Flanders more popular with Dutch than vice versa

One Dutch person out of five would prefer to live in Flanders than in the Netherlands. The feeling is not mutual, though, as barely one Fleming in 20 would prefer to move to the Netherlands, a survey held by the Belgian newspaper De Standaard shows.

When asked where they would prefer to live (the Netherlands or Flanders), 20 percent of the Dutch said Flanders, while 5 percent of the residents of that Dutch-speaking part of Belgium opted for the Netherlands. The Flemings and Dutch were asked questions in 16 categories.

The Flemings said that the Netherlands was a good country for cyclists and that ethnic minorities were better off there than in Belgium. Many people in Flanders also like to shop in the Netherlands.

On the other hand, the Dutch are dissatisfied with almost everything in their own country. “Food, housing, commuting, going to school, further education, starting a business, childcare, going out, being ill. The Dutch have few favourable opinions about their own country,” De Standaard concluded.

Source: NIS News, 17 June 2008