2017 in Belgium
Incumbents
Events
;January
- 17 January – Public outcry about Romanie Schotte, crowned Miss Belgium 3 days before, posting a Pile of Poo emoji in response to a racist comment about somebody in the background of one of her Instagram photos, many taking it to indicate agreement with the comment.{{cite web|url=http://www.lalibre.be/lifestyle/people/raciste-la-nouvelle-miss-belgique-romanie-schotte-se-defend-587df50ecd708a17d5691bdd|title=Raciste, la nouvelle miss Belgique? Romanie Schotte se défend|newspaper=La Libre Belgique|date=17 January 2017 |language=fr}}{{Cite news|title=Racisme: Miss Belgique 2017 au coeur d'une polémique |date=17 January 2017 |newspaper=Jeune Afrique |url=https://www.jeuneafrique.com/393323/societe/racisme-miss-belgique-2017-coeur-dune-polemique/ |language=fr}}{{cite web|url=http://www.demorgen.be/nieuws/betoging-tegen-miss-belgie-in-brusselse-straten-romanie-schotte-bevuilt-het-kroontje-b06c82b1/|title=Betoging tegen Miss België in Brusselse straten|newspaper=De Morgen|date=31 January 2017|language=nl}}
;February
- 14 February – Mayor of Mechelen, Bart Somers, wins world mayor of the year award,{{Cite news|title=Belgian mayor wins world prize for work on integrating immigrants|newspaper=The Guardian|date=16 February 2017|url=https://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2017/feb/16/belgian-mayor-wins-world-prize-for-work-on-integrating-immigrants|access-date=15 June 2017}} for his efforts to promote integration and prevent crime.[http://www.worldmayor.com/contest_2016/profile-mechelen-mayor.html World Mayor: Profile Mechelen Mayor Bart Somers], The World Mayor Project, 14 February 2017. Accessed 15 June 2017.
;May
- 24 May – Thousands demonstrate in Brussels to protest Donald Trump's presence for a NATO summit.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/24/donald-trump-not-welcome-demonstrators-take-to-the-streets-of-brussels|title='Trump not welcome': demonstrators take to the streets of Brussels|author=Daniel Boffey|date=24 May 2017|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=15 June 2017}}
- 25 May – Donald Trump addresses NATO summit in Brussels.{{Cite news|title=Trump rebukes Nato leaders for not paying defence bills|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/25/trump-rebukes-nato-leaders-for-not-paying-defence-bills|newspaper=The Guardian|author1=Daniel Boffey|author2=Jennifer Rankin|date=25 May 2017|access-date=15 June 2017}}
;June
- 20 June – June 2017 Brussels attack: after an explosion without casualties in Brussels Central Station, a suspect is shot dead by patrolling soldiers.{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/466d04b4b20049239e426c317e820b63/Suspect-shot-after-explosion-at-Brussels-train-station|title=Brussels train station blast being treated as terror attack|date=20 June 2017|work=Associated Press|access-date=27 June 2017}}
;August
- 25 August – August 2017 Brussels attack: two soldiers injured in a knife attack; Islamic State claims responsibility.{{cite news |title=Islamic State claims Brussels knife attack on soldiers |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/26/islamic-state-claims-brussels-knife-attack-soldiers/ |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=27 August 2017}}
;October
- 30 October – Carles Puigdemont and others facing rebellion charges for their role in the Catalan declaration of independence take refuge in Belgium.{{cite news|newspaper=The Guardian |date=31 October 2017 |title=Catalan leaders facing rebellion charges flee to Belgium |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/30/spanish-prosecutor-calls-for-rebellion-charges-against-catalan-leaders}}
;November
- 11 November – Rioting and looting in Brussels after celebrations of the Morocco national football team qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup turn violent;{{cite web|date=11 November 2017 |title=Incidents dans le centre de Bruxelles après la qualification du Maroc pour le Mondial |url=https://www.rtbf.be/info/belgique/detail_incidents-dans-le-centre-de-bruxelles-apres-la-qualification-du-maroc-pour-le-mondial?id=9760553 |website=RTBF |language=fr}} 23 injured, including 22 police officers.{{cite web|date=12 November 2017 |title=Emeutes à Bruxelles |url=https://www.rtbf.be/info/belgique/detail_emeutes-a-bruxelles-la-police-lance-un-appel-pour-recevoir-des-images-des-violences-de-samedi-soir?id=9761088 |website=RTBF |language=fr}}
Sports
;July
- 2 July – Stage 2 of the 104th Tour de France ends in Liège, with Marcel Kittel as winner.{{Cite news|title=Team Sky's Froome and Thomas suffer a spill before Kittel wins Tour stage two|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jul/02/marcel-kittel-wins-tour-de-france-stage-two-thomas-yellow-chris-froome-crash|date=2 July 2017|access-date=3 July 2017|newspaper=The Guardian}}
- 3 July – Stage 3 of the 104th Tour de France starts in Verviers.
