Brussels is breaking out beyond its borders. This helps the rise of the right. – POLITICS

Knowledge of the Dutch language is key for this, says van den Broek. “The Dutch language is part of our DNA” as a Flemish people, he said.

Migration brings change

“Brussels has always been a multilingual city, as its center is located on the border between Romance and German-speaking territories,” explained VUB researcher Sais.

Waves of migration after the Second World War contributed to Belgium – and Brussels in particular – becoming more multicultural. The first two occurred when Belgium brought migrant workers from the Mediterranean and then from the Maghreb to work in the mines.

The third and most recent instance occurred when Brussels became the capital of the European Union. This attracted not only migrants from Eastern Europe, especially after the EU’s eastward enlargement, but also other emigrants. They sought work in the EU institutions and related non-governmental organizations, think tanks, consultancies – in other words, in the so-called Brussels bubble.

The study of languages ​​in the Belgian capital, which surveyed 2,500 households in Brussels, also reflects growing linguistic diversity, with the total number of languages ​​spoken rising from 72 in 2001 to 104 in 2024.

“Brussels is growing primarily through internationalization,” Sais said. “Currently 75 percent of people living in Brussels are of foreign origin.”