Jacqueline Galant was the guest of 7:50 am on Bel RTL this Friday. The mayor of Jurbise, also a Walloon deputy and of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, was questioned in particular regarding the CD&V bill. The Flemish Social Democratic Party proposes making obtaining Belgian nationality conditional on passing a “nationality examination”. ” “This test should not be a hammer to hit people with. But applicants must be able to demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge of Belgium, such as knowing what the Atomium is“said the MP behind the proposal, Franky Demon.
The interview with the elected member of the Reform Movement (MR) ended with a small mix of brushes. After explaining that it was important that foreigners who apply for Belgian nationality know our history and our values, the deputy mayor might not answer this question correctly: what is July 21, our national holiday?
Antonio Solimando: Should foreigners who apply for Belgian nationality take a citizenship test?
Jacqueline Galant: I sincerely think that politics, at least in Wallonia, has missed the integration train, here especially in Wallonia. I had a speech, more or less in 2010, where I said that there was this failure of integration, where when I came from Jurbise and I did not come to the federal parliament, and today I sit in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (note: located in Brussels), I take the same path and I realize that integration is really a failure. I am somewhat reassured because the president of Vooruit has the same speech as me. Unfortunately, the situation has not changed. So yes, for me it is a failure.
Antonio Solimando: What is your problem exactly? So we understand well. It’s what? Compared to Conner Rousseau’s statements on Molenbeek, right? (Editor’s note: the president of the Flemish socialists had said that he did not feel in Belgium in the municipality).
Jacqueline Galant: Yes, for example me when I go out to Anderlecht, there are whole neighborhoods where I have the impression that ghettos have been created. They are all together, from foreign communities, we no longer see this mix. We see signs, for example, only in Arabic in complete neighborhoods. Personally, I don’t find it normal in Brussels to have this welcome in certain districts. We really have to continue, particularly in Wallonia, to work on the integration process, which is not a perfect success. For example, people who come to settle in Belgium via family reunification, but are not targeted by the integration process. So, ultimately, they always stay to themselves. And learning one of the national languages of our country is really very important to me.
Antonio Solimando: This is one of the criteria for obtaining Belgian nationality. I come back to the beginning since I asked the question regarding the test for people who apply for Belgian nationality. You have expanded to other types of citizens. What would be the use of this test before obtaining Belgian nationality?
Jacqueline Galant: It is important that people who choose to come and settle in Belgium integrate, whether it is the language…
Antonio Solimando: The language is already in the criteria for obtaining nationality.
Jacqueline Galant: Yes, but this is not always respected. We realize, through family reunification, they are not targeted by the integration process, so they do not have language lessons. That means that today there are many communities, families who have settled in Belgium, who bring foreigners back home, there is no such integration process. So in the end they never learn French, Dutch or German.
Antonio Solimando: For example, are Belgians asked what is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant or what is July 21? Aren’t we asking foreigners to be more Belgian than the Belgians themselves?
Jacqueline Galant: I find that when you come to settle in a country, you have to know its culture, its history. So it’s completely normal. But we here, Belgians, we have our education, our teaching, which allows us precisely to have all this knowledge. So it’s normal for a person who comes from abroad, to integrate, to know our history, our values… Flanders is much further away than Wallonia.
Antonio Solimando: We had a Prime Minister who sang the Marseillaise instead of the Brabançonne on July 21 anyway (note: reference to a report by Christophe Deborsu for RTBF made on July 21, 2007, where he asks Yves Leterme, of the CD&V party, to sing the Belgian anthem).
Jacqueline Galant: Your comparison, I find, is not right. This is a very bad example.
Antonio Solimando: Do you know what July 21 is? What historical event?
Jacqueline Galant: Absolutely. And I was president of the naturalization commission…
Antonio Solimando: You didn’t tell me what it was.
Jacqueline Galant: No, but I’m answering you in relation to the naturalization commission, where I was president, it was really a commission where I saw unacceptable things happen. People came to Belgium, applied for naturalization, obtained naturalization, and did not know any of our three national languages even though they had been on our territory sometimes for very long years. And so July 21 is our national holiday.
Antonio Solimando: Yes, and what historical event does that correspond to?
Jacqueline Galant: Independence from Belgium.
Antonio Solimando: The taking of the oath by King Leopold I .
