By Justin Stares, publicserviceeurope.com, 16 Augustus 2011
Dutch-speaking politicians are struggling to accept that Brussels is no longer bilingual, but Belgium is unlikely to be able to divide into two countries until they do
No-one knows how many Dutch-speakers live in Brussels or how many French-speakers. Language is such a touchy subject in Belgium's bilingual capital that since 1961, when linguistic censuses were abolished, it has been forbidden to ask who speaks what at home. The tiniest indication of demographic change among the city's million-strong inhabitants is used as ammunition in the bitter feud between the two sides: the Dutch-speaking Flemings of Belgium's northern half and French-speaking Wallonia in the south. French-language media has, therefore, jumped on the latest titbit. According to the former state-owned telephony provider Belgacom, only 7 per cent of Brussels residents choose to receive their bills in Dutch. Read more...