Brussels Population Booms This Century After Decades of Urban Flight

Brussels is experiencing a significant population resurgence, becoming Belgium's most rapidly expanding region, with the capital city ranking third in municipal growth. This demographic shift is primarily fueled by migration, reversing decades of urban decline.

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In that period, the Brussels region had few powers of its own, which limited the options for urban planning.

From 1961 to 2001, Brussels saw a notable "urban flight" as residents left for the suburbs due to perceived decay and a lack of livability. Demographer Patrick Deboosere of VUB notes that during this period, the region had limited autonomy over urban planning, leading to a car-dominated landscape with infrastructure like an elevated highway impacting residential areas. House prices dropped, prompting many to leave.

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The car was given all the priority. Brussels really became a car city.

The situation began to change in the 1990s as the region gained more powers, leading to efforts to create a more livable city and increase resident engagement. However, the primary driver of population increase this century has been migration. Influxes from the former Soviet Union in the early 1990s, facilitated by the EU's free movement treaty, and later waves from conflict zones like the Balkans, Rwanda, Iraq, and Syria, have significantly boosted the population.

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This migration consists mainly of young people, twenty-somethings. They are looking for a better life.

This influx consists largely of young people seeking better opportunities, leading to a rejuvenation of the population and a higher birth rate. Consequently, the Brussels region boasts the youngest demographic in Belgium. While this youthfulness presents opportunities, it also brings substantial challenges, most notably high youth unemployment.

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As a result, you automatically get a rejuvenation, and young people have children.