The Belgian nationalist party Vlaams Belang has voiced concern over a steady rise in the number of foreign imams entering Belgium during Ramadan. MP Francesca Van Belleghem reported that visa approvals for these religious figures increased from 31 in 2022 to 83 in 2023, with nearly 80 granted in 2025. Most of the imams come from Morocco, with others arriving from Egypt and Algeria.
Van Belleghem criticised the government for allocating significant funds to integration programmes while, at the same time, admitting religious leaders who, she argues, promote segregation and undermine social cohesion.
The party claims that many of these imams enter the country with little or no oversight and may spread messages that conflict with Belgian values. Vlaams Belang considers this a form of foreign interference, warning that it weakens integration efforts and contributes to the emergence of parallel societies in Belgian cities.
According to Van Belleghem, the situation is both contradictory and counterproductive: while Belgium invests heavily in integration, it simultaneously allows in external influences.
Vlaams Belang is calling for an immediate and substantial reduction in the number of visas issued to foreign imams. The party argues that such measures are necessary to protect national identity and ensure that integration policies remain effective and credible.
