Immigration 2/3 of Muslim immigrants in Belgium import their wives or husbands

[Maciamo]

VRT : "Immigrants import brides"

More and more youngsters of Moroccan and Turkish descent are importing their bride or groom from their country of origin. Figures from Antwerp University show that this is the case for two out of three immigrant youngsters.
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There is no difference between the sexes.

Antwerp University says that the figures are significantly higher than during the seventies. At this point in time barely half of all immigrant youngsters imported their bride or groom.

Chris Timmermans of Antwerp University says that immigrant women often prefer a suitor from their country of origin because they are more truly Moroccan or Turkish.

The women believe that youngsters in the country of origin are more likely to stick to the straight and narrow.

Immigrant men often feel that Moroccan and Turkish women in Belgium are too westernised and too independent.

They pick a partner from their country of origin because they believe that they have been brought up according to local traditions.

The research among the Turkish community was carried out by Hilâl Yalçin of the Support Unit for Equal Opportunities Policy.

It was commissioned by the Flemish Equal Opportunities Minister Kathleen Van Brempt (socialist).

In contrast with what we would expect the number of foreign brides and grooms is not decreasing but increasing.
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This is both ironic and alarming. It is ironic because the very same Muslim immigrants who are criticised for their lack of integration, and for recreating their home country's traditions and lifestyle in Belgium, end up being seen as "too Westernised" or not traditional enough by their fellow immigrants.

It is alaming because this familial regroupment is only bringing more traditional-thinking Muslim immigrants to Belgium, and thus preventing whole families to truly adapt and integrate inside Belgium. We could have hoped that after a few generations immigrants would forget about the culture, customs and lifestyle of their country of origin, and become real Belgians. But this trend is only intensifying the problem, and widening the ghettoes.

The government should do something to prevent this. Maybe immigrants up to the 3rd generation shouldn't be allowed to take a spouse from outside the EU that would require a visa to stay in Belgium. If they want to marry a Moroccan or a Turkish person for their traditional mindset, then why don't they go and live in Morocco or Turkey ?