2003 a bumper year for Belgian divorces

9 April 2004

BRUSSELS – Three out of four Belgian marriages now end in divorce, according to the latest official figures released on Friday.

According to Belgium’s national statistical institute (INS), the number of divorces in Belgium increased dramatically last year. In 2003 31,373 couples divorced compared with 30,628 the previous year.

In Brussels the number of divorces even outstripped the number of marriages last year, the INS said.

The INS study also revealed interesting differences between Belgium’s three largest regions.

In Brussels, the study showed that while an increasing number of people are getting married more and more couples are also getting divorced.

In Wallonia the number of marriages is falling but the number of divorces is relatively stable.

In Flanders on the other hand, people are marrying less often but divorcing more frequently.

Subject: Belgian news