One Flemish minister is campaigning for the elections in 2024 to be held in several other languages instead of only in Dutch – a move that has provoked criticism from Flemish nationalist parties.
Flemish Minister for Internal Administration Gwendolyn Rutten (Open VLD) has admitted to campaigning in French, English, German, and Arabic in the regional Parliament, much to the annoyance of the right-wing separatist N-VA and Vlaams Belang parties.
Rutten was questioned about her use of languages by Klaas Slootmans (Vlaams Belang) during a meeting of the internal administration committee. The focus of the question was the application of language laws in bilingual municipalities.
During the session, Nadia Sminate (N-VA) pressed Rutten on her multi-language campaign approach, eager to ascertain whether the campaign that aims for inclusivity is in line with the language laws that come with her role as Minister for Internal Administration.
This is a touchy issue, particularly in the province of Flemish Brabant, which borders on the multi-cultural Brussels.
Rutten defended herself by stating that in the past she campaigned "not just in French but also in English, German, and Arabic". She stressed her position: "If I have a message to communicate, I will do so in the language I choose. This is my right as a free citizen in this country."
But her statement incensed Slootmans: "I’m nearly falling off my chair," he said, going on to question "How can we expect French-speaking citizens to respect the language laws when our own Minister for Internal Administration, whose job it is to enforce these laws, has admitted doing and continuing to campaign in Arabic and other foreign languages?"
