2

What did we do?

1We researched how people feel about Belgium (as a brand). Which sentiment is predominant? Positivism or negativism?

2We captured the vocabulary and arguments used when people talk about Belgium.

3We checked whether people's attitudes changed in a discussion with others. Do people stick to their initial point of view or do they change their opinion?

3

How did we do it?

3 samples were identified:

The collection of the data took place via online panels in the beginning of 2017.

#1

Internal

(BE)

perspective

National representative sample of Belgians

(N=671)

#2

External

(UK)

perspective

National representative sample of Britons

(N=691)

#3

Inside-out

perspective

Deepdive of Muslims in Belgium together with Tiqah

(N=241)

4

5

Sentiment regarding Belgium

Q: We would like to know how you see Belgium as a country in respect of all its facets.

Below please state what you feel about Belgium. You can express your feelings on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being very negative and 10 being very positive.

6

Sentiment regarding Belgium

The average scores regarding the ‘Belgium’ brand for each sample:

Belgians give an average

score of

6.2/10

Britons give an average

score of

6.9/10

Muslims in Belgium give

a score of

6.0/10

Belgians give an average

score of

6.2/10

Britons give an average

score of

6.9/10

7

Another perspective of the sentiment score

Haters

People who give scores between 0 and 2.4 out of 10 as to how they feel about Belgium.

Criticasters

People who give scores between 2.5 and 4.9 out of 10 as to how they feel about Belgium.

Positivists

People who give scores between 5.0 and 7.4 out of 10 as to how they feel about Belgium.

Lovers

People who give scores between 7.5 and 10 out of 10 as to how they feel about Belgium.

8

6,3%

12,5%

51,6%

29,7%

Haters Criticasters Positivists Lovers

30% of Belgians

‘love’ Belgium

9

10

Analysis of the conversation

CrowdPulse works with the

vocabulary people use,

instead of predefined statements.

11

Analysis of the conversationIn Belgium

ThemesSubthemesTopicsVerbatims

12

Analysis of the conversationIn Belgium

16%

Social security

19%Politics

20%Society

15%Offer of

the country

16%Finances, economy & work

14%Quality of life

06main themes

found in the

conversation in

the group of

Belgians

13

20%

Society

8%

Security

• Belgians have a nuanced opinion: the justice system and the police generally do their job correctly, we do not suffer war or large disasters.

• However, the justice system and police have their faults, and there is a shared feeling of our safety being under threat (cfr. terrorism)

6%

Immigration andfugitives

There are two lines of reasoning within this narrative:

•People who argue that living within a multicultural society is an enrichment and who criticize the inhumane fugitive policies

•Belgians who are of the opinion that there are too many immigrants, asylum seekers and fugitives.

3%

Tensionsbetweenlinguistic

communities

3%

Freedom of speech

• There is still tension with regards to the linguistic communities

• People talk about an increasing divide between the communities, and even of feelings of hatred

• The ‘criticism’ comes both the Flemish and the Walloon side

• In Belgium, you are free. Free to express your opinion, to believe what you want, …

• We are a democracy, built on equality

• However, the system is under pressure, there are too many rules impinging on our freedom

• “Door de terreuraanslagen is gebleken dat de veiligheid in ons land niet optimaal is, daar is intussen al wat aan gedaan.”

• “Een land dat zich vredelievend opstelt naar de rest van de wereld.”

• « Malgré les événements récents, la Belgique me paraît être un pays sûr. »

• “We zijn tot nu toe toch gespaard van grote natuurrampen.”

• « La côté cosmopolite: la Belgique et un pays qui accueille une population issue de la planète entière. Par ailleurs le fait qu'elle abrite la capitale de l'Europe en fait un pays très cosmopolite au niveau européen. »

• “Multicultureel, invloeden in België van vele culturen doorheen de geschiedenis is een verrijking, wel spijtig dat extremen denken dat ze hun cultuur mogen komen prediken.”

• “Er moet nog meer werk gemaakt worden tegen immigratiepolitiek: er zijn momenteel genoeg immigranten.”

• “Samenraapsel van twee stammen zonder een enkele band.”

• « Tout est communautaire sous pression flamande. »

• « La petite guerre entre les flamands et les wallons n'est entretenue que par certains politiciens de n'importe quel parti. Y trouvent t-ils leur intèrêt? Oui certainement. On est tous égaux. »

• « C'est un pays où règne encore la liberté de penser, de s'exprimer, de croire ou ne pas croire. »

• “Als inwoner verliezen we stukje bij beetje onze vrijheid, teveel regels en te weinig eigen verantwoordelijkheid.”

