Editing Politics of Belgium (section)

====Federal government====
{{Main|Belgian federal government}}

The executive power is held by the [[prime minister]] and the [[Political minister|ministers]], who together form the Council of Ministers, and by the [[secretary of state#Belgium|secretaries of state]], each of whom is deputy to a minister and is part of the federal Government, but does not sit in the Council of Ministers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fed-parl.be/gwuk0006.htm#E11E6 |title=Constitution of Belgium - Article 104 |publisher=Fed-parl.be |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100403214530/http://www.fed-parl.be/gwuk0006.htm#E11E6 |archive-date=2010-04-03 }}</ref>

Members of the Federal Government, who are formally appointed by the King, are in fact drawn from the [[political party|political parties]] which form the government [[coalition government|coalition]].

The Federal Government must enjoy the confidence of the Chamber of Representatives.

The total number of ministers, excluding the prime minister, cannot exceed 15. Also, the number of Dutch- and French-speaking ministers must be equal, with the possible exception of the prime minister.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fed-parl.be/gwuk0006.htm#E11E6 |title=Constitution of Belgium - Article 99 |publisher=Fed-parl.be |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100403214530/http://www.fed-parl.be/gwuk0006.htm#E11E6 |archive-date=2010-04-03 }}</ref>

Ministers head executive departments of the government. The prime minister and his ministers administer the government and the various [[public services]] and the ministers must defend their policies and performance in person before the Chamber.