Anyone who wants to acquire our nationality must first pass a citizenship test

“We see the acquisition of nationality as the culmination of a successful integration process.” The N-VA is submitting a bill to introduce a citizenship test in the Belgian Nationality Code. “Where an integration programme is not compulsory for all foreign nationals, it will however be the case for the citizenship test as a condition for acquiring our nationality”.

The culmination of integration

The N-VA refers to similar practices abroad. “In the Netherlands, France and Germany, for example, a person must first take some kind of test or exam before he or she can acquire that country’s nationality. We therefore see the acquisition of nationality as the culmination of a successful integration process. Anyone who wants to acquire our nationality must first demonstrate through a test that he or she has a minimum knowledge of our society and its norms and values.”

Testing language and basic principles

Since integration is a community competence, the communities are free to determine the content of the citizenship test. “The test will, in any case, consist of two parts: the first is a language test, and the second is about the functioning and basic principles of our society. The latter may include questions about institutions, habits and customs. After all, that’s the way things are done in our neighbouring countries,” the N-VA adds. “After the abolition of the unfortunate law on fast-tracking the acquisition of Belgian nationality in 2012 under the impetus of the N-VA, we want to take this nationality exam one step further in strict but fair nationality legislation.”

In line with the Flemish integration programme

The N-VA emphasises that the proposed legislation is entirely in line with the Flemish trajectory. “In the Flemish coalition agreement, we have focused wholly on a new integration programme culminating in a language test and a social orientation test. Where an integration programme is not compulsory for all foreign nationals, it will however be the case for the citizenship test as a condition for acquiring our nationality.”