• “Democratisch, spijtig dat populisme hier ook de kop opsteekt.”

Each

theme

is quantified

and

qualitatively

analyzed

in the full

research

report

EXAMPLE Theme Subthemes Verbatims

14

Deepdive #1

Regions of Belgium

What are the differences between the two language groups?

What divides and what connects us?

15

Sentiment regarding Belgium

Dutch-speaking Belgians

give an average score of

6.3/10

French-speaking Belgians

give an average score of

6.0/10

16

There are more negative voices among French speakers

Dutch speakers French speakers

05% 08%Haters

10% 15%Criticasters

53% 50%Positivists

32% 27%Lovers

17

What still connects us?

Not the classic symbols The following do:

1The quality of life

2

Frustrations about

the operation of the

political structure

18

Where are

the biggest

differences?

3 illustrations based on

the verbatims of people

19

“Consumer prices are

far too high compared

to neighbouring

countries.”

Dutch speakers

“The social

situation in Belgium

is increasingly

falling apart.”

French speakers

20

“I think economically

we are on the right

track at the moment.”

Dutch speakers

“The conservative

parties in power at the

moment are causing a

decline of Belgium.”

French speakers

Biggest differences

2. Feeling regarding current policy

21

“The quality of every

day life is in free fall

and I don’t think it will

improve.”

French speakers

“If everyone had a

slightly more

positive attitude

everything would

come good.”

Dutch speakers

22

Deepdive #2

Muslims in Belgium

The inside-out perspective, how do Belgians with a Muslim

background view Belgium

23

Sentiment regarding Belgium

The average score regarding the ‘Belgium’ brand

Belgian Muslims give a

score of

6.0/10

Belgians give an average

score of

6.2/10

24

Social Finances,

economy & work

Social security

Politics

Offer of BelgiumAttitude

Belgium regarding Muslims

Quality of life

Politics

Offer of the

country

Finances, economy & work

Quality of life

Social security Society

Sample

Belgian Muslims

Sample

Belgium general

25

Muslims in Belgium struggle

with the question:

“Can I really feel at home in Belgium?”

There is a field of tension

between rational and emotional

well-being

26

Rational well-being

Belgium meets the basic needs:

• Strong healthcare system

• Education system

• Social security

• Democracy

Compared to homeland:

• Healthcare based on status and origin

• Education for the rich, the rest has no access

• No social security

• ‘Unreal’ democracy

Social security

Finances, economy & work

Quality of life

27

Emotional well-being

No emotional bond with Belgium:

• They don't feel at home

• No safety or security

• Second-class citizen and deportable - noattachment to the country

Belgium thus becomes ‘the country where my house is, but not my home’.

28

Emotional well-being

Belgian Muslims hit a wall of distrust

• Media – Muslim is perpetrator, rarely the victim

• Populist politicians – scaremongering

• Increasing racism and discrimination – it is no longer not done to make racist statements

• Gap between citizens – Muslim and non-Muslim live separate lives

Social

Attitude Belgium

regarding Muslims

Politics

Offer of Belgium

29

“Some people do understand Muslims and treat us and live among us

respectfully.”

“There have been many times when I felt excluded, different to anyone else.

But then there are others (Belgians) who support me and are very interested in me. Despite the fact I am not a native

Belgian.”

“After all, I was born and bred here. I try to make contact and always be kind and good for the

people around me. You can see this improves the bonds with neighbours and schoolmates. Prejudices will never disappear, but as an

individual you can do something about it.”

Hope springs eternal!

“I just want to say that Belgium is my country, a beautiful

country, my home, I could never live in another country.”

Bonding and mutual respect

30

And the Britons?

“Rather dull country with only some interesting architecture in the large towns to boast about.”

31

32

Impact of the conversation

How many people changed their opinion after talking to someone else?

20%

69%

11%

23%

54%

22%

11%

63%

26%

UKBE MUS

33

Impact of the conversation

In Belgium

Initial

sentiment

Final

sentiment

06% 08%Haters

13% 14%Criticasters

52% 53%Positivists

30% 25%Lovers

34

Arguments with a

strong positiveimpact

• Dummy argument (part of the full research)

• Dummy argument (part of the full research)

• Dummy argument (part of the full research)

Arguments

with no meaningful impact

• Dummy argument (part of the full research)

• Dummy argument (part of the full research)

• Dummy argument (part of the full research)

Arguments with a

strong negativeimpact

• Dummy argument (part of the full research)

• Dummy argument (part of the full research)

• Dummy argument (part of the full research)

Identifying effective arguments

Global or by target group