This gradual fading of “Belgium” is symbolically embodied in the endangered status of the quintessential Belgian: the bilingual Bruxellois, or Brusselaar, who had a foot on each side of the language frontier. Today, though Brussels remains officially bilingual, its residents are mostly Francophone, with a minority of Dutch speakers. Beyond Brussels, English is becoming an unofficial lingua franca for Flemings and Walloons alike.

As a naturalized citizen who has been a Belgian for nearly a decade, I find this slow disintegration a shame — partly because I appreciate the eccentric appeal of this country, which has an understated cool despite a reputation for being dull. Also, for people like me, of immigrant backgrounds, it is often easier to identify as Belgian because it does not carry the same ethnic baggage that Flemish or Walloon does. In fact, with some two-thirds of the population of Brussels being of foreign origin, the ethnic complexion of the capital has shifted substantially — as is exemplified on the soccer pitch. Take, for example, the Congolese-Belgian footballer Vincent Kompany. As at home speaking Dutch or French, he captains the national squad and acts as a unifying figure.

A common wisecrack is that Belgians feel a sense of shared nationhood only when abroad, where they become ambassadors for national traditions (notably, some of the world’s best beer and chocolate). And many Belgians I know have reconciled themselves to the prospect that they will outlive their country, assuming it would split into separate sovereign states. Yet polls show that clear majorities on both sides want Belgium to survive intact, despite the bickering among the regions’ political class.

Moreover, although the political divergence of Flanders and Wallonia is very visible, a recent survey conducted by the Flemish public broadcaster VRT revealed that a majority of Belgian voters have broadly similar political positions and views. In the view of the political scientist and newspaper columnist Dave Sinardet, “Whether it relates to socioeconomic, ethical, immigration or environmental issues, you need a magnifying glass to see the difference between Flemings and Walloons.”

This would come as no surprise to anyone who has lived among the two. I have long held that Flemings and Walloons have more in common with one another than they do with either the French or Dutch, both of whom are viewed with suspicion.