The Francophone liberals’ lead candidate in Brussels, David Leisterh (MR), says it is unacceptable that many civil servants at public services in Brussels do not speak Dutch. "It is required by law, but in practice too few people at counters or in the office can speak Dutch. That is why I want an extra incentive to encourage civil servants to follow Dutch classes and more Dutch lessons at school."
Mr Leisterh is mentioned as a future first minister of the Brussels region. The French-speaking Liberals of MR are in the lead among Francophones in the polls for the Brussels region.
David Leisterh moved to Watermaal-Bosvoorde (Brussels) from Wallonia 20 years ago.
"At the time, I couldn't speak a word of Dutch. But love taught me Dutch, my wife is Flemish. So I am immersed in Flemish culture every day. I would dare to recommend it to our party leader Georges-Louis Bouchez, but he already has a Walloon girlfriend,’ Leisterh laughs.
MR in the lead in Brussels
If the French-speaking liberals can live up to expectations in the Brussels regional elections, the MR could lead the capital region government after the Francophone socialists supplied the Brussels first minister during the past 20 years. Brussels journalist Lucas Vandertaelen believes that Mr Leisterh is in with a chance.
"He can bring a new wind to Brussels. The previous government was not very decisive. The Francophone socialist PS almost exclusively targets the Muslim community in Brussels. That could cost them dearly. It clashes with some socialist values and produces bad polls. PS lead candidate Ahmed Laaouej does not speak a word of Dutch and is invisible in the campaign. Leisterh wants to focus more on security and dares to talk about merging and centralising police and municipal administrations."
Encouraging Dutch
"I am a big supporter of bilingual immersion schools like the ones that already exist in my municipality and in Walloon Brabant. Bilingualism really is an asset, it's an extra diploma, especially in Brussels,’ Mr Leisterh says.
"I admit that in Brussels we are far from the legally required bilingualism (in the civil service and in services). That's why we should put more effort into Dutch-language education and encourage people working for the municipality or the region to learn more Dutch. That happens too little now. Maybe a financial push, a bonus incentive, would help."
No Dutch
Only yesterday politician Jan Wostyn of the new ultra-liberal Voor U party let it be known that he could not be helped in Dutch at 10 out of 14 Brussels municipalities. "I was surprised that it was so bad. They could only speak French and asked me why I was being difficult. I had to take all our Voor U candidate lists to municipal offices across Brussels and so I immediately did the test with a bailiff present. We want a minister for Dutch in Brussels."
More Flemings in Brussels
The number of Dutch-speakers in the Brussels region has been stable for a few years now and is even increasing somewhat. Based on the language choice made when applying for an identity card, it appears that the number of Dutch-speakers is increasing in the City of Brussels, Vorst and Elsene. In Anderlecht, Evere, Sint-Agatha-Berchem and Ganshoren, the number of Dutch speakers is decreasing. These are Brussels municipalities that historically have shown the greatest resistance to Frenchification. But the original Flemish inhabitants of Brussels are getting old and are literally dying out in those municipalities. In the City of Brussels, on the other hand, young Flemish people are moving in.