Bilingual Train Greeting Sparks Political Debate in Belgium

 

A simple bilingual greeting by a train conductor has sparked a political row in Belgium, with the country’s language watchdog now investigating the matter. The controversy began when Ilyass Alba, a French-speaking conductor, greeted passengers on a train from Mechelen to Brussels in October with both a Dutch and French “good morning” – “goeiemorgen, bonjour.”

While Alba's greeting seemed innocuous, it was met with criticism from one Dutch-speaking passenger, who insisted, “We’re not in Brussels yet, you have to use Dutch only!” This passenger pointed to Belgium's complex language rules, which stipulate that conductors should use both Dutch and French greetings only in bilingual regions like Brussels.

The incident has prompted an official complaint, and the Permanent Commission for Linguistic Control is now reviewing the case. The commission is expected to consult with the national railway operator, SNCB, on how it enforces language policies across the country.

This incident has caused a stir in Belgium, a country deeply divided along linguistic lines, with Dutch speakers in the north and French speakers in the south. The debate has intensified political tensions, especially as language issues often play a prominent role in Belgium’s political landscape.

Georges Gilkinet, Belgium's transport minister and a French-speaking member of the environmentalist Ecolo party, came to the conductor's defense. He argued that in a small country like Belgium, crossing regional language boundaries is common. Gilkinet emphasized that SNCB conductors should focus on providing “a quality welcome” and ensuring passengers are fully informed, noting that using multiple languages to greet people should not be controversial.

However, some Dutch-speaking politicians disagreed with this stance. Sammy Mahdi, leader of the Flemish Christian Democrat party (CD&V), argued that language legislation should not be disregarded. “We can’t just throw our language legislation overboard,” he said, urging respect for the rules.

SNCB, the Belgian national railway company, has called for greater flexibility in applying language policies, expressing support for conductors who greet passengers in several languages. A spokesperson for SNCB stated that using multiple languages is a "nice" gesture and thanked conductors for their efforts to make passengers feel welcome.

As the language debate continues, the outcome of the investigation remains uncertain, but the incident highlights the ongoing sensitivities surrounding language use in Belgium's divided political and cultural landscape.