Deaths
File:François Van der Elst.jpg]]
- 5 January – Luc Coene, economist (b. 1947).{{cite news|url=http://www.lesoir.be/1409723/article/economie/2017-01-06/luc-coene-ex-gouverneur-banque-nationale-belgique-est-decede|title=Luc Coene, ex-gouverneur de la Banque nationale de Belgique, est décédé|author= Xavier Counasse|date=6 January 2017|newspaper=Le Soir|language=fr|access-date=24 January 2017}}
- 11 January – François Van der Elst, footballer (b. 1954).{{Cite news |url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20170111_02668217 |title=Ex-international François 'Swat' Van der Elst overleden |newspaper=Het Nieuwsblad |date=11 January 2017 |access-date=24 January 2017 |language=nl}}
- 21 January – Marc Baecke, footballer (b. 1956).{{cite news|url=http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/14336/Waasland-Beveren/article/detail/3060813/2017/01/21/Marc-Baecke-60-overleden.dhtml |title=Marc Baecke (60) overleden|first=Michaël |last=Vergauwen |newspaper= Het Laatste Nieuws |language=nl |access-date=24 January 2017}}
- 1 February
- Étienne Tshisekedi, Congolese politician (b. 1932).{{Cite news|author=Aaron Ross|title=Congo's main opposition leader, Etienne Tshisekedi, dies|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-congo-tshisekedi-idUSKBN15G5D1|access-date=15 June 2017|work=Reuters|date=2 February 2017}}
- Antoon Verschoot, bugler (b. 1925).{{Cite web|url=http://www.lastpost.be/en/news/131/former-bugler-antoon-verschoot-dies-at-the-age-of-91|title=Former bugler Antoon Verschoot dies at the age of 91|date=February 2017 |publisher=Last Post Association|access-date=15 June 2017}}
- 8 February – Jan Vansina, historian and anthropologist (b. 1929).{{Cite web|url=http://history.wisc.edu/news_janvansina.htm|title=Jan Vansina (1929–2017)|publisher=University of Wisconsin–Madison|access-date=15 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170514070517/http://history.wisc.edu/news_janvansina.htm|archive-date=2017-05-14|url-status=dead}}
- 9 February – Serge Baguet, cyclist (b. 1969).{{Cite news|author=Frank Eeckhout |date=9 February 2017|url=http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/952/Wielrennen/article/detail/3076251/2017/02/09/Voormalig-Belgisch-kampioen-wielrennen-Serge-Baguet-47-overleden.dhtml|title=Voormalig Belgisch kampioen wielrennen Serge Baguet (47) overleden|language=nl|newspaper=Het Laatste Nieuws|access-date=15 June 2017}}
- 20 February – André Vlayen, cyclist (b. 1931).{{Cite news|url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20170220_02740808|title=Oud-wielrenner André Vlayen overleden tijdens fietstocht|newspaper=Het Nieuwsblad|language=nl|date=20 February 2017|access-date=15 June 2017}}
- 27 February – Marcel De Corte, footballer (b. 1929).{{Cite web|url=http://sporza.be/permalink/1.2904208|title=Ex-Anderlecht-aanvaller Marcel De Corte (87) overleden|publisher=Sporza|language=nl|date=27 February 2017|access-date=15 June 2017}}
- 2 March – Édouard Close, politician (b. 1929).{{Cite news |author=Michel Gretry|title=Edouard Close, ancien bourgmestre de Liège, est décédé |url=https://www.rtbf.be/info/regions/liege/detail_edouard-close-ancien-bourgmestre-de-liege-est-decede?id=9543749 |publisher=RTBF|date=2 March 2017|access-date=15 June 2017}}
