2004 in Belgium

This article details events occurring in the year 2004 in Belgium. Major events include a gas explosion in Ghislenghien, which killed 24 people, and the restructuring of the Vlaams Blok political party.

Incumbents

 * Monarch: Albert II
 * Prime Minister: Guy Verhofstadt

Events

 * 1 March – Marc Dutroux brought to trial.
 * 22 March – Marc Dutroux sentenced to life imprisonment.
 * 24 April – Sporting Anderlecht wins the Belgian First Division
 * 30 July – Gas explosion in Ghislenghien, Hainaut, causes 24 deaths.
 * 21 August – Justine Henin wins the Olympic final against French tennis player Amélie Mauresmo, earning the gold medal
 * 29 August – Kimi Räikkönen wins the 2004 Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
 * 25 October – Patrick Hoogmartens succeeds Paul Schruers as Bishop of Hasselt
 * 14 November – Flemish political party Vlaams Blok dissolves and rebrands as Vlaams Belang.
 * 26 December – 12 Belgians are among the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Publications

 * Xavier Mabille, Histoire politique de la Belgique: Facteurs et acteurs de changement (Brussels, C.R.I.S.P.).

Art and architecture

 * Buildings
 * Ethias Arena opens in Hasselt
 * North Galaxy Towers in Brussels completed (begun 2002)

Births

 * 6 January – Roméo Lavia, footballer
 * 6 February – Princess Louise of Belgium
 * 2 March – Evy Poppe, snowboarder
 * 13 October – Ben Mertens, snooker player

Deaths

 * January
 * 1 January – Jean-Pierre Hallet, anthropologist and human rights activist.
 * 7 January – Leonce-Albert Van Peteghem, bishop
 * 28 January – André Van Lysebeth, yoga instructor


 * February
 * 2 February – Arthur Gilson, politician
 * 7 February – Leopold Maertens
 * 9 February – Mechtilde van Mechelen, actress
 * 11 February – Ugo Prinsen, actor
 * 13 February – Jan De Laender, psychologist and journalist
 * 21 February – John Taylor, politician


 * March
 * 13 March – Roger Nols, mayor
 * 14 March – Petrus Weemaels, composer
 * 17 March – Jan Van Der Auwera, soccer player


 * April
 * 2 April – Guillaume Marie van Zuylen, bishop
 * 4 April – Briek Schotte, cyclist
 * 5 April – Fernand Goyvaerts, soccer player


 * May
 * 3 May – Marc Mortier, entrepreneur
 * 5 May – Marc Scheers, TV producer
 * 16 May – Omer Grawet, journalist and news reporter
 * 18 May – Rik Hamblok, abstract painter
 * 26 May – Frans Buyens, film and TV-director


 * June
 * 7 June – Karel Biddeloo comic book creator
 * 15 June
 * Maurits Sabbe, priest and theologian
 * Denise Zimmerman, actress
 * 20 June – Stive Vermaut, cyclist


 * July
 * 3 July – Freddy de Vree, poet
 * 8 July – Emile Brichard, cyclist
 * 27 July – Léon Hurez, politician


 * August
 * 2 August – François Craenhals, comic book writer
 * 10 August – Remi Piryns
 * 31 August — Jean-Marie Ghuysen, chemist


 * September
 * 5 September – Cecil de Strycker, economist and banker
 * 9 September – Hein Beniest, film director
 * 16 September – Cyrillus-Camillus Barbary, First World War veteran
 * 26 September – Tim Pauwels, cyclist
 * 30 September – Fernand Terby conductor