N-VA proposal for minimum knowledge of Dutch or French among social tenants rejected by Brussels majority

The coronavirus crisis has clearly revealed that many people living in Brussels do not speak Dutch or French and are therefore very difficult to reach. It is therefore our task to encourage and help these people to master at least one of the official languages of Brussels. That is why the Brussels N-VA has submitted a proposal for an ordinance to ensure that social housing tenants have at least a basic command of Dutch or French, as is also the case for social housing tenants in Flanders (for Dutch, that is).

Social isolation due to lack of knowledge of Dutch or French

“Not having a basic knowledge of Dutch or French causes many problems in terms of liveability and safety in the social housing complexes, problems that are due to the lack of communication between the social tenants and the landlord and between the social tenants themselves. After all, people of very different backgrounds often live together in social housing complexes, which means that there is a high risk that social tenants do not have a common language in which they can communicate with each other about basic matters. In such a context, some tenants also risk becoming socially isolated, and it does not help them to integrate or find a job,” Brussels MP Mathias Vanden Borre says.

A common language is the basis of society

The social housing complexes in Brussels, such as the Peterbos district in Anderlecht, often do not have a good reputation. It is therefore crucial for the liveability and safety of social housing complexes, as well as for local residents, that the social tenant properly understands his or her rights and obligations as a tenant and as a Brussels resident. “A common language is the foundation of a society, and the importance of mastering that language (or languages) to make communication possible is indispensable to that end,” Mathias Vanden Borre says. “It is therefore very unfortunate that my ordinance proposal was voted down by the majority in the committee. Apparently, this majority attaches no importance to the integration and emancipation of newcomers. The so-called proponents of ‘inclusion’ in reality create barriers that make a shared society impossible,” Mathias Vanden Borre concludes.