- 6 March – Eddy Pauwels, cyclist (b. 1935).{{Cite web|url=http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2911150|title=Ex-geletruidrager Eddy Pauwels (81) overleden|publisher=Sporza|language=nl|date=7 March 2017|access-date=15 June 2017|archive-date=10 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170310115106/http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2911150|url-status=dead}}
- 12 March – Patrick Nève, racing driver (b. 1949).{{Cite news |url=https://www.rtbf.be/sport/moteurs/f1/detail_patrick-neve-ancien-pilote-belge-de-formule-1-est-decede?id=9553183 |title= Patrick Nève, ancien pilote belge de Formule 1, est décédé|date=13 March 2017 |access-date=15 June 2017 |publisher=RTBF}}
- 17 April – Nicolle Van Den Broeck, cyclist (b. 1946).{{Cite news|title=Nicole Van den Broeck, ancienne championne du monde de cyclisme sur route, est décédée|language=fr|publisher=RTBF|url=https://www.rtbf.be/sport/cyclisme/detail_nicole-van-den-broeck-ancienne-championne-du-monde-de-cyclisme-sur-route-est-decedee?id=9585524|date=20 April 2017|access-date=15 June 2017}}
- 30 April – Jean De Mesmaeker (Jidéhem), cartoonist (b. 1935).{{Cite web|title=Décès de Jidéhem, auteur belge de BD et pilier du journal "Spirou"|access-date=15 June 2017|url=http://www.lalibre.be/culture/livres-bd/deces-de-jidehem-auteur-belge-de-bd-et-pilier-du-journal-spirou-59089ae8cd702b5fbe55fbd6|date=2 May 2017|newspaper=La Libre Belgique|language=fr}}
- 15 May – Ulrich Libbrecht, philosopher (b. 1928).{{Cite news|url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20170516_02884971|title=Ereburger Ulrich Libbrecht overleden|author=Peter Malaise|date=17 May 2017|newspaper=Het Nieuwsblad|language=nl|access-date=15 June 2017}}
- 20 May – Emile Degelin, filmmaker (b. 1926).{{Cite news|url=http://m.rtl.be/info/919852|title=Le cinéaste Emile Degelin est décédé à Louvain|publisher=RTLInfo|language=fr|date=20 May 2017|access-date=15 June 2017|archive-date=3 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170603220828/http://m.rtl.be/info/919852|url-status=dead}}
- 24 May – Pierre Seron, cartoonist (b. 1942).{{Cite news|url=https://www.rtbf.be/info/medias/detail_les-petits-hommes-perdent-leur-createur?id=9616476|title=Les Petits Hommes perdent leur créateur|author=Jacques Schraûwen|publisher=RTBF|date=24 May 2017|access-date=15 June 2017|language=fr}}
- 1 June – Leon Lemmens, bishop (b. 1954).{{Cite news|url=http://m.gva.be/cnt/dmf20170602_02908976/hulpbisschop-leon-lemmens-overleden|title=Hulpbisschop Leon Lemmens overleden|newspaper=Gazet van Antwerpen|date=2 June 2017|access-date=15 June 2017}}
- 6 June – François Houtart, radical priest (b. 1925).{{Cite news|title=François Houtart, prêtre, sociologue et militant|date=6 June 2017|access-date=15 June 2017|url=http://www.lalibre.be/actu/belgique/francois-houtart-pretre-sociologue-et-militant-51b7331ce4b0de6db97574e1|newspaper=La Libre Belgique|language=fr}}
- 1 September – Annette Wademant, screenwriter (b. 1928)
- 7 December – Philippe Maystadt, politician (b. 1948).{{Cite news|url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20171207_03229987|title=Gewezen minister van Financiën overleden|newspaper=De Standaard}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Years in Belgium}}
{{Year in Europe|2017}}