A new study commissioned by Belgium’s public broadcaster found that large numbers of Flemish residents express concern about immigration, demographic change, and the growing visibility of Islam in their communities.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A major social attitudes survey in Belgium has found that a majority of Flemish respondents fear native residents are being gradually replaced by migrants, reflecting broader debates across Europe over immigration, national identity, and cultural change.
The study, known as the “Photo of Flanders,” was commissioned by Belgian public broadcaster VRT and has tracked public opinion in the Flemish region since 2009.
According to the survey, 56 percent of respondents agreed with the statement: “I am afraid that Flemish people are slowly being replaced by migrants/people from abroad.”
The survey found similar levels of concern across multiple age groups. Among respondents between ages 45 and 64, 58 percent agreed with the statement, while 59 percent of respondents older than 65 expressed the same view. Teenagers between 12 and 17 years old also registered high levels of agreement at 58 percent.
The study additionally reported that 52 percent of Flemish respondents said they would be concerned about the construction of a mosque in their neighborhood, while only 23 percent indicated they would welcome such a development.
Researchers also noted that 22 percent of respondents who said they were not concerned about demographic replacement still opposed having a mosque built nearby.
According to VRT, the findings indicate that concerns surrounding migration and demographic change remain widespread throughout Flanders.
The survey also examined reactions to cultural changes involving traditional Christian customs and public terminology.
A majority of respondents, 57 percent, said Christmas markets should continue being called “Christmas markets” rather than “winter markets,” terminology increasingly adopted in some municipalities and public events.
Opposition to renaming the events was strongest among older respondents, with 64 percent of those between 45 and 64 and 67 percent of respondents older than 65 rejecting the use of neutral alternatives. Younger age groups showed lower levels of opposition.
The report additionally found that 60 percent of Flemish respondents expressed concern about the presence of Islam in Flanders.
That figure reached 65 percent among respondents ages 45 to 64 and 67 percent among those over 65, although researchers noted those figures represented slight declines compared to previous surveys conducted in 2023 and 2024.
Among teenagers between ages 12 and 17, 61 percent expressed concern about Islam’s presence, with researchers observing an upward trend among younger respondents.
Patrick Loobuyck, an ethics professor affiliated with the University of Antwerp and Ghent University, described the survey’s anti-diversity figures as “quite high” and said many residents are struggling to adapt to rapid social transformation.
“They are concerned about themes that are important to our society: who we are, what the future is of Flanders and what is the place of the population that is there today,” Loobuyck said.
“The population has actually changed a lot in recent decades. That diversity is no longer limited to cities, but is felt almost everywhere. People see and feel that, and also notice consequences in education and society,” he added.
The survey also entered broader political debates surrounding the phrase “Great Replacement,” a term used by some activists and commentators to describe demographic shifts caused by immigration.
Loobuyck argued that theories suggesting a coordinated effort by elites to intentionally replace native populations should not be embraced.
“There is sometimes a pretense that there is a plan behind it, as if elites are consciously allowing mass migration to destroy us,” he said. “That adds to the uncertainty that is already there.”
The article accompanying the survey findings referenced ongoing European debates surrounding migration policy, including United Nations discussions involving so-called “replacement migration” strategies connected to aging populations and labor shortages.
It also cited comments from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen supporting increased legal migration into Europe, along with past public statements by financier George Soros advocating expanded refugee admissions during Europe’s migration crisis.
The article further referenced polling in other European countries showing significant public concern about immigration and demographic change.
In Germany, nearly half of respondents in one cited survey reportedly agreed with the statement that Europeans are gradually being replaced by immigrants from Africa and the Middle East. In France, another poll reportedly found that 60 percent of voters believed France was experiencing demographic replacement involving non-European populations.
The report additionally highlighted demographic changes in Brussels, where statistics cited in the article stated that 72 percent of children and teenagers now have a non-European Union migration background, while 10.5 percent are classified as Belgians of Belgian origin.
The VRT study arrives amid continuing political disputes across Europe over migration policy, border controls, cultural identity, labor shortages, and integration policies as immigration remains a dominant political issue throughout much of the continent.
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