With its powerful passport, cosmopolitan culture, and enviable expertise in confectionery, who wouldn't want to be Belgian? I'll wager that there are plenty reading this who harbour hopes of one day getting that official document and the rights it confers.
Not overlooking the country's peculiarities that resist reason, nor the disheartening climate, life on this small patch of Europe isn't without upsides, some the result of financial design and others down to a general jollity that exudes after hours from establishments ready to soothe spirits with appealing brews.
How many have come to Belgium for a limited contract and stay indefinitely? And how many more have found sanctuary here as their homeland is riven by internal division or external assault? Though staying here in the first place can be desperately complicated – a process deliberately blocked in many cases – the relative advantages of life here continue to attract newcomers.
This inevitably shows in the number of "new Belgians", those who not only have secured an initial foothold in the country but validate this with the formal stamp of citizenship. Their number is rising, with just shy of 55,000 claiming this status last year – an after-effect of high migration five years ago.
The high number doesn't yet match figures recorded at the start of the century, when the "Fast Belgian Act" relaxed criteria to access nationality and led to 62,000 new citizens in 2000. Since 2013, foreigners must again prove that they are integrated, notably through speaking one of the national languages – a condition that in some circumstances was relaxed.
All the same, demand for a Belgian passport remains high (more on that here) and many more will hope to add their name to future annual figures. Are you on track to becoming Belgian? Let @Orlando_tbt know.
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1. Racism and negationism: Van Langenhove sentenced to prison and fined
Dries Van Langenhove, the founder of the far-right movement Schild & Vrienden, has been sentenced to a one-year effective prison term for violations of the racism and negationism law. Read more.
2. Making it official: New Belgian nationals hit 20-year high
The number of people who were granted Belgian nationality in 2023 was at its highest since the peak in 2001 – when a new law was brought in to accelerate the procedure. Read more.
3. Several people taken to hospital after shooting in Forest
A shooting took place in the Brussels municipality of Forest on Tuesday night. One person was in critical condition, but this is no longer the case. Read more.
4. Blackface in Brussels: 'Noirauds' fundraising banned in Watermael-Boitsfort
The traditional 'Noirauds' charitable fundraiser in Watermael-Boitsfort has been banned due to allegations of racism, despite being given the green light in Brussels' 18 remaining communes. Read more.
5. Monument of Belgian sport: Registration for Brussels 20 km opens today
Belgium's biggest participative sporting event – the Brussels 20 km run – is returning at the end of May. Registration for the 44th edition of the event opens today (Wednesday 13 March). Read more.
6. Belgium's homeless sector goes on strike for first time in five years
Belgium's homeless sector ceased all work between 11:00 and 12:00 on Wednesday. The mobilisation – the sector's first in five years – aimed to highlight major challenges homeless services are facing and called for governmental officials to take urgent action. Read more.
7. Costs, offers and deeds: What to know when buying property in Belgium
Whether you were born Belgian or are making it your home, buying property can be a daunting process that has some specific protocols that differ from other countries. This guide outlines the key considerations for prospective buyers. Read more.
