 Paul-Henri Spaak
(1899–1972)
15 May 1938 22 February 1939 283 days Belgian Labour Party Spaak I
41 Hubert Pierlot
(1883–1963)
1939 22 February 1939 16 April 1939 5 years,

356 days

Catholic Party Pierlot I Cath.Lib.BSP/PSB
16 April 1939 3 September 1939 Pierlot II Cath.Lib.
3 September 1939 28 May 1940 Pierlot III Cath.Lib.BSP/PSB
28 May 1940 27 September 1944 Pierlot IV
(in exile)
27 September 1944 12 December 1944 Pierlot V Cath.Lib.BSP/PSBKPB-PCB
12 December 1944 12 February 1945 Pierlot VI Cath.Lib.BSP/PSB
42 Achille Van Acker
(1898–1975)
12 February 1945 2 August 1945 1 year,

29 days

Belgian Socialist Party Van Acker I BSP/PSBCath.Lib.
2 August 1945 13 March 1946 Van Acker II BSP/PSBBDU/UDBLib.KPB-PCB
43 Paul-Henri Spaak
(1899–1972)
1946 13 March 1946 31 March 1946 18 days Spaak II BSP/PSBPSC/CVP
44 Achille Van Acker
(1898–1975)
31 March 1946 3 August 1946 125 days Van Acker III BSP/PSBLP/PLKPB-PCB
45 Camille Huysmans
(1871–1968)
3 August 1946 20 March 1947 229 days Huysmans
46 Paul-Henri Spaak
(1899–1972)
20 March 1947 27 November 1948 2 years,

144 days

Spaak III BSP/PSBPSC/CVP
27 November 1948 11 August 1949 Spaak IV
47 Gaston Eyskens
(1905–1988)
1949 11 August 1949 8 June 1950 301 days Christian Social Party G.Eyskens I PSC/CVPLP/PL
48 Jean Duvieusart
(1900–1977)
1950 8 June 1950 16 August 1950 69 days Duvieusart PSC/CVP
49 Joseph Pholien
(1884–1968)
16 August 1950 15 January 1952 1 year,

152 days

Pholien
Baudouin

(1951–1993)
50 Jean Van Houtte
(1907–1991)
15 January 1952 23 April 1954 2 years,

98 days

Van Houtte
51 Achille Van Acker
(1898–1975)
1954 23 April 1954 26 June 1958 4 years,

64 days

Belgian Socialist Party Van Acker IV BSP/PSBLP/PL
52 Gaston Eyskens
(1905–1988)
1958 26 June 1958 6 November 1958 2 years, 303 days Christian Social Party G.Eyskens II PSC/CVP
6 November 1958 3 September 1960 G.Eyskens III PSC/CVPLP/PL
3 September 1960 25 April 1961 G.Eyskens IV
53 Théo Lefèvre
(1914–1973)
1961 25 April 1961 28 July 1965 4 years,

94 days

Lefèvre PSC/CVPBSP/PSB
54 Pierre Harmel
(1911–2009)
1965 28 July 1965 19 March 1966 234 days Harmel
55 Paul Vanden Boeynants
(1919–2001)
19 March 1966 17 July 1968 2 years,

120 days

Vanden Boeynants I PSC/CVPPVV/PLP
56 Gaston Eyskens
(1905–1988)
1968 17 July 1968 20 January 1972 4 years,

193 days

Christian People's Party (CVP) G.Eyskens V CVP/PSCBSP/PSB
1971 20 January 1972 26 January 1973 G.Eyskens VI
57 Edmond Leburton
(1915–1997)
26 January 1973 23 October 1973 1 year,

89 days

Belgian Socialist Party Leburton I BSP/PSBCVP/PSCPVV/PLP
23 October 1973 25 April 1974 Leburton II BSP/PSBCVP/PSC
58 Leo Tindemans
(1922–2014)
1974 25 April 1974 3 June 1977 4 years,

