The Ministry of Defence (Dutch: Ministerie van Landsverdediging, French: Ministère de la Défense, German: Ministerium der Verteidigung), formerly called the Ministry of War and Ministry of National Defence, is the Belgian ministry responsible for national defence and the Belgian military. Belgium's ministry of defence is responsible to the Minister of Defence.

As a result of the Verhofstadt I Government's plans to modernise the federal administration, all other ministries were transformed into Federal Public Services (FPS), but in August 2007 there still was no Royal Order creating the FPS Defence, although that name is already in use on official websites. The Ministry of Defence is responsible to the Minister of Defence.

The Chief of Defence (CHOD) is the highest uniformed official in the Ministry of Defence. The CHOD is assisted in the exercise of his functions by a Vice-Chief of Defence (VCHOD) and a Secretary-General.

The Ministry of Defence is organised into multiple staff departments and directorates-general. The Armed Forces are subordinate to the Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS) Operations and Training, who heads the Staff Department for Operations and Training. He is assisted by two Deputy Assistant Chiefs of Staff (DACOS), one for Operations and Planning and one for Training and Support.

Another staff department is the Staff Department for Intelligence and Security, which is led by the ACOS Intelligence and Security. This staff department is also known as the General Intelligence and Security Service and is responsible for military intelligence and security.

Ministers of Defence

YearPhotoMinisterParty
1831Albert Goblet d'AlviellaLiberal
1831Charles d'Hane de SteenhuyzeLiberal
1831Amédée de FaillyLiberal
1831–1832Charles de BrouckèreLiberal
1832Félix de MerodeLiberal
1832–1836Louis Evain ?
1836–1840Jean-Pierre WillmarLiberal
1840–1842Gérard BuzenLiberal
1842–1843Henri de LiemLiberal
1843Léandre DesmaisièresLiberal
1843–1846Pierre DupontLiberal
1846Jules Joseph d'AnethanCatholic
1846–1847Albert PrisseCatholic
1847–1850Félix ChazalLiberal
1850–1851Mathieu BrialmontLiberal
1851–1855Victor AnoulLiberal
1855–1857Léonard Greindl ?
1857–1859Edouard BertenLiberal
1859–1866Félix ChazalLiberal
1866–1868Auguste GoethalsLiberal
1868–1870Bruno RenardNone (technical expert)
1870–1873Gustave Henri Louis GuillaumeNone (technical expert)
1873–1878Séraphin ThiebaultNone (technical expert)
1878–1879Bruno RenardNone (technical expert)
1879–1880Jean-Baptiste LiagreNone (technical expert)
1880–1884Guillaume GratryNone (technical expert)
1884–1893Charles PontusNone (technical expert)
1893–1896Jacques BrassineNone (technical expert)
1896–1899Jules VandenpeereboomCatholic
1899–1907Alexandre Cousebandt d'AlkemadeNone (technical expert)
1907–1912Joseph HellebautNone (technical expert)
1912Charles de BroquevilleCatholic
1912Victor MichelNone (technical expert)
1912–1917Charles de BroquevilleCatholic
1917–1918Armand De CeuninckNone (technical expert)
1918–1920Fulgence MassonLiberal
1920Paul-Emile JansonLiberal
1920–1923Albert DevèzeLiberal
1923–1925Pierre ForthommeLiberal
1925Albert HellebautNone (technical expert)
1925–1926Prosper KestensNone (technical expert)
1926Prosper PoulletCatholic
1926–1931Charles de BroquevilleCatholic
1931–1932Léon DensLiberal
1932Paul CrokaertCatholic
1932Georges TheunisCatholic
1932–1936Albert DevèzeLiberal
1936–1940Henri DenisNone (technical expert)
1940–1944Hubert PierlotCatholic
*1942Henri RolinPOB-BWP
1944–1945Fernand DemetsLiberal
1945–1946Léon MundeleerLiberal
1946–1949Raoul de FraiteurNone (technical expert)
1949–1950Albert DevèzeLiberal
1950Henri Moreau de MelenChristian Social Party
1950–1954Eugène De GreefNone (technical expert)
1954–1958Antoon SpinoyPSB-BSP
1958–1961Arthur GilsonChristian Social Party
1961–1965Paul-Willem SegersCVP
1965–1966Ludovic MoyersoenCVP
1966–1968Charles PoswickPLP
1968–1972Paul-Willem SegersCVP
1972–1979Paul Vanden BoeynantsPSC
1979–1980José DesmaretsPSC
1980Charles PoswickPRL
1980–1981Frank SwaelenCVP
1981–1985Alfred VrevenPVV
1985–1988François-Xavier de DonnéaPRL
1988–1992Guy CoëmePS
1992–1994Leo DelcroixCVP
1994–1995Karel PinxtenCVP
1995Melchior WatheletPSC
1995–1999Jean-Pol PonceletPSC

2000s

No. Portrait Name
(Born-Died)		 Term Political Party Government
Took office Left office Duration
1
André Flahaut
André Flahaut
(born 1955)		12 July 199921 December 20078 years, 162 daysPSVerhofstadt I–II
2
Pieter De Crem
Pieter De Crem
(born 1962)		21 December 200711 October 20146 years, 294 daysCD&VVerhofstadt III
Leterme I
Van Rompuy
Leterme II
Di Rupo
3
Steven Vandeput
Steven Vandeput
(born 1967)		11 October 201412 November 20184 years, 32 daysN-VAMichel I
4
Sander Loones
Sander Loones
(born 1979)		12 November 20189 December 201827 daysN-VAMichel I
5
Didier Reynders
Didier Reynders
(born 1958)		9 December 201830 November 2019356 daysMRMichel II
Wilmès I
6
Philippe Goffin
Philippe Goffin
(born 1967)		30 November 20191 October 2020306 daysMRWilmès I
Wilmès II
7
Ludivine Dedonder
Ludivine Dedonder
(born 1977)		1 October 2020Incumbent3 years, 104 days*PSDe Croo

* Incumbent's term duration last updated: 13 January 2024.

See also

References

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