178 days

Christian People's Party (CVP) Tindemans I CVP/PSCPVV/PLP
1977 3 June 1977 20 October 1978 Tindemans II CVP/PSCSP/PSVU/FDF
59 Paul Vanden Boeynants
(1919–2001)
20 October 1978 3 April 1979 165 days Christian Social Party (PSC) Vanden Boeynants II
60 Wilfried Martens
(1936–2013)
1978 3 April 1979 23 January 1980 1 year,

362 days

Christian People's Party (CVP) Martens I
23 January 1980 18 May 1980 Martens II CVP/PSCSP/PS
18 May 1980 22 October 1980 Martens III CVP/PSCSP/PSPVV/PRL
22 October 1980 31 March 1981 Martens IV CVP/PSCSP/PS
61 Mark Eyskens
(born 1933)
31 March 1981 17 December 1981 261 days M.Eyskens
62 Wilfried Martens
(1936–2013)
1981 17 December 1981 28 November 1985 10 years, 81 days Martens V CVP/PSC-PVV/PRL
1985 28 November 1985 21 October 1987 Martens VI
1987 21 October 1987 9 May 1988 Martens VII
9 May 1988 29 September 1991 Martens VIII CVP/PSCSP/PSVU/FDF
1991 29 September 1991 7 March 1992 Martens IX CVP/PSCSP/PS
63 Jean-Luc Dehaene
(1940–2014)
7 March 1992 21 May 1995 7 years, 127 days Dehaene I
Albert II

(1993–2013)
1995 21 May 1995 12 July 1999 Dehaene II
64 Guy Verhofstadt
(born 1953)
1999 12 July 1999 12 July 2003 8 years, 252 days Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) Verhofstadt I VLD/PRLSP.A/PSAgalev/Ecolo
2003 12 July 2003 21 December 2007 Verhofstadt II VLD/MRSP.A/PS
2007 21 December 2007 20 March 2008 Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD) Verhofstadt III Open VLD/MRCD&V/CDHPS
65 Yves Leterme
(born 1960)
20 March 2008 30 December 2008 285 days Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V) Leterme I CD&V/CDHPSOpen Vld/MR
66 Herman Van Rompuy
(born 1947)
30 December 2008 25 November 2009 330 days Van Rompuy CD&V/CDHOpen Vld/MRPS
67 Yves Leterme
(born 1960)
25 November 2009 6 December 2011 2 years, 11 days Leterme II
68 Elio Di Rupo
(born 1951)
2010 6 December 2011 11 October 2014 2 years, 309 days Socialist Party (PS) Di Rupo SP.A/PSCD&V/CDHOpen Vld/MR
Philippe

(2013–present)
69 Charles Michel
(born 1975)
2014 11 October 2014 21 December 2018 5 years, 16 days Reformist Movement (MR) Michel I Open Vld/MRN-VACD&V
21 December 2018 27 October 2019 Michel II Open Vld/MRCD&V
70 Sophie Wilmès
(born 1975)
27 October 2019 17 March 2020 340 days Wilmès I
2019 17 March 2020 1 October 2020 Wilmès II
71 Alexander De Croo
(born 1975)
1 October 2020 Incumbent 3 years, 179 days Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD) De Croo Open Vld/MRSP.A/PSGroen/EcoloCD&V

Timeline since 1918[edit]

Alexander De CrooSophie WilmèsCharles MichelDi Rupo I GovernmentLeterme II GovernmentVan Rompuy I GovernmentLeterme I GovernmentGuy VerhofstadtJean-Luc DehaeneWilfried MartensMark EyskensWilfried MartensPaul Vanden BoeynantsLeo TindemansEdmond LeburtonGaston EyskensPaul Vanden BoeynantsPierre HarmelThéo LefèvreGaston EyskensAchille Van AckerJean Van HoutteJoseph PholienJean DuvieusartGaston EyskensPaul-Henri SpaakCamille HuysmansAchille Van AckerPaul-Henri SpaakAchille Van AckerHubert PierlotPaul-Henri SpaakPaul-Émile JansonPaul Van ZeelandGeorge TheunisCharles de BroquevilleJules RenkinHenri JasparProsper PoulletAloys Van de VyvereGeorges TheunisHenry Carton de WiartLéon Delacroix

See also[edit]